Soil Fertility Analysis

Ph Test Procedure:
1. Fill to 4 with water
2. Use 0.5g spoon to add three measures of soil sample
3. Cap and mix gently for one minute
4. Allow tube to stand for ten minutes to let soil settle
5. Match color reaction with the Ph color chart
6. Record result as Ph

Ph Test Result: 7.0
The ideal pH range for plants is 6-7.5. The plants growing near where the sample was taken are grass and bushes. All the plants surrounding the sample looked healthy. The grass was green and at a similar height.

Phosphorus Test Procedure:
1. Fill test rube to line 6 with phosphorus extracting solution
2. Use 0.5g spoon to add three measures of soil sample
3. Cap and mix gently for one minute
4. Remove cap. Allow to stand and soil to settle until liquid above water is clear
5. Use one pipet to transfer the clear liquid to a second clean test tube.
6. Add six drops of phosphorus indicator reagent into soil estrada in a second tube
7. Cap and mix
8. Add one phosphorus test tablet
9. Cap and mix until the tablet dissolves
10. Match color reaction

Phosporus Test Result: Low

Nitrogen Test Procedure:
1. Fill test tube to line 7 with nitrogen extracting solution
2. Use 0.5g spoon to add two measures of soil sample
3. Cap and mix gently for one minute
4. Remove cap and allow soil to settle
5. Use a clean pipet to transfer the clear liquid to a second test tube
6. Fill second tube to 3 with liquid
7. Use 0.25g spoon to add two measures of nitrogen indicator powder to soil extract in the 2nd tube
8. Cap and gently mix. Wait five minutes for pink color to develop above the powder
9. Match test color with nitrogen color chart

Nitrogen Test Result: Trace


Potassium Test Procedure
1. Fill test tube to line 7 with Potassm Extracting Solution
2. Use 0.5g spoon to add four measures of soil sample to test tube
3. Cap and shake vigorously for one minute
4. Remove cap and allow soil to settle
5.use pipet to transfer clear liquid to a second clean test tube. Do not pull up any soil to the pipet. Fill the second tube to line 5 w/ liquid.  
6. Add one potassium indicator tabletop soil extract in second tube
7. Cap and mix until tablet dissolves. A purplish color will appear.
8. Add 5709 solution, two drops at a time keeping count. Mix contents after each addition. Stop adding drops when the color changes from purple to blue. 
9. Use the potassium end point color chart to read the color change. Keep an accurate count of the number of drops added. Read results from table. 

Potassium Test Result: Low (18 drops of Potassium Test Solution were needed to change the color from purple to blue)
Based on these results, our soil sample was low in potassium and phosphorus. The nitrogen test resulted in trace, which means there is little nitrogen in our soil.

The following pictures are of the nitrogen test and of soil settling after being mixed and before the water is going to be extracted.