You'll come to find that many/most organic products aren't exactly the best smelling substances in the world! But many of them are absolutely fantastic once you get used to them.

The pH test strips work fine to a certain degree, along with the other chemical/color changing kits, but they begin to lose much of their accuracy as soon as you start testing runoff water. Especially if you're using powdered and other substances that aren't instantly soluble in water. I've got a cheap, crappy electronic pH pen that I sometimes use, but honestly, I use one of the chemical test kits more frequently. They seem to give me better readings. And I wouldn't get close to the recommended monthly feedings that it suggests, remember that many of those fertilizers are intended for use on much heartier plants and shrubs. Go with about half of what is recommended, and ease your way up from there if the plants are tolerating it.

...and I guess I should clarify my earlier statement about the company's other product; mycorhizae a fungus, not a bacteria. That came out all wrong and kinda made me look silly!