Soil Test Kit For Vegetable Garden

If you just need a simple soil pH testing kit with basic functions, then the ATree Soil pH Meter 3-in-1 Soil Tester Kit will probably be right up your alley. 

This 3-in-1 tool is compact and couldn’t be easier to use— simply poke the probes into the soil, wait for about ten minutes, then take the reading.  

It has three functions: pH, moisture, and light meters The pH meter is so useful in controlling the soil’s pH level and if it needs adjusting, as well as helps you determine whether acidic or alkaline soil is better for your plants. 

Meanwhile…

The moisture meter lets you know if the soil needs watering, preventing over or underwatering. On the other hand, the light meter has a small solar cell that reads the light level and tells you whether your plant is getting enough light. 

We find the moisture meter to be particularly excellent. If you have finicky plants or ones that need extra watering, such as cacti and succulents, you’ll like this one.  

Just make sure that the probes are at least four inches deep into the soil, or the readings will be less accurate!

We also like how sensitive it is to changes. It works well even with dry soil; you just have to wet the soil a bit with water. While it won’t give you detailed information, it’s still a very handy tool for measuring pH, light, and water levels in a pinch. 

Even better? 

Our Editor’s Choice doesn’t require batteries or electricity to work! It’s beginner-friendly, as well, and is competitively priced.

However, the design could use some improvements… 

The unit can be difficult to read, as the print is quite small. We wish the display were angled upwards too, but it’s not a big enough issue for us to be a deal-breaker. 

Now, if you don’t want to spend too much on pricey soil testing kits, you can’t go wrong with the SSAWcasa Soil Moisture Meter 3-in-1 Soil Test Kit.

This analog-type testing tool features a double sensor design with premium double-needle detection technology, which increases its efficiency, precision, and speed in analyzing soil pH, acidity, and moisture level of your soil. 

It’s great for indoor and outdoor use, whether for your home potted plants or farms and gardens— it’s very lightweight, portable, and easy to carry anywhere. No batteries are required for this tool!  

We like this device’s simplicity; it’s easy to use and read and takes some of the guesswork out of taking care of your plants. It helps control pH levels in the soil, determines when to water your plant, and whether you need to move it into direct light. 

And you can do all those without any complicated method! All you have to do is shove the probes two to four inches into the soil, toggle the Moisture, Light, or pH switch, depending on your need, wait for a while, then take note of the results. 

Moreover…

With this tool, we were able to provide our plants with the nutrients and hydration they needed. For one, we thought we were watering our tomato plants enough, but it turned out we actually weren’t. There were also times when we thought the soil looked dry, but after checking with this tool, the soil actually had sufficient moisture, and we would have been doing them no favours if we had added more water. 

The pH meter is fairly accurate but gives you more of a range than an actual super accurate reading. If you just need an estimate, this is still a good tool. Plus, the light and moisture meter functions are great and make this product worth buying. 

Overall, you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck with this tool, which is why we’re giving our Best Value award.

Just a warning… 

Try not to insert the tool too deep into dry soil as the probes can bend or break; we learned about that the hard way. We like the product so much that we bought another one, but it could have been more durable.

The Kensizer Soil Tester Soil Moisture/pH Meter is definitely a game-changer for us. We like using this for our potted house plants, which have become noticeably healthier since we began using this months ago. 

This soil testing kit comes with a clear reading dashboard and two sensor rods, one for testing pH levels and the other for moisture levels, and both are easy to insert into the soil. 

Like the first two products on our list, this one doesn’t need batteries to operate either, just plug and play. The display features large letters and numbers, a precise arrow pointer, and a wide-scale interval, making it easy to read.  

This tool is very helpful to us, as we own a wide variety of indoor plants with different moisture and pH requirements. Both the pH and moisture meters work like a charm; you just have to make sure you wipe the tips clean and dry after every use.

It’s pretty accurate, although we find that the moisture meter accuracy depends on how deep the probe goes into the soil. The tool works almost instantly, with only a minute of wait time. 

In addition to that… 

This tool helped us understand exactly why our plants were unhealthy. Specifically, we can now tell if the soil is acidic enough for our potted blueberry plants and also we can now avoid overwatering our plants and flowers, especially during the summer when we tend to overdo it. It gave us additional info on how to amend our soil properly.

And it’s super lightweight, as well! It’s great for on-the-go testing, with easy-to-understand instructions to boot. This tool made a world of difference for our plants and helped them thrive— with that, it gets our Top Pick award. 

That being said… 

We think the light meter is nothing to write home about, which shouldn’t be a problem if you’re getting this product mainly for the pH and moisture meters. Also, we wish the instructions and information were written on a separate manual instead of on the box, as the box can easily be forgotten and tossed away – but hey.

For serious gardeners who want to know more about the status of their soil, the Luster Leaf 1601 Rapitest Test Kit is perfect.  

Each kit comes with four color comparators for testing nutrients, a plastic dropper, forty test capsules (ten for each nutrient), complete instructions, fertilization guidelines, and a pH preference list for over 450 plants. We like that, unlike other kits, it has enough components to conduct multiple tests instead of only one. 

At first glance, it can look complicated to use, especially for beginners. But it’s actually quite simple: Get some sample of your soil, take the comparator of the nutrient you want to test, then carefully fill the test chamber of the comparator with a tiny amount of soil and water (best to use distilled water), then shake vigorously. Let it sit for about ten minutes, then compare the color of the resulting liquid to the color chart to see where your soil stands as far as the nutrient level goes. 

Also…

We like how straightforward the whole testing process is. The comparators and capsules in this kit are color-coded to avoid confusion, which is nice. This kit tests the soil’s pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash levels, so you’ll know which fertilizer you need, allowing you to make adjustments accordingly. 

In our case, the plants in our garden weren’t growing well, so we already knew they were lacking some nutrients— this kit made it easy for us to remedy the nutrient deficiency. It’s quite easy to read, as well. 

Admittedly… 

It’s not super precise by any means, but it’s a great kit if you just want a quick soil test to get a general idea of your soil’s status, which nutrients your soil is lacking, and which fertilizer you need.  

You do need extra care when filling a test vial though, as the vials can easily be knocked over. The opening is also quite small, so it can be a bit hard to avoid soil and powder getting into the other chamber.

The Luster Leaf 1605 Digital Soil Test Kit is a great alternative if you find the color-matching method quite challenging

This kit is basically the Luster Leaf 1601’s digital version; it does the work for you, so you don’t have to compare colors to a color chart, which can be hard for some gardeners. It digitally measures pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash in your soil, using advanced LED digital technology and optical calibration system.

With each kit, you’ll get color-coded test tubes, twenty-five capsules (ten for pH and five each for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash), a test tube holder, an eye dropper, and complete instructions. Also included are batteries, a booklet with fertilization guidelines on test results, and a soil pH preference list to guide you on adjusting your soil’s pH for your specific plant. 

The way it works is that you’ll take a test tube, get a capsule in a color that matches the tube’s cap, then put a portion of the soil samples inside. Add the capsule’s powder content, give it a good shake for about a minute, wait ten minutes for it to develop, then place the tube in the meter. Press one of the test buttons, and you’ll get your result in a matter of seconds! 

Just to let you know, we used some vinegar first to test this, and we got a pretty accurate result, so we definitely know to trust this kit. It’s easyto use, and very useful in ensuring different areas in the garden have the right pH levels and there are no major deficiencies.   

Additionally… 

We like that you don’t need to be an expert to use this. The included guide is handy and helped us determine how to fertilize our soil properly. It’s also helpful for making adjustments like raising or lowering acidity, alkalinity, and all those things if need be.

But the catch is… 

The testing tubes are very narrow, so it can be difficult to ensure you don’t spill the capsule powder when putting it in. It’s also not easy to hold the capsules as they are tiny. And in our opinion, it would’ve been better if the buttons and the labels below were color-coded, but it’s obviously not a major con.

The MySoil Soil Test Kit is a great option for gardeners who want super accurate results. 

The kit contains a sample jar, a soil scoop with deionized water, a prepaid return mailing envelope, and easy-to-follow instructions. 

So to start using this kit, you want to register online first at the company’s website. After that, begin collecting your soil sample. It’s recommended to take soil samples from five to seven spots within your garden or lawn and to push down six inches deep into the ground. 

Next, take a container and mix together your soil samples in there; we personally just used the box the kit came in. Use the scooping tool to get a portion of the sample and dump it in the little jar that contains deionized water. Voila— you’re done, and you can now put it in the envelope! 

It’s so easy to collect samples and mail them, as the prepaid envelope is already addressed to the company’s lab test; no need to worry about postage or anything like that, which is super convenient. After mailing it, you should have your results within six to eight days. 

Now we’re getting to the cool part… 

In our experience, we received the results online in just five days. We just logged in to the website, and the results were posted on our dashboard. The results page contains detailed yet easy-to-understand reports on the pH levels and measurements of macro and micronutrients in our soil, complete with a nice bar graph— very impressive.  

Another great thing about this is that you can do multiple tests over time, and the results will all be uploaded and kept on your dashboard. This is a nice feature that allows you to compare results and track progress. 

Along with that… 

We also got information on how to properly amend our soil for healthy growth and fertilizer recommendations tailored to our soil’s needs! Very handy if you have no idea which products are best to use.

Of course… 

This product might not be for you if you don’t like waiting several days to get results, so keep that in mind. A soil probe would’ve been handy, but overall, we were very satisfied with this product.

The Soil Savvy Soil Test Kit is a professional-grade kit that’s simple and easy to use. 

Like with the MySoil Test Kit, you simply have to collect soil samples, mail them out to the lab, and wait a few days to get the results. A soil scoop, soil jar with Soil Savvy® tester inside, Laboratory Submission and Customer Card with instructions, a soil jar, and an envelope with a prepaid postage stamp are provided with each kit. 

The results highlight soil pH, the fourteen critical plant nutrients, and information on the roles they play in keeping plants healthy. 

Also included in the results pages are organic and synthetic fertilizer recommendations, in the form of NPK @ (certain amount in pounds), making it easy for you to get the proper amount needed from fertilizer stores, therefore preventing over application. 

On that account… 

If you’re one of those frustrated gardeners who spent lots of money on various fertilizers and other products but still can’t get your lawn to look good, this kit might help you address underlying issues you don’t even know were there.  

In our case, we learned that we were actually over-fertilizing, and we were also able to remedy our soil’s iron and nitrogen deficiencies thanks to this kit— our lawn is now healthy-looking and has a lush green color.

There’s a caveat, though…  

This one has a bit of a longer waiting period than the MySoil Test Kit and is a tad pricier. But seeing the results on our lawn and much-improved soil health, it’s 100% worth the wait and the cost. 

Another good chemical test option is the Luster Leaf Products 1663 Professional Soil Kit. This kit tests your garden’s pH, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash levels.

Housed in a durable plastic case, this kit has everything you need to test your soil effectively; there are test tubes, chemical reagents, filter pads, and very detailed instructions. The components are enough to conduct up to eighty tests, twenty for each nutrient and pH.  

We like that it doesn’t require much soil. The results are quite easy to read, and we were able to detect issues before they worsen come planting season.

Furthermore…

It also helped us to figure out what to add to the soil in our garden. After use, we can just store the components in the sturdy case, and we don’t have to worry about anything breaking. 

Surprisingly, one of our favorite features of this kit is the booklet containing instructions and a pH preference list for different plants. We like the pictures demonstrating how to use the kit properly, and there are also very useful gardening and soil-altering tips, which beginners will surely like. 

A dropper would’ve been nice, but we still highly recommend this kit to any gardener, especially for beginners who prefer doing lab-type testing at home. It’s not hard to use compared to other chemical soil tests and is reasonably accurate.

The Luster Leaf 1601 Rapitest® Soil Test Kit is something we’ll always recommend, as it’s the first soil test kit we used when we were just starting out in gardening. 

We were intrigued by the idea of a chemical test kit, so we went for this one. When we finally got it, we honestly got a bit intimidated by it and thought it would be difficult to use. But like the other Luster Leaf products on our list, this one turned out to be fairly easy to use; you just have to follow the instructions carefully.  

By the end of the testing process, we found that we actually enjoyed using this. We like that you can do multiple soil tests with this, and at a very affordable price at that! 

Besides…

The results are easy to decipher, even when we were beginners. Aside from pH and macronutrient analysis, this kit also provides instructions on how to amend your soil depending on the results you get. It gives suggestions on optimal nutrient levels for the plant you’re growing.  

We immediately implemented some changes, going by the kit’s recommendations, and within a month, we noticed the grass on our garden and lawn looking much healthier!

One thing we should mention, though… 

The process can take a long time. You have to wait for the soil and water mixture to settle for twenty-four hours, then wait for another ten minutes for the main test, so not sure about the “rapid test” claim. Don’t get me wrong, though; it’s still a great product and will give you good value for money.

Taking the last spot on our list is the Rapitest Premium Soil Test Kit. If you don’t mind splurging a bit for a test kit, this kit is worth trying out.  

It comes packaged in a sturdy carrying case, making it easy to bring anywhere. The kit also features liquid reagents and complete equipment for up to 80 tests.  

This test kit definitely serves its purpose; it helped us figure out that our soil was actually depleted of nitrogen, and now our vegetable garden is flourishing after we started using nitrogen fertilizer! 

What’s more… 

With each kit, you’re also getting a large, informational pamphlet with recommendations on how to amend your soil. This kit made our last spring planting enjoyable and easy!

Just a heads up… 

We don’t recommend it for beginners, as the process isn’t that simple; you’ll need some skill to use the syringe, for one. But it works like a champ, and once you get the hang of it, it becomes easier to work with. It’s kind of a bummer that you can’t get refills for the reagents, though.