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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] pH testers

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  • From: Shawnee Flowerfarmer <farmingflowers AT hotmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] pH testers
  • Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 20:01:01 -0500

Probably all of the options that you list with the question marks-below- are necessary.  I find that pH testing is the most important and the most annoying.  I finally gave up on my electronic meter from the big company whose name I won't focus on...the probes wear out, replacement probes arrive dry, buffering solutions are expensive.  But I do want an accurate sense of the pH, so what to do?
One field tested-off-site pricey lab test-at 8.5 which seems pretty alkaline and yet  everything in that field grew extremely well over several seasons of rotations from roots to squashes.
 
I would like an accurate pH reading in order to put my observations in context.  pH measurements, done casually or formally may be out of context considering the one billion other factors that each depend on the next.  I now default to observing what thrives well in the soil....meaning, firstly, those pesky weeds.  In my time of growing of most plants in zone 5, I chase after the most exquisite science possible and often default to the voodoo that works.  Sigh....Shawnee zone 5, and after 30 years of cajoling the plants, still perplexed.

> From: rrobinson AT nasw.org
> To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
> Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 11:20:53 -0400
> Subject: Re: [Market-farming] pH testers
>
> On Mon, 5 May 2008 10:36:55 -0400, Richard Robinson wrote:
> > What do you all recommend for pH testing? Hand-held meters? colorimetric
> > solutions? sending off to a lab? I like the immediacy and simplicity of a
> > meter, but wonder if I am getting the accuracy I hope for.
>
> Hearing no replies...
>
> Does nobody test pH? Or does no one like the method they use? ;)
>
>
> --
> Richard Robinson
> http://www.nasw.org/users/rrobinson/
>
>



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