Can I get my garden soil analysed in Canberra?

Thanks for the posts guys. Do Bunnings really have test kits for many different nutrients? Hmm, I’ll have to go look. All I have at the moment is the pH test kit.

I have 5 veggie boxes bordered by old railway sleepers, so 2.3m squared each. I don’t plant the same thing in the same box for at least 2 seasons. I have three large compost bins (but tend to only empty one per year) and buy lucerne or pea straw as mulch. I haven’t added any manure for about 3 years. I’m really trying to increase the organic content of the soil but it seems to be disappearing as fast as I put it in. I’ll send you an e-mail Jess with more specifics.
Cheers.

Heres the go, Bunnings have soil kits where you can keep track of what it needs to stay healthy. The trick is to vary all the nutrients and things you put back into the soil and rotate your crops. We never plant the same thing in the same place twice. But dont you just LOVE the taste of home grown food??

Jess! Go away! Run! You’re far too nice for a site like this.

(If you want sound advice though, Jess is one person I’d listen to).

BTW My specialty is in compost/organic matter and nutrient cycling in soils. Happy to give you advice for free. 😀

Hi there! I am a soil scientist at ANU and I have a small consulting business on the side. More than happy to help you out with your problems.

There are some typical Canberra problems, but it depends on the suburb you are in and its history. You can email me at jessica dawt drake at anu dawt edu dawt au if you want some specific advice! 😀

Speak to one of the rural stores their agronomists should be able to arrange tests for you, the tests are fairly expensive and you would need to get them done regularly to be a good management tool. Be aware that soil tests only tell you what’s in the ground not what the plants are taking up.

Try a good crop rotation system with a green manure crop every now and then.

My father is a serious tomato junkie and says you need to starve them a bit early on to encourage fruit, otherwise they will grow all leafy and not really produce much. He also says to specifically avoid one type of fertiliser, but I forget which one, sorry.