Water and Soil Testing Kits

[hopper]

Hi all,

My Majestic Palm (Ravenea Rivularis) is really starting to look sick this summer, older leaves turning yellow very quickly. (last summer it was doing great) so not sure if it's my rain water which can get really black in colour from having 3 large Eucalyptus trees drop tonnes of leaf and bark into the gutters and thus washing residue into the tank. Or the soil is starting to be lacking in something.

So was looking to get a water and soil test kit, just to find out exactly what I have or don't have in my water and soil before I go too far down the path of soil and fertilisers etc

Anybody have any suggestions as to the type or to look for a kit that will detect specific elements that other kits don't. Just don't to get a kit that won't detect a specific element that palms / bananas / cycads need over other plants.

Thanks

Hopper

[Pip]

Here is a pic I took of the Ravenea rivularis I planted about 20 years ago. It has shed quite a few leaves over the past few weeks. You may just be noticing a seasonal growth stage Martin?

Photo pending got to edit the size

[Pip]

Here it is.

[hopper]

Thanks Pip

Palm is only about 5 years old if that. So no trunking yet.

It has two new spears up at the moment, one looks it's about open up, the other is smaller than the first, but they have been like this since the end of winter.

I would have expected it to have opened by now, but nothing!

The two spears are firmly attached to the plant so no rot setting in yet.

Just the older leave turning yellow at a rapid pace.

[tropicbreeze]

I don't think you can get a simple home/backyard soil test kit. They're more high tech and probably very expensive. You really need to get soil samples tested by a laboratory. They can also do leaf tests and let you know what plants can and can't assimilate out of your soil. That varies with plants so ideally you'd need separate tests for the different plants you grow. But they might not have a base line for many of the ornamental plants, it's mostly done for commercial crops. It can work out a bit expensive. About 10 years ago one soil test cost me about $120.

[NorthFlpalmguy]

University of Florida IFAS can help out with with basic and more advanced soil analysis. They might do water as well. If you have the time, IFAS has files to reference if you want to try and diagnose the problem yourself.

Edited December 17, 2014 by bbrantley

[_Keith]

When planting under Eucalyptus, the primary factor limiting a successful planting is competition. The chemical compounds in the leaves have long been thought to prevent the growth of other plants, but this now considered minor in comparison to the inability of most plants to compete with Eucalyptus for water and nutrients. However, it is difficult to establish any plant under large Eucalyptus, particularly trees such as Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) because of the shear quantity of biomass that can accumulate when leaves and bark are shed. Small plants can simply be smothered under this litter.

http://www.smgrowers.com/resources/eucalyptus.asp

[hopper]

I don't think you can get a simple home/backyard soil test kit. They're more high tech and probably very expensive. You really need to get soil samples tested by a laboratory. They can also do leaf tests and let you know what plants can and can't assimilate out of your soil. That varies with plants so ideally you'd need separate tests for the different plants you grow. But they might not have a base line for many of the ornamental plants, it's mostly done for commercial crops. It can work out a bit expensive. About 10 years ago one soil test cost me about $120.

Thanks Tropicbreeze

I will pass on the soil test if that's going to be the trouble and cost i will have to go to.

Noticed some basic soil test kits in a few hardware stores, but as you said they need to be specific. So I think I would be wasting my money of these "basic" soil test kits.

Hopper

[hopper]

When planting under Eucalyptus, the primary factor limiting a successful planting is competition. The chemical compounds in the leaves have long been thought to prevent the growth of other plants, but this now considered minor in comparison to the inability of most plants to compete with Eucalyptus for water and nutrients. However, it is difficult to establish any plant under large Eucalyptus, particularly trees such as Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) because of the shear quantity of biomass that can accumulate when leaves and bark are shed. Small plants can simply be smothered under this litter.

http://www.smgrowers.com/resources/eucalyptus.asp

Thanks Keith

I can certainly vouch for the leaf and bark litter, this time of year the two lemon scented gums shed there bark by the bucket load, then just for good measure they tend to drop a few thousand leaves in one big batch on top of the bark!

I would agree that these gums do suck the life out of the surrounding soil of both water and nutrients.

I never new about the chemical compounds in the leaves, but as you said looks to be a minor issue.

Would these chemical compounds be leached into the water tank as tannin's?

I will end up getting some trace elements to add to the soil, in and around the palms that are under these trees. Hopefully this will help with the nutrient deficiency.

Hopper

[_Keith]

When planting under Eucalyptus, the primary factor limiting a successful planting is competition. The chemical compounds in the leaves have long been thought to prevent the growth of other plants, but this now considered minor in comparison to the inability of most plants to compete with Eucalyptus for water and nutrients. However, it is difficult to establish any plant under large Eucalyptus, particularly trees such as Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) because of the shear quantity of biomass that can accumulate when leaves and bark are shed. Small plants can simply be smothered under this litter.

http://www.smgrowers.com/resources/eucalyptus.asp

Thanks Keith

I can certainly vouch for the leaf and bark litter, this time of year the two lemon scented gums shed there bark by the bucket load, then just for good measure they tend to drop a few thousand leaves in one big batch on top of the bark!

I would agree that these gums do suck the life out of the surrounding soil of both water and nutrients.

I never new about the chemical compounds in the leaves, but as you said looks to be a minor issue.

Would these chemical compounds be leached into the water tank as tannin's?

I will end up getting some trace elements to add to the soil, in and around the palms that are under these trees. Hopefully this will help with the nutrient deficiency.

Hopper

I was just quoting the article. Should have put some quote marks around that.

[Pip]

Martin just for intrest sake how long do you leave the sprinkler on when watering this palm?

I'm curious because Adelaide has had a ridiculously dry spring.

[hopper]

Martin just for intrest sake how long do you leave the sprinkler on when watering this palm?

I'm curious because Adelaide has had a ridiculously dry spring.

It has been watered via a watering can the whole time. Timer tap irrigation is only a few days away from completion so its about to change.

But with the watering can it was one can (9 litres) once a week, may be more depending on how often I would empty compost bin from kitchen to compost bin in back yard, and use the water from rinsing out bin onto the palm on the way back to the kitchen.

So it maybe a bit lacking in water, as you said it has been a dry spring.

Plus the gum's sucking the life out of everything, so it doesn't help.

I will check the soil around it tonight.

I must admit that a lot of my palms (all 4 of them) where planted in a time prior to me joining this forum, so my knowledge was very lacking in correct planting techniques back then.

[Pip]

That's great changing your irrigation practice to regular deep soaking should see improved growth.

Before Christmas I was working in a few gardens around Adelaide. I did have to dig a few very large holes to plant advanced trees into at two spades deep the soil was still bone dry. The clients were surprised and dutifully turned the irrigation on.