Define effective! The Rapid-Test 5 in 1 testers give you results that seem to be close in some areas. However, it showed the soil in my raised bed was below good in fertility yet the plants are among the best I have ever seen. Plus, while it reports the pH and moisture levels decently, a lot can depend on where the prongs are placed. Not to mention, it does not measure the amount of N-P-K or any macro or micro nutrients.

Depending on your county/state and their budget situation, you might be able to get a free or very cheap soil analysis done via your county extension office.

I knew this guy who had a weather reporting station, though one had to visit it to get the report. It was a thick piece of twine that recorded the weather and an interpretation of the results below it:

If the string is wet - it has been raining.
If it is moving back and forth - it is windy.
If it is stiff and doesn't move at all - it is freezing.

Mike

You're in NC. Your taxes pay for a professional lab and the best part is you can use it, too.

http://www.agr.state.nc.us/agronomi/uyrst.htm

-forms

http://www.agr.state.nc.us/agronomi/sthome.htm

-homepage

You'll have to obtain some boxes to put the samples in and either deliver or mail them to the lab. It will take a little while for turn-around (especially if you submit samples from October-February), but you get a base of where your soil is at and a few recommendations by the lab if something is off.

Be sure to properly sample (it's explained, but basically take samples from different parts of each bed/area you choose to sample, not just a single scoop from 1 place).

As stated above, the moisture and PH are fairly accurate but the fertility does NOT work. I've tested several of the cheaper ones in plain sphagnum peat moss, soil that I have fertilized with the proper amount of nutrients and soil that had concentrated amounts of nutrients and all 3 soils showed poor fertility.

cool thanks for the replies