Self-sufficiency is gaining in popularity. However, this also raises questions about healthy plant growth. In order to achieve high yields, you should examine your garden soil a little more closely. Soil analyzes provide valuable information about the properties of the soil.

If you know your soil, you can cultivate it better

Table of Contents

Show all
  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Importance of soil analysis
  3. Carry out soil analysis yourself
  4. frequently asked Questions

    5. the essentials in brief

    • A soil analysis provides information about the nutrient composition or pollutants in the soil
    • Simple soil analyzes are already available for 20€, complicated analyzes cost between 50 and 90€
    • A soil sample should be taken from a depth of 15 to 90 cm depending on the soil to be analyzed

    Why a soil analysis is important

    In agriculture and arable farming, detailed investigations are important for optimal yields. A soil analysis provides information about the nutrient concentration of the soil. Nutrients are essential for healthy growth. However, the availability of nutrients is affected by a number of factors. To get reliable results, you should send a soil sample to a laboratory.

    Soil analyzes provide information on:

    • nutrient content
    • PH value
    • soil type

    Soil is a sensitive structure whose properties affect plant growth.

    What is examined in a soil analysis

    Various aspects can be examined in a soil analysis

    There are various soil analysis packages for hobby gardeners that are geared towards specific parameters. In the standard test, the soil is examined for the concentration of nutrients and trace elements that are important for plant growth.

    If you want to find out about the nitrogen content in the soil, you need to book special analysis packages. This investigation is associated with increased effort, since nitrogen is usually present as nitrate and is mobile. In the course of the year, the concentration sometimes fluctuates greatly, because nitrate is washed out by heavy rain.

    You can also have the substrate from your garden checked for harmful substances. Heavy metals are a natural component of soil and are dissolved through weathering. The toxic substances can also accumulate in the garden soil through exhaust fumes, contaminated sites or topsoil from unknown sources.

    examination Result
    soil nutrient analysis quality of the soil fertilizer recommendation
    Soil test for pollutants heavy metal pollution understandable analysis report
    Yield Soil Analysis available mineralized nitrogen fertilizer indication
    Soil Analysis Nutrient by Crop Nutrient analysis with focus on cultivated plant fertilizer tips

    Cost of a soil analysis

    Even hobby gardeners can take advantage of soil analysis. Prices vary depending on the test chosen. A simple soil analysis costs about 20 euros. Analyzes of soil type, pH value, humus content and concentration of important nutrients and trace elements are included. More complex analyzes that check the concentration of nitrogen, other trace elements or heavy metals cost between 50 and 90 euros.

    Soil analyzes are offered here:

    • Raiffeisen laboratory service
    • Agricultural testing and research institutes (in short: LUFA)
    • Pharmacy Laboratory
    • Soil Analysis Center Reblue GmbH

    buy sets

    Dehner offers a soil analysis set for about 20 euros, which includes a shipping bag and instructions for taking soil samples. The sample is then sent to a laboratory for analysis. To see the results, you need to download a special program. In addition to the analysis results, you will also find fertilizer recommendations here. Sets with a broader analysis spectrum are also available at the soil analysis center or in the pharmacy laboratory.

    Carry out soil analysis yourself

    Depending on the type of soil analysis, you can also do it yourself

    The possibilities for independent soil analysis are limited, since the majority of all parameters cannot be researched without special means and equipment. The cost of such equipment is in the range of several hundred euros and is therefore not worthwhile for private use. However, you can determine the soil composition and pH value yourself.

    tips

    In the spring, many garden centers offer free soil analysis.

    Take a soil sample

    The type of use is important, because this makes a difference in the depth at which you should take the soil sample. In order for the soil to provide the most meaningful results possible, you should take around ten samples from different places in each usable area. To do this, use a dandelion pick that is stuck vertically into the ground and slowly pulled out.

    How Deep You Should Prick:

    • lawn: ten to fifteen centimeters deep
    • vegetable garden: 20 to 25 centimeters depth
    • perennials: 20 to 25 centimeters depth
    • permanent crops: 90 centimeters deep
    • shrubs: 90 centimeters deep

    You get a cross-section through different layers of the earth. The samples from a usable area can then be mixed or analyzed individually. To get to greater depths, you should get a drill rod. This can be purchased or rented from garden centers.

    Check soil composition

    Basically, the soil types clay, silt and sand differ depending on the grain size proportions. Clay contains all three grain fractions, which can be present in different proportions. The soil properties depend on the dominant grain fraction.

    malleability consistency nature
    Clay variable variable variable
    volume easily malleable sticky leaves dirty marks, shines
    silt moderately malleable little sticky velvety floury to rough
    sand not malleable grainy crumbled, crumbly

    finger test

    With a simple finger test you can test the rough soil composition yourself. Slightly moisten the soil from the sample and take a tablespoon of the substrate in your hand. Then try to shape the substrate into a pencil-thick roll. This works differently depending on the soil conditions.

    The substrate either crumbles or it can be shaped. In this case, you can continue kneading and shaping the sausage. Pay attention to whether the substrate is cracked or hardened. Crackling noises indicate a sand content.

    To test soil composition:

    1. Substrate not malleable, does not adhere to the lines of the hand: sand
    2. Substrate not malleable, not cohesive, floury: silt
    3. Substrate not malleable, grey-black colour, with organic remains: humus
    4. Substrate malleable, matte finish: loam
    5. Substrate very malleable, does not crack when unrolled, glossy: clay
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    Determine pH

    The pH soil test from Neudorff, which you can buy from Obi, for example, uses color reactions to provide information about the pH value. To do this, put some soil in the included test jar and fill it up with distilled water. After adding a test tablet, seal the jar with a cork and shake vigorously until the tablet is completely dissolved.

    The sample is left for about half an hour to allow the soil to settle. You can then compare the color of the water with the enclosed color palette and read off the pH value.

    Soil testers provide hardly any useful results

    If you want to test the pH value and other things of your soil, it is better to invest a little more money

    There are devices for independently checking the pH value, incidence of light and humidity. The market offers inexpensive models that cost between five and 20 euros and work with or without a battery. Such devices are usually useless because they only provide rough guide values or cannot determine the pH value correctly.

    tips

    If you are interested in a soil tester, you should not go for the cheapest models.

    Soil analysis with a Fertometer

    Such devices are equipped with a brass probe that measures the conductivity of the soil and thus the amount of ions in the substrate. When nutrient salts dissolve in moist soil, they are available to plants. These so-called EC measuring devices (English: electrical conductivity for electrical conductivity) measure the concentration of soluble salts and show whether the nutrient supply is OK or the substrate should be fertilized. The probe is inserted into the substrate. A button is pressed to start the measurement. The device then gives fertilizer recommendations using three LEDs.

    Disadvantage:

    • no detailed information on nutrient composition
    • no statement about nutrient replenishment through degradation of organic substances
    • no information about the ratio of the nutrient salts to each other

    digression

    Electric conductivity

    In order for a substance to be conductive, it must have many freely moving charge carriers. Metals have charge carriers in the form of loosely bound electrons, but ions also serve as conductive molecules. Ultrapure water has a certain conductivity, which is increased by the addition of salts. These release ions in aqueous solutions.

    The electrical conductivity is given in siemens per meter. Electrical conductivity below 0.35 mS/cm is too low during the growth period of a plant. The Fertometer glows yellow, indicating that more fertilizer should be used. A value of more than 1.0 mS/cm is harmful to the plant in the long term, since too many salts are dissolved and therefore available to the plant. The device lights up red.

    frequently asked Questions

    Who needs to carry out a soil analysis?

    There is a fertilizer regulation that is mandatory for farms. According to this, farmers must have the soil nitrogen determined by a laboratory analysis once a year. You can also adopt results from comparable areas and determine the fertilizer requirement accordingly. The values are published in agricultural weekly newspapers. An analysis of phosphate on farmland larger than one hectare is mandatory and must be carried out at least every six years.

    Why is phosphate determination so important?

    Phosphorus is a vital substance for plants, which is present in the soil in the form of various phosphates such as potassium, calcium or magnesium phosphate. The availability of phosphorus is highest at a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. However, excess phosphates can leach out, ending up in groundwater, surface water and other ecosystems. With the help of a phosphate determination, an area-appropriate fertilization can be determined.

    What are DWD soil analyzes?

    The German Weather Service (DWD for short) carries out soil analyzes to create soil weather maps. These provide information on numerous meteorological factors such as visibility, wind, clouds, air pressure and air temperature. So this soil analysis has nothing to do with the analysis of the substrate in your own garden.

    What is the soil analysis according to LAGA?

    The Länder working group on waste (abbreviated: LAGA) deals with the implementation of waste legislation in Germany. The LAGA is mainly important for construction and renovation measures. This results in excavation, which must be thoroughly examined by means of soil analyses. This is checked for various hydrocarbons, pH value and heavy metals, among other things. Such analyzes are not necessary for private house construction, but can also be used by private individuals. The examination of a soil sample costs 600 euros.

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