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First Step In Organic Lawn Care – Soil Testing

By Therese | April 21, 2008

The first step is to determine, through chemical analysis, the need for lime and fertilizer for your soil.  It makes sense if you consider that a neighbor who has been fertilizing their lawn may have runoff soaking into your soil. Your lawn may contain a low level of one nutrient and a high level of another nutrient.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture along with your state’s Cooperative Extension provided some simple guidelines to help you in preparing your soil for testing. 

How To Take A Good Soil Sample For Testing   

    Start in one corner of the area to be sampled.

  1. Obtain a slice or core of soil from the surface of the ground, downward to the appropriate depth* listed below, using a spade to cut a thin slice of soil. First, push the spade into the soil, digging a hole, and throw this soil aside. Next, take a one-inch slice of soil from the back of the hole, to the proper depth*, and place it in a clean bucket or large container.
  2. Obtain 10-15 samples from random locations throughout the area to be tested, placing each in the bucket. Mix all of the soil together. This will give you a representative soil sample for the whole area.
  3. From this bucket of mixed soil, take a pint (2 cups) of soil and spread it out on newspaper to let it thoroughly dry. Keep the drying soil out of direct sunlight, in a protected spot. (Most soil takes approximately 2 days to dry.)
  4. Bring the pint of dried soil to your County Extension Office for testing. The current charge for basic soil testing is $5.25.
  5. You will be required to fill out a form for processing your soil sample. Be sure to put the type of plant you will be growing, so the Extension agent can recommend the proper soil treatment (i.e., lawn, vegetable garden, roses, needled evergreen, etc.).

DEPTH OF SAMPLE*

Lawn (3 inches)
Flower garden (4-6 inches)
Shrub beds (6-8 inches)
Vegetable garden (4-6 inches)
Trees (4-8 inches)
Pasture (4-6 inches)
Corn, Soybeans (To plow depth)

Check with your local Extension Agent to determine the price for testing in your area. To find the nearest Extension Agent near you: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/

 

Topics: Organic Lawn Care |

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