Do you know your soil?

Soil testing reveals the composition of soil as well as the nutrients it contains.

If soil is lacking in nutrients or is too acidic or alkaline, it can affect the soil

fertility. Soil testing offers insight to help amend soil PH levels. These

amendments will help grow more crops and healthier plants. Testing the

soil is also critical in preventing over-fertilization, which causes weak growth

of crops. With proper fertilization, you can ensure a stable growth of plants

and also prevent contamination of your groundwater.

Happy Gardening! Terry

Soil must contain three essential nutrients in order for plants to thrive--

nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. These three nutrients are represented

by the three numbers on the front of every fertilizer bag. Purchasing the

proper fertilizer allows you to add only the nutrients your soil needs. Soil

test kits are available at any greenhouse/garden center store to test the nutrient

levels in your soil so that you can formulate the proper fertilization plan

The soil test results will tell you

• soil pH;
• levels of potassium (K), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg),
• and sulfur (S);
• organic matter level;
• whether there is lead contamination (for health reasons, all soil samples
• from home gardens and lawns are measured for lead content);
• how much lime and fertilizer (organic or chemical) to add; and
• other management tips for growing your crop.

Test your soil at least once every three years. Keep the test results handy so

that you can monitor any changes in soil fertility.

You may want to test more often if you have a problem area or if you’ve

applied lots of nutrients. Some people test their soil every year to save

money on fertilizer, lime, and other soil amendments. How often you test

depends on the value of your crop and how closely you manage it.

The results of your soil test give recommendations for the next growing

season, so you should test soil well before the growing season, such as in

early spring after the frost is out of the soil, or in the fall before the ground

freezes. A soil test usually takes two to three weeks (from shipping to the

lab to return of results). The results will be the same whether you test in

spring or in fall, but with fall sampling, you will get results back in plenty

of time for planting.