DIY extended: What else could you measure at home?

DIY extended: what else can you measure at home?

Texture is only one piece of the puzzle. Soils have many other measurable properties that reveal how they function as living systems. You could explore chemical properties, such as acidity (pH), carbonate content, or nutrient availability; biological properties, including organic matter content, respiration, or the presence of soil organisms; and other physical characteristics such as soil colour, aggregate stability, or moisture content. Each test provides a different perspective on soil.

Your soil testing toolbox (click the test titles to watch step-by-step video instructions on YouTube):

• Sedimentation — Have you ever put soil and water in a jar and waited for 24 hours?
• Nutrient status — Is your soil a nutrient buffet, or running on empty? Test for N, P, K.
• Slake test — How stable are your soil's aggregates? Compare two soils and find out.
• Soil pH — Is your soil acidic, alkaline or neutral? Prepare baking soda and vinegar.
• Pitfall trap — Do you want to get to know your neighbours from the soil surface?
• Teabag index — What happens to a teabag when you bury it in soil for a while?

Which test has caught your interest? Are there any other experiments you would like to try? Share in the forum or note them in your soil diary.