Soil Analysis

 Can anyone one recommend where I can get a complete and thorough soil
analysis done, it is for use on a bit of land that was an orchard in the
past but is now needed for animals.

kate

 
What are you expecting to gain from the soil analysis?  If it was an
orchard then it sounds as if there will be nothing particularly nasty
there, apart from that my approach would be 'suck it and see'.

We have 9 acres with two horses on it and also about an acre of
orchard.  Good general maintenance - regular topping and removal of
nasty plants - seems to keep it all in pretty good condition.  In the
long term I think it needs some lime (alkali) but it's not going to
suddenly all turn brown if we don't do that too quickly (we've been
here 12 years or so now and the grass is better this year than it has
been for a while).

--
Chris Green

 

I think the RHS offer a service, but I seem to think it wasn't that cheap


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk  

 On 27/06/2011 19:23, Kate Morgan wrote:


Why do you think it needs a complete and thorough soil analysis done?
- they can be incredibly expensive depending on how many potential
contaminants you want looked for at how many replicates over the site
and at what trace level. If you have reason to suspect actual
contamination then it makes sense to test specifically for eg arsenic.

If you were on a brownfield site like an old gasworks or a yard used for
railway sleepers or CCA treated timber then it would make sense.

A quick and dirty test is grow some mustard and cress in a soil sample
and look out for any abnormalities.

Regards,
Martin Brown

 

Why do you think it needs a complete and thorough soil analysis done?
- they can be incredibly expensive depending on how many potential
contaminants you want looked for at how many replicates over the site
and at what trace level. If you have reason to suspect actual
contamination then it makes sense to test specifically for eg arsenic.

If you were on a brownfield site like an old gasworks or a yard used for
railway sleepers or CCA treated timber then it would make sense.

A quick and dirty test is grow some mustard and cress in a soil sample
and look out for any abnormalities.


Thank you all for your interest and comments.
Horses have been put into the paddock in question in the past and have been
unwell, removed and they recover. This has happened once more. The paddock
is looked after, weeds removed droppings picked up etc, I know because I do
it.
I have never heard of the mustard and cress test, I will try it.
Thanks

kate