Rapitest Soil Test Kit for Gardens, Vegetables, Flowers and Lawns. USA designed and assembled soil tester completely, quickly and accurately measures/analyzes soil pH acidity and garden nutrients

This product is easy to use and pretty accurate. Just to give you some background on me and why I can support that claim- I am an Environmental scientist and hopefully soon to be Professional Soil Scientist (once I pass some exams). So this is why I say it’s pretty accurate. I tested my yard and flower beds. Because of my profession, I have access to a soil probe. I took multiple samples across the yard between 6-12” deep and submitted that as 1 composite sample and did the same for my flower beds. I submitted these samples to the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension (i’m In Houston, Tx) and I just got results back. (They are very affordable and will even consult with you about results) First, let me tell you what this test kit told me. It told me my Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorous (P) is depleted, I maxed out on the Potassium (K) and my pH was at maximum of at least 7.5. My actual soil results confirmed I have 0 ppm Nitrate-N, very little P at 5 ppm, K reported at 108 ppm but does not exceed the “high” or Critical Level and my pH is at 8.0. I would say that considering how cheap this kit is, it was pretty accurate certainly gave me enough information to steer me in the right direction. Now I just need to apply my hard earned knowledge in Soil Fertility to real life, instead of just theory. =) I hope this information helped someone feel More confident in using this kit. *Update- I passed one of my exams and am now a Certified Professional Soil Scientist. Had to brag on myself I’m so excited, yay me!

The kit provides information about pH, P, K, and N. The results are indicative, not exact measurements (e.g. sufficient, deficient, etc.) but are adequate for a home grower. I cannot comment on the accuracy of this kit because I don't have other ways to perform the tests, but the results make sense from what I have experienced growing some plants and the information I found on the soil of the area. Pros: results easy to read, instructions very clear, enough material for 10 tests each of pH, P, K, N. A dropper is provided to add liquid to the tiny test container. The capsules are color-coded to match the test containers, so it is hard to make mistakes. Tests take 10 minutes, a reasonable time. Cons: the capsules, at least in my kit, are hard to open and tend to shatter when opened with scissors. I recommend opening the capsules on a piece of paper so that the spilled chemicals can be collected and the capsule pieces removed before pouring in the test kit. Also, the opening of the test container is small and the container spills easily. I recommend supporting the test container while filling it, or having a helper hold it. All things considered, I am happy with this kit.

Look - I should have done this 8 years ago. Nope. I fell for the marketing - the four applications a year of the recommended seasonal product. And every year my lawn would look horrible around August or September. In hindsight a wise soil chemist could have likely named the issue - deficiencies in crucial nutirents and a pH problem - just by looking at the weeds in the lawn. I am not a soil chemist. Other than the blonde in the front row of freshman chemistry which was only offered at 7.30am I found most of the class boring. Uninteresting. Incomprehensible. I would have flunked if it were not for her being assigned my lab section and giving me a reason to attend a 2.30pm Friday lab. While her name is long forgotten to the nearly three decades since that class, two things I did not forget: the way she looked at me with utter disgust one of the many times I failed to offer an even halfway compentent response to question, and the importance of following directions in chemistry experiments in order to obtain accurate results. Not being a soil chemist I did the test - on two different areas of my 3,000 square foot lawn. And what I found was that despite my poor attempts at regular lime applications the pH was 5.5. And my occasional and relatively inconsistent application of whatever fertilizer was both in season and on sale left me with a complete and utter deficiency in Nitrogen and Potassium (the N and the P of the N-P-K number). Which - as any soil chemist will tell you - results in the perfect growing conditions for goosegrass and violets - two realtively common weeds that are a regular sight in my lawn. In conclusion - think of this handy soil test as an insurance policy against applications of the wrong fertilizer - or in this case - insurance against wasting money applying fertilizer when the pH is 5.5. And oh yeah - perhaps I should do something about my longstanding policy of being utterly ignorant about chemistry.

Arrived in great shape. The instructions are clear and it's easy to use. Matching the test results to the color scale charts was easy to see and understand. I had no problems with my test. I primarily used the kit to check the PH levels in a large bed, about 20x15 feet, and found slightly different results in different parts of the bed, which was good to know. Next time I want to check soil in an area I'm working in, I will buy this test kit. I recommend it as a good, quick, and easy-to-use kit. It doesn't replace or equal a State/University Agriculture department test for large projects, but it's great for getting a good reading of the soil condition for new plantings.

I can't say for sure it's accurate but I sure hope so because I bought fertilizers based on these readings. I would not buy again because so few capsules are included and replacement ones seem hard to get at a fair price. I have a whole empty yard to plant, which has miserable clay soil I need to ammend, fertilize or replace depending on the needs of each plant. I tested five zones of existing soil, and tested a plot where I had mixed in ammendments galore the year before, to see if I'd achieved normalcy there, and had wasted a couple "pills" learning the technique... and tgat was all, I ran out of one "pill" type. I had hoped to be able to double check a second sample from each zone, and also test them all again after working on the soil. But what they give you just doesn't go far at all. And you can't use the rest once one type runs out. What good is checking your potassium level if you can't check your nitrogen, right? You need the whole set of results to plan what to add. I hated the testing vials. They're skinnier on the bottom than the top, making them a bit unstable. It seems safe enough, if you're worried about that. I was not especially careful and likely got all four powders on my hands, but despite being a very sensitive person, I got zero irritation (washed well, as soon as I was finished, of course). Also none of it smells at all. Though I certainly wouldn't do it with a fan on or anything else that'd stir up the dust into your eyes or breathing air. Ideally I'd love to see a manufacturer make two kits, one for soil that is known to be poor, one for normal, and the testing chemicals modified in type or concentration so as to provide an appropriate level of sensitivity. Because most of my tests didn't change color at all our soil is so lousy- I'm right off the chart, maybe by a little or maybe by a lot. I see a lot of other reviewers saying the same. I think most people who buy things like this do so because their soil is known to be poor. So it's annoying that the kit is calibrated to leave so many of us outside the range. If you have pretty good soil but just want to fine tune it, then you might find the kit great for your needs. In the spring I will fertilize according to what this kit told me, and I guess give it time to settle in, then maybe in the fall, source some more "pills" for this so I can see what levels I get then. I'll make just small changes, to hopefully get into a range where the kit can give a reading, and then I can add more fertilizer with precision. Or maybe I should just send some soil to a lab. Probably easier & will give me more confidence.

Tests are easy to perform. Only negative is that the containers spill easily. But seriously, this kit saved my garden! I had set up 5 large new raised beds after a recent move. I purchased a high quality organic garden mix from a reputable supplier, and planted my early spring (cold weather) seedlings. For two months, most things stopped growing. I tried giving some fish emulsion, and plants didn't budge. Leaves started turning yellow, then purplish...I was guessing there were significant deficiencies in the soil I received, even though the blend was supposed to have 20% compost. I decided to purchase this kit before throwing tons of additives in my soil, just to see what the issue was. After testing, no wonder my plants weren't growing--there was literally zero Nitrogen or Phosphorus in the soil I received! My plants were starving to death. I was able to confidently add significant amounts of the lacking nutrients, and my plants immediately perked up. I now know what needs to be mixed into the soil before I plant my summer crops, and have enough tests remaining to periodically check my soil! I was also able to reach out to the company that provided the poor mix I received. I showed them the shocking results of both my soil test and the sad pictures of my plants, and they agreed that it was not up to par with their normal garden soil product. They delivered 25 bags of compost, for free, to help get my garden back on track!

I read the reviews and agree with the really detailed one that says the product is basically good for what it does. I wanted to get a quick "read" on what the soil in a couple spots in my garden was like, so I'd know whether I needed to amend my soil before planting the hydrangea I would like to STAY blue. Of course I could have had my local ag extension to a complete test, but that was overkill for this project. I found the test fun to do ad easier than I thought it would be. The little capsules are prone to spill out, but not if you follow the tips included. HOWEVER, in general, everything in this kit is small (the little plastic boxes are a little smaller than a normal box of Tic-Tacs), and if you have shaky hands you will need to ask someone with steadier hands to help you (for about 1 minute). MY TIP: Grab a roll of masking/painters tape and tape the container to something rather than just hoping it stays upright on the counter. Alternatively, you could stick it in a little blob of modeling clay, or even in a bowl filled with rise or sand. The boxes are tippy, for sure... and then you have to start over. Ideally the manufacturer would sell this IN a box that had a little stand of some sort built into the cardboard. The packing is not adding anything to the product, and in fact it's kind of weird--I took all the pieces, including the oversized (why?) info card and stored them all in a tin I had lying around. There are way too many important tiny pieces to NOT sell this packaged in a box. Recommended, in spite of this!

It really works but it takes long to do all the testing, but it's worth it cuz you know exactly what's in your soil! And it tells you how to correct the levels. Very useful tool for experts or beginners like me. I'm already seeing the results in my garden vegetables and even my flowers! This test kit is a must have for gardening.

I hadn't realised until I tried this product out on our allotment just how improverished the soil was. The pack was very easy to use and the instructions were clear. I can now safely add the nutrients in the right quantities for my vegetables.

I took a sample from my veggie garden to see how my soil is. The tests were easy to perform and the results were very clear. I am hoping that this year were have a bountiful harvest come fall because I amended the soil as per the results. Fingers crossed!

It shows pretty close results compared to professional lab test. What type of nitrogen it is testing for would be good to know though. To apply the test capsule reactants to the tiny test chambers is a fiddly, fumbly business. There should be a kind of hopper coming with it, especially since the base of the test containers are not designed for a stable stand. I tried to find out wether you can buy replacement capsules. If I have to buy an entire new set after ten tests than this is unsustainable plastic waste.

Tut was es soll, funktioniert, kann natürlich nicht überprüfen, ob die Testergebnisse stimmen.

Tres bien