Hoskins, Erich speak with BDN about soil testing for home gardens
Bruce Hoskins, a scientist of plant, soil and environmental sciences at the University of Maine; and Susan Erich, director of UMaine’s School of Food and Agriculture, spoke with the Bangor Daily News for an article about testing soil for home gardens. “The whole local food movement is built on soil health. It’s a huge deal,” said Hoskins, who conducts tests on soil sent in from gardeners, farmers and institutions across Maine, countrywide and abroad. At UMaine’s Analytical Laboratory, he tests for microbial activity, pH levels, chemicals and nutrients, according to the article. “A fundamental piece about farming or gardening is to know your soil,” said Erich, who also is a professor of plant soil and chemistry. “If it’s wet or flooded it can’t change, but sand can be good for certain crops. There is a whole range of soils that can be cropped productively.”