# Questions regarding the types of soil tests (Reams)



## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

I'll elaborate later in the post, but I'm wanting to understand more about the types of soil testing and it's receptiveness to accuracy and such.

The two tests I've heard about is mehlich (1 or 3) and something called a "Reams" test. The mehlich test seems to be the standard test that most labs run. Today someone mentioned to me about a test called a reams test. This test seems to be more for what they said "biological" practices or at least more common? I don't know if I'm supposed to associate this with "eco friendly" or just a different term.

The reasons they gave that this test was better was that the Reams test will show you what nutrients are available to the plant. The other tests they said might show that there are loads of nutrients but the plant (grass) can't access it as the nutrients are locked away in other forms? I'm not sure of the validity of this.

For the turf management industry is the Reams test something that is generally accepted? Is the statement accurate that it's better because it shows what nutrients are available? Or is this something less proven?

How this got brought up was in my quest to find a supplier of Harrell's fertilizer, I called a local lawn/weed and maintenance company. I got put in touch with the owner and we had a good 45 min conversation about lawn care. Super nice guy. He mentioned that he doesn't use synthetics and has moved to something. sled biological fertilizers. He gave his reasonings on switching and then we started talking about specifics of lawn and got on the discussion about soil tests. We got off into the weeds of talking about all kinds of stuff, mostly "biological" cultural practices. He seemed extremely passionate about lawn care (i guess you would have to, to own your own turf management company).


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Extraction methods vary based upon region (or at least the lab should). A lot of users on here are used to seeing Mehlich 1 or 3 on there tests...this is because the M extraction methods provides the best results for those of us in the North East and South East. NW folks (and some NE folks too) may find that a lot of their reports use the Morgan (acetic acid), whiles those in the Midwest may see the Bray P1 method (HCl and NH4F). The Olsen test (NaHCO3) is used out West. I've sat in lectures where the speaker stated outright that someone in the South of Florida having a test done via Morgan test is just wasting their time.

Edit: I've never heard of reams. And i want my soil results to tell me what I have in reserves....snapshots are just that, a current number that is subject to change from the time the samples are taken until they reach the lab.


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## kur1j (Jul 2, 2017)

@viva_oldtrafford That makes perfect since. So is it just general knowledge that you would use one test type over another simply based on the area the sample is from? For example, if I top dressed my yard with sand year after year, would it cause the requirement of the ideal test to be used to change? Or is there like a "pretest" that will tell them which test to run?

Yeah I did more googling on the Reams test and it has a lot of references to bio agriculture. This seems to be related to a more "eco" friendly methods of cultural practices. But past that I'm not sure of its merits. Obviously if you haven't even heard of I would assume that it's not to prominent in the industry. From your responses I have see. I appreciate your due diligence of scientifically evidence based practices.

Now that you put it that way, that's a very good perspective to put it in. It really is a "snapshot" in time from the way he described it. Whereas with the other methods it's actually showing what's there.


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