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Paradise Mountain, New York

I sent a soil test to A&L Labs in California and the other to UMASS in Massachusetts. I was very surprised at the big difference between the two test. A&L said my Calcium level was 2,435. UMASS said my Calium was 4,967. Plus everything else was no where in being close to each other.
Both samples where taken out of the same pail I had collected the soil into. They where mixed back and forth many times between two pails before I took and sent the soil to the two labs.
PumpkinBrat

4/30/2005 9:53:04 PM

Puyallup, WA

Someone sent samples to 25 different soil laboratories. You would be surprised that no one came up with identical results....even soils sent to the same Lab. at a different time did not produce identical results! Frankly, I do not have a lot of faith in these results. I could site my samples comparing last Fall's report with the one this Spring....only five months apart. You would not believe that they came out of the same patch! Yep...the same Lab., too!

4/30/2005 10:07:34 PM

Phoenix, AZ

I have done 2 labs myself and the ratios of my CEC's came back the same but one lab showed 2X the amount of Ca, Mg, K as the other (yes, I corrected for PPM to PPA). Micros also were slightly different. Overall, it was nice to confirm and if you have the time and money suggest you do it.

4/30/2005 10:53:53 PM

[email protected]

We need to takle samples from many different locations. These should be combined in a clean plastic or stainless pail. The the cores are broken up & mix like crazy. If the results are still not consistent, then there are issues with the lab(s).

5/1/2005 12:23:47 AM

Puyallup, WA

BTW, PB....I'd kill for those Calcium readings!

5/1/2005 1:09:29 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I took 20 different samples from all over my patch. Then I mixed them up good by pouring them back and forth many of times between two new pails.Then to mix the soil up a little more, I stirred it up super good by my clean hand. The pails where also washed very good.

5/1/2005 1:22:30 AM

Utah ([email protected])

Brat, I did some experimentation these past two years. This past week I sent 2 samples to A&L and 6 samples to UMASS. The samples to UMASS had two samples for each of the 2 sent to A&L. I was wondering about variability between labs and even within labs.

I followed all the sample rules and was very cinsistent.

A&L results were quite different than UMASS. The UMASS samples were somewhat consisttent.

For examples:
Organic Matter
A&L #1a = 14%
UMAS #1b = 21.3%
UMAS #1c = 21.1%

Where I see the biggest difference is in CEC:
A&L #1a = 30.9
UMAS #1b = 75.1
UMAS #1c = 75.2
One UMAS sample CEC was >85% the hioghest A&L was the 30.9%.

PumpkinBrat, my calcium was rated much higher at UMASS as well as follows:
............Mg...Ca...Ratio
A&L #1a = 545 4050 7.4:1
UMAS #1b = 646 7368 11.4:1
UMAS #1c = 622 7147 11.5:1

A&L had my PH at 7.8 (upfrom 7.0 last year). But UMASS had it at 7.2 which seemed more in the real of expectation.

I just got the UMASS reports yesterday so I al still analyzing them. I'll report more later if anyhing else strikes me as odd.

'A couple main takaway... Some of the numbers at UMASS may be incorrect but at lease they are consistent. #2 takaway... I wasted a lot of money. lol.
Brent W.
If you want to look at my multiple reports just le me know. More than likely that will just cause more confusion.
Either way, best of luck in whatever your soil holds for you!

5/1/2005 1:41:33 AM

Waquoit Mass

umass teats are done by college kids remember college i dont lol

5/1/2005 10:20:09 AM

Waquoit Mass

lol tests lol

5/1/2005 10:20:42 AM

One should be more concered with ph the rest can be adjusted during the season..Zane

5/1/2005 10:47:57 AM

Montoursville, PA

To much academic response is more than likely being ushered into the patchs based, on this testing mania.

A good solution, for those who have two or three tests, from which, to observe certain good average conditions, would be, to shread the tests papers and use them, for mulch under your leaves, hay or straw. Then use newsprint, for additional mulch. It does not cost as much.

I never tested my soil, in fifty years until my first pumpkin year. The test suggested a sensible PH adjustment.
After three years, of twice a year testing, with results somewhat as explained above, I shreaded the test papers and mulched them. That makes sense to me.

I may retest, in a couple, of years just, to check, on myself.
...and then again I may not. :) That eighty bucks will haul a lot, of bull shit instead, of having it delivered, on a piece of paper.

5/1/2005 7:43:23 PM