A soil nutrient test is the best way to determine what your lawn and landscape needs to stay healthy and thrive. A soil test is done by sending a soil sample (usually about two cups) off to a lab for analysis. Samples can be sent off to an independent private lab or to your state\u2019s Land Grant University soil testing facility. While both labs will give you an accurate soil test, most independent labs will provide you with faster results. The cost for a soil test is usually between $10.00 – $15.00.<\/p>\n
A soil test will check the nutrient levels in your soil and compare them to what the plant that you are trying to grow actually needs. The soil test will identify the areas where your soil has nutrient deficiencies and make recommendations on what nutrients to add to make up these deficiencies.<\/p>\n
A soil test will also test your soil\u2019s pH level or acidity. Most plants like soils that are slightly acidic, that is having a pH lower than 7. The soil pH also affects the \u201cefficiency\u201d of your fertilizer. The nutrients contained in fertilizer can actually bind in the soil and not be available to you plants if the pH is too far off. Correcting soil pH is easy to do with lime. Lime reacts with the soil to raise the pH in soils that are too acidic. However, lime takes time to react with the soil and raise pH. For this reason, most lime applications are made in late winter.<\/p>\n
An inexpensive soil test will not only help you have a healthy lawn and landscape, but can save you money by helping you avoid unnecessary fertilizer applications and making applications at the wrong time of year.<\/p>\n