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Hampshire, UK

It seems that a lot of our friends across the pond use A & L labs for their soil testing so I thought I would follow the herd and see if I could send my soil tests to Canada which seemed a bit ridicuolous but I would at least know what I was getting.

Spoke to very helpful guy called Ian McLaughlin at A&L and he then suggested using a lab in the UK called Phosyn to which A&L are linked. Spoke to Phosyn and they sent me a form and all the info I needed. All seemed good. I then discovered that I could order and pay for Phosyn's tests even easier and cheaper online through a company called Cropwise. They are at http://www.cropwise.co.uk/analysis-services-soil-analysis-c-30_41.html . Got the results back in exactly a week including the Bank Holiday Weekend so really happy with the price and service. Slightly less happy with my soil! Any thoughts about what I need to do very greatfully received.... see http://www.bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=20&p=170982

Cheers, Malcolm Morley

8/30/2006 4:44:14 PM

ENGLAND

Malcolm. Why do you state that it is ridicuolous for folk to send a soil sample from the UK to A&L Canada Laoratory for testing? The reason why i for one sent my Soil Sample to A&L Canada is because Ian McLauchlin is experienced in what sort of levels Giant Pumpkin/Squash Growers are trying to acheive with their soils. Ian McLauchlin is indeed a very helpful guy and will spend time chatting about results from an analysis as i found out during a 45 minute conversation with him last Novemer.

Regards
Mike

8/31/2006 7:58:43 AM

Hampshire, UK

Just becasue of the customs issues and Ian said he would talk it through with me anyway if I went to Phosyn. What a top guy he is!

8/31/2006 11:38:05 AM

ENGLAND

Thankfully i didn't have any issues with Customs when sending a soil sample off to A&L Canada. 1 very simple form, in triplicate, placed in an envelope and attached to the outside of the package and marked for the attention of Canadian Customs is all it takes. I did look at Phosyn before sending a Soil sample off to A&L but chose not to send the sample to Phosyn on that occasion.

I used to deal with several Laboratories here some years ago and found their services to be somewhat expencive. However, when i require any aditional Soil Analyses carried out i may concider using a UK Lab as a last resort.

8/31/2006 3:21:24 PM