Soil Analysis

[cdmtdm]

If anyone has a contact where i can get a soil analysis carried out in the Nong Khai /Udon area please let me know ,that is if there is such a service available ... if in the event its not available what are other rubber farmers doing for soil testing? ..

Cheers

[cooked]

.. and while we're on the subject, water analysis also? I am in Buriram area

[xen]

It is just a sugestion as i don't live in those areas but what about getting in touch with the agricultural facility at the universities ( perhaps the one at Khon Kaen has a agric facility i think) . I have used the University of NSW in Sydney previously as well as private soil labs for both Services (water & soil) after going out for tender /quote . They may not be cheap and it may be good to also ask for an intreptation or sumary of the data unless you are prettyy fluent with chemistry. I would also determine how detailed you want it to be as they may also give you information ,which you will pay for , that you do not need.

You can also do a lot of basic soil testing yourself - ph,salinity etc just from reading a good textbook on soil science. Apoligies if you are already capable of doing it yourself.

[cdmtdm]

thanks xen , i am used to having it done by our local ag dept in oz , i was hoping a similar type of facility was available here , perhaps your right the KK uni may be the go if i dont get another source.... worst case yes testing myself is last option ....

cheers

[drtreelove]

My advise is don't go with university labs or do it yourself testing, the methods and interpretations are grossly inadequate in my opinion.

Read "The Ideal Soil" by Michael Astera and send soil test results to him for a prescription amendments, or learn from the book to interpret lab results and write your own prescription.

(e-book available http://www.soilminerals.com/)

Logan Labs in Ohio, USA is cheap and efficient ($20); all you need to do is to mail the samples with a USDA permit attached (available on Logan Labs website http://www.loganlabs.com/ ). Even with postage the cost is less than Thai university soil science department labs, from my experience. They email you the results; then send the report to: "orders at soil minerals dot com" and Michael will provide you with the analysis and prescription via PayPal ($45). Many major and minor mineral amendments are available in Thailand; some trace elements may be hard to find.

[WatersEdge]

I had soil and water tests done at Chiang Mai University,

I think it was Department of Soils and Water

This does not do you much good in other regions of the country,

but gives a general idea of what Thailand universities offer.

It was around B450 for each of the farm soil tests I wanted....

slightly more if you wanted tests run for additional nutrient elements.

I remember being surprised at how cheap it was.

I also got exact analysis of rock samples to determine mining value

at the Department of Geology.

The cost for X-Ray Fluorescence test was around B1,900 per sample.

[drtreelove]

I've had many soil samples run at CMU and at MaeJo U. An abreviated test may be 450 baht, only NPK, pH, but a complete basic test for major and minor minerals, organic matter content, pH, soil structure is over 1000 baht, and that does not include any interpretation or recommendations. Unless you know soil science and how to interpret the test results, you need to pay to have someone write a prescription for amendments.

If you really want a comprehensive look at your soil condition and gain the ability to amend it for maximum plant health, productivity, flavor of food grown, pest and disease resistance, etc., then you need to know the availability and balance of all the major and minor minerals. For instance, the ratio of calcium to magnesium is important for drainage and other factors. A soil that is heavy in Mg compared to Ca is tight and does not drain as well.

Laboratory tests often check for plant nutrients in 3 categories:

• Major nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)
  
• Secondary nutrients: secondary nutrients - sulphur, calcium, magnesium
  
• Minor nutrients: iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, aluminum.
  

Do-it-yourself kits usually only test for the three "major nutrients" and for soil acidity or pH level.

[rice555]

Hello All, from post#13 in the thread below gives some of the prices

for soil/water test from Kasit BKK.

They also sell basic soil test kits(NPK-pH) and some other larger kits.

La Mote or what ever their name test kits, the first I used in the 60's

has a dealer in BKK(or did), not cheap. From basic to full field/lab kits.

rice555

http://www.thaivisa....ineral-product/

Need to to google for the La Mate test kits.

[xen]

My advise is don't go with university labs or do it yourself testing, the methods and interpretations are grossly inadequate in my opinion.

Read "The Ideal Soil" by Michael Astera and send soil test results to him for a prescription amendments, or learn from the book to interpret lab results and write your own prescription.

(e-book available http://www.soilminerals.com/)

Logan Labs in Ohio, USA is cheap and efficient ($20); all you need to do is to mail the samples with a USDA permit attached (available on Logan Labs website http://www.loganlabs.com/ ). Even with postage the cost is less than Thai university soil science department labs, from my experience. They email you the results; then send the report to: "orders at soil minerals dot com" and Michael will provide you with the analysis and prescription via PayPal ($45). Many major and minor mineral amendments are available in Thailand; some trace elements may be hard to find.

Just for clarification , are you able to mail soil samples to the States as i know you would run into quarintine problems in Australia. I looked on the Loganlabs site for the USDA permit but could not find it. Does this allow you to get through Quarintine ?

[drtreelove]

Hi Xen, Yes the Logan Labs USDA permit allows direct mailing of soil to their lab without quarantine issues; I've done it from Chiang Mai, without a hitch.

At the bottom of the home page you will find a link called 'permit to receive soil'. http://www.loganlabs.com/doc/soilpermit.pdf It might be good to put a copy of that paper inside your package, But it doesn't have the label that you need for the outside of the package.

They have changed the website since I used it last and now I can't find the page with the USDA labels from which you can print and cut out one to tape on the outside of your package. I'll email Teresa the office manager and find out how to obtain these and let you know.

The Mehlich III extraction method is superior and preferred according to Michael Astera.

[cooked]

can you show us an example of the results please?

[drtreelove]

Here's the old page. I have request in for latest info. don

USDAsoil_permit1.pdf

[drtreelove]

can you show us an example of the results please?

DonCox_Walliingford1_June20111.pdf

[cooked]

wow, not sure if I can handle that. you have pH under 6.0? we definitely have over 6.0. I thought it was like that all over Thailand. I'll contact a local university to see if I can get a comparable soil test done, no rush in my case as we won't be starting seriously until next year. Thanks

[drtreelove]

Here's the old page. I have request in for latest info. don

Disregard these cut out mini labels. Logan Labs say they are obsolete. They suggest placing the full permit inside the package and outside.