You’ll need 12 essential components to run the competition – and all but one is probably already lurking in your kitchen, shed, or laundry.
- Soil core trays (can be PVC pipe cut in half to display soil cores neatly)
- Soil pH kits; one or two required (ensure it’s not over 12 months old) and can be shared between competitors. These can be bought at any garden centre
- White plastic bowls (for soil dispersion, slaking and water repellency)
- Dilute hydrochloric acid (one part hydrochloric acid : 10 parts water). Vinegar can be used as an alternative
- Distilled water (rain water is okay but not mains tap water)
- Water spray bottles (one each or one between two)
- Tape measures (one per core)
- Muffin tray (six dish) for soil sample collection
- Mortar and pestle may be required if handling clay soils
- 2mm sieve. It’s not essential but suitable especially for soils with coarse fragments
- Teaspoons or butter knives can be utilised as soil extraction tools
The 12th component – soil cores – can be sourced via soil coring rig through your local soil coring service provider including agronomists, department of agriculture and soil drillers.