As for the soil test kit, you are clearly not gardening with The Scientist! I have the pleasure of being on this gardening adventure with he who researches and examines all data before proceeding full bore with next steps. (More to follow on that…) We purchased a test kit and he has determined the pH, etc. and will doubtless check in on a reasonably regular basis. This somehow gives me comfort, even if we don’t do a single thing differently.

Pics to follow soon!

I’ve used a variety of things for seed trays, but 1/2 eggshells are one of the best. Just bury the shell when it comes time to plant. The degrading shell is often a good amendment for our West Coast acidic soil.

I’ve never done a soil test kit. It’s usually enough to see what the soil needs with a close examination in your hand. Peat or sand for clay / wet soil, organic matter such as compost for dry sandy / dusty soil. (If you suspect chemical contamination, that’s different, and then by all means send it to a lab.)

I know some people swear by a test kit, but it’s usually for specific varieties of plants, such as Hydrangeas, which are more sensitive than things like vegetables or native hardy plants. When planting a small tree or shrub, I usually replace most or all of the soil in the planting hole, which makes testing useless anyway. I use a varying combination of purchased potting soil, peat, bone meal, and possibly fish compost. (For roses I may also add a handful of Osmocote, a slow-release – but not organic – fertilizer.) When the roots grow beyond the hole, the plant is established enough that it will adapt.

In my experience, a rototiller is only really necessary in extreme cases or when re-landscaping. Each year, I simply top-dress plants in-ground and in pots with a compost mixture which feeds and makes it look tidy. I just scratch it into the first couple of inches (2-3 centimeters for pots) of the soil with my little 3-prong hand tool or my Korean hoe. This even goes for veggies which I plant directly in the ground. Unless the ground is rock-hard, I do not double-dig.

When do we get pics of your progress?