Give every sample an identity
Start with a sample label. Record supplier, sample reference, date received, product form, packing format, claimed grade, and intended use. Without this record, a favourable laboratory result can become disconnected from the product later offered for shipment.
Rehydrate the material consistently
Use the same water quality, soak time, draining routine, and sample amount each time you compare samples. Record the dry weight and reconstituted volume where expansion matters to your purchase decision. Observe whether the block breaks down evenly, whether the material contains an unexpected share of fibre or large particles, and whether the finished texture fits your process.
Visual inspection is useful but should not replace a technical test. Note visible foreign matter, odour, unusual colour, clumping, or packing damage as observations, then decide which checks require a laboratory or on-site trial.
Test the figures that affect your use
- EC and pH, using an agreed extraction method and reporting unit.
- Moisture condition and consistency with the stated packing.
- Particle composition, including pith, chips, fibre, or requested sieve range.
- Water retention and drainage behaviour in the actual container or blend.
- Visible contamination and material uniformity.
Ask the laboratory to report the method as well as the result. An EC number without method, unit, and sample preparation is a weak comparison point.
Run a small application trial
Where the material will support crops, test it in the real crop, container, irrigation programme, and fertilizer regime. A sample that looks acceptable in a bucket may perform differently in a plug, pot, or grow bag. Compare it with your current substrate where possible, and record emergence, rooting, irrigation response, drainage, and any relevant crop observations.
Convert approval into an order brief
Once the sample is accepted, document product form, grade, test method, acceptance range, packing, quantity, destination, and any retained reference sample. This is the bridge between a sample and a repeatable bulk order.
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