Garden Soil Testing w/ Rapid Test Kit - Instructions and Demo (PH, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium)

It's gardening season, and this year I'm working on fine-tuning the soil in my raised garden beds to have bigger and more fruitful vegetable plants.

So step 1 is testing the soil, so I can determine what I need to add to my soil mix to achieve proper levels for the veggies I'm growing. In this video I demonstrate how to use the Luster Leaf Rapitest home kit to test for PH level, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potash. It's very straightforward, and the test results are pretty simple to understand.

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Luster Leaf Rapid Soil Test Kit

[kathyzakharyuk]

Thanks for showing us how to do the test! I’m usually averse to reading detailed instructions, but am happy to watch an instructional video :)

[kylekayser]

Thankyou very much for taking the time to produce this video well done my friend.

[richardmullinax]

When I was younger back in Ohio, my Dad always did this every year and he had the best garden in the neighborhood. Great yields and jealous neighbors. I have forgotten about this guess I'll be ordering a test kit now and fix my garden. Thanks for the info.

[lizs]

Wow! Super helpful video and very clear and no too long. I'd love to hear your journey on how you supplemented your soil.

[NanA-lmox]

Hi Great Lakes, this is the first year I planned to test my soil, I just didn’t know what test kit to use, I am going to give this a try! Thank you! The garden is under 8 inches of snow now but I am already in planning mode.

[alainaval]

Thanks for this video! I’m starting my new garden, placing beds, etc and this was super helpful

[marilyn]

Hey Thanks! This is great! Easy to understand, informative and very instructional. I was going to jump right in but thought this video would help and it did!!

[terrychrist]

I just bought me one of those soil kits and haven't read the directions all that well yet. But with you showing this video help me and awful lot I thank you for that. God bless you and your family 🙏🤗🐕🐾🐾🐈🐾

[laynelajoy]

The instructions recommended drying the soil, and removing all roots and rocks and non-soil materials, they also recommended putting the water in the Ph tester (put dispenser cap back on so only test chamber is uncovered) after the soil but before the test powder, I prefer soil then powder then water so that I don't spill everything trying to add powder while I hold the tester (or get a small spring clamp to stabilize the test comparator) and undo the capsule. They also say you use 5 parts water to 1 part soil, they do say cups, but they also say as long as you stay with 5:1 it is good. What they don't say is what is 5 to 1, is it by weight or volume, since they didn't say weight, I assume volume but would go with shot glass of soil and 5 shot glasses of distilled water (although distilled water is usually 6.0 Ph) I recommend using a small stainless steel strainer, like 1/2 cup and putting the dried soil in the strainer, put a plastic bowl like old margarine or butter container under strainer and use a teaspoon to grind powder thru use a clear plastic bowl with a top and add 1 shot glass soil, 5 shot glasses water, close and shake and wait until the next day to do the N, P, K tests.

[vminifie]

Thank you so much for this, the instructions that came with the kit were lacking.

[Wes-]

thanks for the video! im about to do this for my grass for the first time. great explanation on how to do it.

[Tar]

Thank you so much for putting this video out. It was very informative and helpful.

[Synganic]

Just got this thing and I watched ur video before using it. I’m sitting here thinking about the K test and the orange being hard to see and I came up with an idea. I’ll do the k test in the ph container being that it’s clear and just replace the analysis slide from the K into the slide holder on the ph container.

[freewaybaby]

Thanks! I was about to do the pH test all wrong. That was the only test I was looking to do. Thanks again. Came back to ask… What is the larger side of the little container for on the NPK tests?

[junehickey]

I appreciate you demonstration.. Only question I have, would be to explain why with the ph test unit you only use the chamber on the left when facing it and add soil, test chemical and water to the same little container, even though the unit has a large container as well and the cap seals on it too.. However nothing goes in there.. ??? It didn't explain it that way on the printed information card.

[DRUMMER-j-ux]

I didn't know you could get little tests like that. That's awesome! Keep us posted on how you amend the soil. Will you be using compost, or manure, or just be adding specifically the Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium elements? How do you plan on adjusting the PH? This was a great video, Great Lakes! Thanks so much!

[cyhomer]

What is the point of filling the larger chamber with the ‘soil water’ for the npk tests?

[Liz]

Thanks for going through these. The directions had me confused. What kind of organic fertilizer do you use?

[trishaamorasino]

Aside from those colors, can I compute that into a quantitative data?

[davidbrewer]

Just ordred this kit before seeing tte video... i kniw sometiing is wtong in my muck, bdcause some things simply do not grow like prppers. It makes sense because. How do you know what yo add if you dont have a clue what is missing?...