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Step 1
Determine how much soil you need to sample before you buy a soil test kit. Some of the kits available can only test a small amount of soil, not nearly enough if you plan on doing major sampling (several dozen cores). You may need to buy more than one test kit depending on the volume, so keep that in mind.
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Step 2
Buy a soil test kit based on what you're specifically trying to find out. Some probes are designed for testing moisture levels while some are designed to test the pH level of the soil. There are test kits, however, that include all of the important soil tests in one package.
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Step 3
Buy a soil test kit that is easy to read and interpret. For example, you could buy a soil test kit that gives a color-coded reading of samples, making it easy to see the results based on the strength of the color-coded return (deeper colors equal pronounced readings).
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Step 4
Buy a soil test kit that gives you light readings. This is particularly important if you plan on growing plants in a shade garden. Some areas of shade actually get more light than others, so using a light tester can tell you the best place on your property to plant that garden.
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Step 5
Invest in an electronic test kit. They take readings much faster than traditional testing kits, and they work in seconds. You can also use them repeatedly to check soil readings over time as you try to improve the condition of your soil.
