Getting To Know My Soil

[flifsh1]

I just purchased a 3 rai raw piece of land near Chaing Rai. The soil is a reddish brown, the same throughout the area. I am not sure what the soil consists of. Is there a way to have it tested?

Currently there is only one large tree on the property and a few bananas and some weeds. If the land was farmed it was some ago. The land slopes down on a continuous slope to a small lake. I want to plant a variety of fruit trees (grapefruit, oranges, papaya, dragon fruit, and avocado). I want to be sure that these will grow in my soil. Any ideas on the best way to find this out.

Also I was also looking for a recommendation on varieties of trees to plant for shade for the house. I would like something that grows fast has good foliage for shade.

Can good quality top soil be ordered in Thailand and if so any idea the cost?

Thanks for your help!

[chownah]

You used to be able to get free soil testing done at the agriculture universities around the country but I don't know if this is still a service they provide. If you try your nearest ag school and they don't do soil testing I'll bet that they know exactly where you can get it tested....and after you get your soil tested the same ag school will probably advise you whether the things you would like to plant will grow there or not....and if they don't provide this service I'll bet that they know exactly who does and where they are located.

You can buy dirt of varying quality but whenever I buy dirt I'm very careful to find out what kind it will be before I commit to buying alot. Dirt usually costs me 150 baht for a 2 cubic metre truck load and 160 baht if it includes a tractor to spread and compact the dirt...and I usually have to buy at least 50 loads in order to get the tractor to come. I live in Chiangrai.

Chownah

Oh!!! I see that you are in Chiangrai....then the nearest ag school would be Mae Jo University in Chiangmai.....if you find some place to do this closer to Chiangrai please let us know.

Chownah

Edited May 3, 2007 by chownah

[solent01]

You can try your local agriculture supply outlets, most of the (bigger) suppliers around our town provide free tests. They will have contacts for soil also.

[Maizefarmer]

The whole region is great for growing all sorts of fruit - drive around and you'll find loads of fruit plantations, all of them with slightly different soil types.

Just plant - it'll grow (worst case scenario: you'll have to add some fertilser). No soil test is going to tell you it's perfect - you are almost certainly going to have to add some fertliser at some stage (as all fruit farmers do in Thailand), and not withstanding what the soil test says, you'll end up adding what ohter farmers in your area add - which is almost always the best way to go.

The soil is red from high clay, aluminium and iron oxides - very common in that area. Not very fertile - good for bean type crops (e.g. coffee beans ect ...). Fruit trees grown on that type of soil tend to establish very shallow root systems - so throw down some grass to limit erosion.

MF

[Lickey]

If you do need some topsoil, and find a supplier, go look at the soil, hopefully it will not yet be excavated, if its got loads of lush weeds or plants growing on it, it will be fine for your needs, if its barren with nothing growing, i would avoid it, its possibly been overdosed with strong weed-killer and might stay non-productive for a couple of years.

Good luck with your new venture, Lickey.

[Somtham]

I just purchased a 3 rai raw piece of land near Chaing Rai. The soil is a reddish brown, the same throughout the area. I am not sure what the soil consists of. Is there a way to have it tested?

Currently there is only one large tree on the property and a few bananas and some weeds. If the land was farmed it was some ago. The land slopes down on a continuous slope to a small lake. I want to plant a variety of fruit trees (grapefruit, oranges, papaya, dragon fruit, and avocado). I want to be sure that these will grow in my soil. Any ideas on the best way to find this out.

Also I was also looking for a recommendation on varieties of trees to plant for shade for the house. I would like something that grows fast has good foliage for shade.

Can good quality top soil be ordered in Thailand and if so any idea the cost?

Thanks for your help!

The FAO has published, what I think, is a very good book on soils. Mostly aimed at aquaculture but very informative for doing your own basic soil tests and what to ask/look for when paying to have soil tests done. It's an FTP site and downloadable. Worth the time.

Here's the link.

ftp://ftp.fao.org/FI/CDrom/FAO_Training/F...6e/x6706e00.htm

rgds

[solent01]

The whole region is great for growing all sorts of fruit - drive around and you'll find loads of fruit plantations, all of them with slightly different soil types.

Just plant - it'll grow (worst case scenario: you'll have to add some fertilser). No soil test is going to tell you it's perfect - you are almost certainly going to have to add some fertliser at some stage (as all fruit farmers do in Thailand), and not withstanding what the soil test says, you'll end up adding what ohter farmers in your area add - which is almost always the best way to go.

The soil is red from high clay, aluminium and iron oxides - very common in that area. Not very fertile - good for bean type crops (e.g. coffee beans ect ...). Fruit trees grown on that type of soil tend to establish very shallow root systems - so throw down some grass to limit erosion.

MF

Sums it up nicely, I'm way up north, we can grow pretty much what we like, just have to match the product with the ferts..... and sort out the irrigation and drainage.

[Maizefarmer]

The whole region is great for growing all sorts of fruit - drive around and you'll find loads of fruit plantations, all of them with slightly different soil types.

Just plant - it'll grow (worst case scenario: you'll have to add some fertilser). No soil test is going to tell you it's perfect - you are almost certainly going to have to add some fertliser at some stage (as all fruit farmers do in Thailand), and not withstanding what the soil test says, you'll end up adding what ohter farmers in your area add - which is almost always the best way to go.

The soil is red from high clay, aluminium and iron oxides - very common in that area. Not very fertile - good for bean type crops (e.g. coffee beans ect ...). Fruit trees grown on that type of soil tend to establish very shallow root systems - so throw down some grass to limit erosion.

MF

Sums it up nicely, I'm way up north, we can grow pretty much what we like, just have to match the product with the ferts..... and sort out the irrigation and drainage.

Yup - the reason why I suggested putting some ground cover down is because you said you're on a slope - and as soon as you dig holes on a slope to plant trees, along comes the rain and washes away or that loose soil around the hole you dug.

Been a red soil, bet you if you dug a 3' - 4' hole you'd be through most of the red stuff and into a lighter and darker sandier type of soil - which will be a ton drier than the top stuff in the dry season, and a load more soggy in the wet season.

And you have a pond at the bottom - so that takes care of the water needs (so long as it has water in the dry season)!

Go for it - why not: mix in some 20 - 20 - 20 fertiliser (the first number stand for Nitrogen N, the second for Phosporus P, the third for Potassium K - thats universal - anywhere in the world - alwasy the same . So 20 - 20 -20 means equal amounts of all 3 - a good general purpose fertilser)