Share The Seeds

Gardening Area => Growing questions and answers => Topic started by: GeneQueen on January 30, 2020, 09:39:15 PM

Title: How to test NPK of home made teas?
Post by: GeneQueen on January 30, 2020, 09:39:15 PM

Title says it all. We all have different recipes for compost tea or home made "fertilizers".
How can we find out what is actually in them so that way we can tweak them? Is there somewhere samples can be sent?
What is your favorite recipe, what do you use it for?

Title: Re: How to test NPK of home made teas?
Post by: BubbleCat on January 30, 2020, 10:28:48 PM

I'd say: Treat plants with known deficiencies, observe the reaction and get a 'feel' for it. Perhaps by far not as scientific as you're looking for but sufficient for most applications.

 Other than that: Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy ? You probably see the problem. I can not think of an easy way to determine the P and K ratio. N perhaps, but not only telling P & K apart but also relative quantification is probably a rabbit hole.

Title: Re: How to test NPK of home made teas?
Post by: ONandONandON on January 30, 2020, 10:43:11 PM

https://thenutrientcompany.com/blogs/horticulture/npk-value-of-everything-organic-database
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcH9aYIbgF4

good question .. apparently there is a soil test available from most garden stores.. or online.