Ok - I've read elsewhere that those small soil test kits are a complete waste of time. Unfortunately in Canada we don't have "county extension offices" or any equivalent as far as I can find. I'm sure there are resources for soil testing locally, but damn if I can find em. Anyway, I put the small kits to the test - perhaps you folks here can shed some light on the results.

I am building raised garden beds. I'm digging the area of the beds down to a shovel depth beneath the lawn level and sifting the soil i find there. To that, I'm adding in a composted mushroom manure-sand-composted bark mix (that i'm also screening) to the top level of bed, for a total of about 20" of worked soil. I figure this will be enough to get me some good quality vegetables, but why not test right?

Okay, so here goes:

pH Test:

pH Test

This images shows the new compost on the left, and the existing soil on the right. So, it looks like the compost is fairly neutral, and the existing soil is neutral but slightly more acidic.

Nutrients Test:

Now this one is slightly more confusing. In both of these shots we have the existing soil on the left, and the new compost/soil mix on the right.

The vials sat for ten minutes to "develop the colour" but I'm wondering if the tests needs to read with the materials shaken up:

Shaken Vials

or settled out?

Settled Vials

It appears, nutrient-wise, that there isn't much difference between the existing soil and the new soil although the new soil is clearly of superior build, texture and smell. (It's jet black and rich as opposed to sandy and clayish).

For reference, here is a shot of the new soil on the existing soil.

Soil contrast

Now.. are these tests just bunk? If so, can someone recommend a testing facility of business in the Lower Mainland BC?

Thanks for your feedback!