Maintaining healthy and productive soil is essential for growing healthy plants. Soil tests provide more helpful information on soils than any other resource. It is an inexpensive way to maintain good plant health in urban forests, landscapes, and lawns, and to maximize the productivity of nurseries, vegetable gardens, and fruit crops.
Recommendations based on soil test results save time, money, and help protect our environment by discouraging the overapplication of fertilizers. They can also be used to guide plant selection and serve as an additional tool in the plant diagnostics toolbox.
Why Do I Need to Have a Soil Test?
Soil test results identify any deficiencies or excess in plant nutrient levels. Lab recommendations help ensure the right amount of fertilizer applications or amendments are used. Reliable fertilizer recommendations help horticulture professionals and gardening enthusiasts make informed decisions that support good plant health, reduce negative environmental impacts, and save money.
Applying excess fertilizer or soil amending products not only wastes money but can contribute to water quality issues and pollution hotspots in urban environments (Smidt et al., 2022; Small et al., 2019). Some municipalities located near lakes, streams, and waterways in the United States require that fertilizer applications only be made to turfgrass if a soil test supports the need (Sheehan, 2007).
Producing strong, competitive turfgrass plants through the proper use of fertilizer coupled with other recommended cultural practices can reduce the need for herbicide applications (Busey, 2003). Providing sufficient nutrients to support healthy trees can reduce the impacts of drought and other environmental issues (Gessler et al., 2016; Bal et al., 2015). Stressed plants are also more susceptible to insect pest issues (Shah, 2017). Conversely, too much fertilizer can make trees more susceptible to insect pests (Herms, 2002) and elevate the risk of plant diseases (Ganthaler et al., 2023).
Fertilizer applications can have significant impacts, both positive and negative, on vegetable pests (Bala et al., 2018). Fertilizer products recommended for vegetables include suggested rates on their labels. However, applying these products without the guidance of a soil test risks applying too little or too much plant nutrients.
The increased popularity of urban agriculture (Malone & Shakya, 2024) and interest in edible crop production in urban areas present important considerations regarding soil testing for contaminants, especially in areas at risk of exposure (Newell et al., 2025). While low levels of so-called heavy metals naturally occur in most soils, levels can increase in urban and peri-urban brownfield sites depending on property histories and locations (Stock et al., 2020).
The risk of contaminants in the soil requires special attention regarding soil testing, crop selection, and production system design for soils with a legacy of metal contamination (McIlwaine et al., 2027; Taylor, 2020). Heavy metals of greatest concern include arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), and molybdenum (Mo). The micronutrients copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are also of concern if present in high concentrations in the soil.
If your site may be at risk of heavy metal exposure or you are bringing in new fill or topsoil from unknown sources, soil testing for contaminants is recommended. The Penn State and University of Kentucky soil testing labs listed in Table 1 offer heavy metal analyses at an extra cost. Ohio State University Extension, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), Soil, Water, and Environmental Lab (swel.osu.edu/testing/urban-agriculture) also offers heavy metal screening.
Soil tests are required for tree care professionals to conform to certain industry-approved standards. The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) is accredited by The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop standards known as ANSI A300, American National Standards for Tree Care Operations. The standards are commonly referenced in commercial and municipal tree management contracts as well as green-space management plans.
ANSI A300 Standards, Part 2:
-
- 14.4.4: Soil testing should be done prior to designing, plant selection, planting and/or developing management plans for landscapes.
- 15.2: Soil and/or foliar nutrient analysis should be used to determine the need, formulation and rate of fertilizer.
- 15.6.3: When new plants are specified, they should be tolerant of the native soil pH.
(Tree Care Industry Association, 2025)
ANSI A300 Standards, Part 6:
- 63.3 Plant and site inspections for transplanting.
- 63.3.5 Soil at the installation site should be analyzed and tested for pH, structure, texture, density, nutrients and percolation.
(Tree Care Industry Association, 2025)
Where Do I Get Soil Tested?
Send soil samples to a soil testing lab (Table 1). Results will provide interpretations and recommendations for corrective action if needed. This includes the quantities of fertilizers and other additives needed to support healthy plants.
Table 1 at the end of this fact sheet provides a list of soil testing labs in Ohio and neighboring states that participate in the North American Proficiency Testing (NAPT) program and/or Agriculture Laboratory Proficiency (ALP) program. These programs provide independent evaluations of soil testing labs, helping them achieve greater analytical accuracy and precision.
Table 1 lists the types of analyses provided in each lab’s standard, or routine, soil-test package along with additional analyses available for an extra cost. This fact sheet provides information to help guide your decisions on which soil test analyses are needed to meet your specific needs.
Contact the soil testing lab you have selected before collecting the soil samples. Generally, the labs will provide a complete set of instructions along with their soil sample kits. Follow the instructions carefully. You will need to mail your soil sample(s), a completed sample form(s), and proper payment to the soil testing lab you have selected. Some OSU Extension offices have pre-paid soil test kits available. The kits include a form and sampling bag that can be mailed to a designated lab.
What Can I Learn from a Soil Test?
A typical, standard (routine) soil test pinpoints the amount of plant nutrients in the soil and relevant soil chemical properties such as pH and electrical conductivity. All the soil testing labs listed in Table 1 assess soil pH as part of their standard soil test analyses. The soil’s pH defines the soil’s acidity or alkalinity (= basicity). Soil pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Values below 7 are acidic, values above 7 are alkaline (= basic).
Soil pH drives soil chemistry and is arguably one of the most important pieces of information provided by a soil test. Figure 1 illustrates this point by showing how soil pH influences the availability of important nutrients to plants. In the graphic, the quantity of the individual nutrients remains constant. However, the width of the bands represents how much of a nutrient is in a form that is likely to be taken up by plants through their roots.
For example, iron (Fe) is in a water-soluble form below a soil pH of around 6, meaning that the nutrient can be taken up by plant roots. However, as the soil pH rises above 6, the iron combines with other elements or tightly binds to soil-exchange sites to become unavailable, which makes it unavailable to plants. The amount of iron in the soil remains the same but is more available to plants at a pH below 6, and is progressively less available as the soil pH rises above 6.
Most standard test packages provide information on the amount of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) in the soil. These are considered macronutrients. Plants require a larger quantity of these nutrients compared to other nutrients to grow and remain healthy.
For an added fee, soil testing labs will provide information on micronutrients which are sometimes called trace elements or minor elements. These include iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), boron (B), copper (Cu), and a few other elements depending on the soil testing lab. Sulfur (S) has historically been considered a micronutrient. However, some consider it a macronutrient owing to a rising recognition of its importance in various plant physiological processes. The micro or “trace” designation doesn’t mean the nutrients are less important compared to macronutrients, it means plants require minute quantities to stay healthy.
Figure 2 illustrates that the lack of any plant nutrient, whether macro or micro, can seriously limit plant health. The concept is called the law of the minimum, or theorem of the minimum. It was first proposed by the German botanist Carl Sprengel in 1840 (Van der Ploeg, et. al., 1999). Barrels have long been used to visualize the law of minimum and are sometimes called Liebig's barrels for the German scientist, Justus von Liebig, who promoted Sprengel’s concept.
The barrel representing a healthy plant has staves of equal length—all the plant’s nutrient needs are satisfied. The barrel representing an unhealthy plant has equal-length barrel staves except one—the stave for Mn. The graphic demonstrates that the lack of any essential plant nutrient can limit plant health, whether the nutrient is deemed macro or micro.
Soil nutrient levels are presented in parts per million (ppm), which is equivalent to pounds per acre (lb/acre), on soil test results. Whether the number falls within the range necessary to support healthy plants is easy to understand if the lab also provides a graphic representation of the nutrient levels as shown in Figure 3. This type of graphic appears on the soil test reports from most labs—some may only produce this helpful graphic upon request.
Figure 4 illustrates a dramatic symptom that appears on red maple (Acer rubrum) leaves when the limiting factor is a Mn deficiency. The yellowing foliage is a symptom called chlorosis. A soil test revealed that while the soil pH was adequate, the soil was deficient in the micronutrient, Mn. This shows why it may be worth paying an extra fee for micronutrient analysis.
Soil testing labs can also perform a textural analysis for an additional fee. Soil texture is an important physical property of soil and is based on the percentage of sand, silt, and clay in the soil. These are collectively known as the mineral components of the soil and are separated based on the size of the particles, with sand being the largest and clay the smallest.
Figure 5 shows the soil texture triangle. Once the percentages of sand, silt, and clay in your soil are known, your soil can be placed in a textural classification. Soil texture impacts nutrient retention, root growth, water movement, and organic matter accumulation.
For example, clay particles, which carry a negative charge, hold more positively charged nutrients (cations) than sandy and silty soils. Thus, soils with a high percentage of clay typically have a high Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). This means they generally contain more plant nutrients to support plant growth compared to sandy or silty soils.
However, when clay is compacted, the tiny, tightly packed particles can form a physical barrier to root penetration. Clay also holds more water compared to sandy or silty soils, which slows drainage.
Additionally, water movement is hindered between soil layers of extremely different particle sizes. This is called soil incompatibility and it is important if you are planning to buy and spread topsoil. For example, if silty-clay topsoil is placed directly on top of a loamy-sand, or vice versa, water will not move freely between the layers. Soil incompatibility can also be an issue if a tree root ball with a sandy texture is planted into clay soil. Since clay holds onto more water than sand, the root ball may become dry while the surrounding clay soil remains wet.
Deciding whether to ask for additional analyses beyond those offered with a standard or routine soil test depends on your goals and needs. If plants are being grown in a new area with no prior history of fertilizer or soil amendment use, an initial assessment of the soil texture, salinity, and micronutrients is recommended. In an established landscape, or land with a history of fertilizer or soil amendment additions, a routine fertility test for macronutrients is appropriate unless you are diagnosing a plant problem. Lastly, if heavy metal toxicity is a concern, a soil test for heavy metal assessment is recommended.
How Can I Use Soil Test Results?
The guidance provided by soil tests to horticulture professionals and gardening enthusiasts is sometimes compared to the guidance that blood tests provide to physicians. A soil test is like a blood test for the soil, revealing the soil’s nutrient status and overall health. Soil tests can be used for several purposes.
- To Maintain Proper Soil Fertility
Plants need certain levels of soil nutrients to thrive. However, soil nutrients and fertility may fluctuate from year to year. Soil nutrient availability is influenced by leaching, runoff, soil biota, and soil chemistry, with nutrients in solution attaching to soil particles or bonding with other elements and soil organic matter.
Significant amounts of essential plant nutrients are removed from the soil each year through plant growth and development. This is why it is a good practice to return grass clippings and fallen tree leaves to the soil rather than hauling them away.
A soil test will determine the current fertility status and provide the necessary information to maintain optimum fertility. Soil tests take the guesswork out of fertilization decisions and are cost effective as they eliminate wasteful spending on fertilizer products.
- To Guide Plant Selection
Test results provide information for making practical plant selection decisions based on the horticulture axiom “right plant, right place.” In other words, let the site select the plant.
A soil test will determine whether the soil is acidic or alkaline. It is the most cost-effective way to match the pH of the soil to the pH requirements of the plants you select.
In general, most deciduous shade trees, conifers, turfgrasses, flowers, ornamental shrubs, vegetables, and fruits trees grow best in only slightly acid soils with a pH of 6.1 to 6.9. However, plants belonging to the Ericaceae family, which include azaleas, blueberries, heathers, hollies, mountain laurel, and rhododendrons, thrive in more acidic soil with a pH between 4.5 and 6.0 and fail to thrive in alkaline soils. The holly (Ilex sp.) pictured in Figure 6 was failing because it was planted in a high pH (alkaline) soil.
Some trees do well in alkaline soil. Figure 7 shows a dramatic example of the site selecting the plant. The eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana) are growing in highly alkaline soil on top of a thick layer of Ordovician limestone. These junipers do best in high pH soil and are a good indicator that the soil is alkaline.
Soil texture is another important consideration in selecting plants. Some plants require good drainage and fail to thrive in poorly drained clay soils. Figure 8 shows yews (Taxus spp.) that are failing to establish owing to a combination of poor drainage and heavy clay.
- To Perform Plant Problem Diagnostics
A soil test can help diagnose what went wrong when good plants go bad. For example, Figure 9 shows chlorotic oak (Quercus spp.) leaves that are a possible result of a soil nutrient deficiency. Leaf chlorosis may also be associated with a high (alkaline) soil pH, making essential macro and micronutrients unavailable to plants. Without a soil test, it is impossible to know what is causing the oak leaves to be chlorotic. Do not guess, soil test.
Figure 10 shows a chlorotic river birch (Betula nigra) leaf. The soil test for the site revealed that the soil had adequate macro and micronutrients to support normal foliage. However, the soil pH was 7.8. As illustrated in Figure 1, this pH level can reduce the availability of several essential plant nutrients such as P, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn. A soil test revealed the true story.
Soil tests only reveal the existing nutrient levels in the soil, not in the plant. Many soil testing labs also offer plant tissue analysis (Table 1). A soil test coupled with a tissue analysis can produce a more comprehensive diagnostic story.
For example, Figure 11 shows a peculiar pattern of foliage chlorosis on a Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens). A soil test revealed that the soil pH was 7.1 and the quantities of P and Zn in the soil were low, but Mn was very low. A tissue analysis showed that the foliage had adequate levels of P and Zn but was deficient in Mn. The soil test, coupled with the tissue analysis, supported the diagnosis that the foliage chlorosis symptom was the result of an Mn deficiency in the soil, not a deficiency of P or Zn.
Figure 12 shows damage to Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) located where the plants were likely exposed to a deicing product like rock salt (sodium chloride). However, it is difficult to know if the salt burn is just cosmetic foliar damage, or if high concentrations of dissolved sodium chloride migrated into the soil to cause root injury.
When we hear the word salt it is common to think of sodium chloride. In fact, sodium chloride is just one type of mineral salt. Other soil mineral salts may involve elements included in fertilizer products such as P and K. Consequently, applications of chemical fertilizers at higher rates than required for maintaining plant health can produce high concentrations of plant-damaging mineral salts in the soil. The same is true with continued over-application of manure and manure-based composts. Irrigation water is another possible source of soluble mineral salts in the soil, particularly if the water is drawn from a well.
Soluble mineral salts increase the electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil. Thus, the higher the EC, the higher the concentration of soluble salts, or salinity, of the soil. The unit of measurement used for EC is deciSiemens per meter(dS/m). Many fruits, vegetables, and flowers can experience salt toxicity at 2 dS/m, depending on the crop (Stock et al, 2020).
High concentrations of soluble mineral salts in the soil can damage plants indirectly by pulling water away from the roots, and directly pulling water from the roots through the uptake of elements found in the salts such as Na and Cl. The damage may appear on trees and shrubs as foliar chlorosis and browning (necrosis), stem dieback, loss of plant vigor, and even plant death (Dmuchowski et al., 2022). If a soluble-salts problem is not corrected, replacement plants will fail to establish and thrive. Visual symptoms of vegetable plants experiencing salinity stress include stunted growth, leaf tip burn, and water-stress-related symptoms such as wilting (Sonon et al., 2022). Seedlings are particularly sensitive to salt toxicity.
Many soil testing labs will evaluate the soil EC for and additional cost. It is a helpful diagnostic tool to separate salt toxicity from other issues, such as plant diseases, and determine if accumulated salts need to be addressed to aid in plant recovery.
When Do I Take a Soil Test?
A soil test is a useful diagnostic and planning tool. It is the first step in learning what you need to do or not do with your soil. Soil samples can be taken any time of the year if the soil is workable.
However, you should allow plenty of time to receive and evaluate the soil test results and then take the necessary actions to maintain or improve soil fertility. Any recommended adjustments, such as a fertilizer application, should be made at the appropriate time of the year. For example, fall is the best time of the year to apply lime to raise the soil pH, while spring is more suitable for applying sulfur to lower the pH.
How Frequently Should I Take a Soil Test?
As a rule, sandy soils should be tested every 2-3 years, and clay soils every 3-4 years. Sample more frequently for closer monitoring of the fertility levels, or if you grow plants that require more nutrients. Of course, soil tests for diagnostic purposes should be made as needed.
What Soil Sampling Tools Do I Need?
- Soil Probe
A soil probe is the easiest tool for taking soil samples. The stainless-steel probe consists of a hollow tube with a sharpened end and a cutout to extract the soil samples.
Soil probes allow soil samples to be quickly and precisely taken at a consistent depth. This simplifies the job, especially when taking multiple samples. Figure 14 shows how a soil probe is used to collect a soil sample beneath turfgrass.
Soil probes are also useful for assessing soil moisture to monitor irrigation needs and for evaluating other physical properties of the soil such as compaction. Purchasing a soil probe is a worthwhile investment for horticulture professionals and serious gardeners.
- Garden Spade, Knife or Hand Trowel
A garden spade, heavy gauged knife (e.g., soil knife), or hand trowel can be used to take thin slices or sections of soil in order to gather soil samples as shown in Figure 15.
These tools require more time, effort and skill for taking precise soil samples compared to a soil probe. However, they are simple and effective if you are sampling loose soil, such as in vegetable gardens and flowerbeds. They are also cost-effective for lawns and landscapes if you are only performing plant nutrient maintenance tests over small areas every few years.
- Plastic Bucket
Soil samples should always be collected in a clean plastic bucket as shown in Figure 16. The inert plastic will not contaminate the sample. Metal buckets should never be used to collect soil samples. The Zn in zinc-plated buckets and Au in aluminum buckets may contaminate the samples. Likewise, rust in steel buckets may release Fe into the sample. These three elements are considered micronutrients and their artificial appearance in a soil sample may influence the soil test results.
Six Steps for an Accurate Soil Test
- Determine the number of soil tests you need using proven criteria:
- Separate tests should be used for distinct types of plant cultivation. For example, different tests should be used for turfgrass, vegetable gardens, trees, and shrubs, etc. Figure 17 shows a home landscape that requires five different soil tests.
-
- Areas that have received different management practices or soil fertility programs should be tested separately.
- Separate tests should be conducted if you suspect differences in soil types or properties. This may be signaled by distinct color hues. Light, dark, or red-colored soils should be tested separately. The same is true for soils that have different drainage, with poorly drained soils near a stream separated from well-drained soils on top of a hill.
Note the two separate soil tests for the front lawn and back lawn in Figure 17. This is because there may be differences in the soil types or properties owing to the distance between the two sites. Also, if the home has a basement, one of the lawns may have received soil excavated for the basement during construction.
- Contact the soil testing lab to request the number of soil test kits you need along with the appropriate forms. You may also ask for specific instructions for preparing the soil sample(s) before shipping. Figure 18 shows a typical soil test kit you will obtain from the lab. Make sure the information on the forms is complete to ensure that you receive recommendations for your horticultural needs.
- You should sample the soil where plant roots grow. Although root depth may vary based on soil texture and other conditions, follow general recommendations for sample depth:
- New turfgrass seeding or sodding soil samples should be 6–7 inches. Established turfgrass samples should be 4–5 inches.
- Flower bed and vegetable garden soil samples should be 6–8 inches. Samples should be collected between the vegetable garden’s rows to avoid fertilizer bands where applications were made directly to plants.
- Tree and shrub soil samples should be 6–10 inches.
- Do not include surface organic matter in soil samples. Organic matter can affect the soil test results:
- This includes small plants, or plant debris, mulch, and thatch, as well as the organic layer of 1 inch or less typically found on the top of soil in Ohio.
- Figures 14 and 15 show organic layers that should be removed before the samples are placed in a plastic bucket.
- Plant roots should also be removed when processing the soil samples.
Collect composite soil samples for each soil test. The accuracy of a soil test depends on the quality of the sample. Soil fertility can vary throughout a landscape, lawn, fruit planting, or vegetable garden. However, a soil sample sent to a testing lab should be representative of the entire area being evaluated.
- A composite sample consists of several individual subsamples randomly collected over the entire area being evaluated. Submitting a composite sample reduces the influence of variations in soil fertility across a site. The subsamples are mixed and a small amount of soil—about 1 pint in volume—is sent as a representative sample to the testing lab.
Figure 19 shows the hypothetical sites for collecting the subsamples for the five soil tests shown in Figure 17. Subsamples should be taken randomly in a zigzag pattern over the entire area and each subsample should be taken at the same depth and provide the same soil volume.- The number of subsamples depends upon the size of the area being evaluated. In general, five to 10 subsamples are sufficient for small areas such as flowerbeds and 10 to 15 samples are recommended for larger areas such as lawns.
- Prepare the samples for shipping. Figures 20 through 23 illustrate the steps in packaging the soil samples for mailing to a soil testing lab.
Allowing the soil to dry before mixing the subsamples and packaging a composite sample makes it easier to handle the soil.- Read and follow the directions for filling out the soil testing form(s) accurately and completely—incomplete forms may cause delays in receiving results and recommendations. For example, unless you fill out the form for the types of plants you grow or will be growing, no recommendations will be given.
- A critical step is to make certain the numbers on the forms match the numbers on the bags containing the soil sample. This is not a significant issue if you are asking for a single soil test. However, if you are paying for multiple soil tests, and the numbers between the forms and soil bags are inaccurate or missing, the results will be useless!
Soil test results and fertilizer recommendations are usually emailed or mailed in two weeks, depending on the testing lab. Some labs provide and even promote online access to your soil test results.
Soil Testing Labs
Table 1 shows soil testing labs in Ohio and neighboring states that participate in the North American Proficiency Testing (NAPT) program and/or Agriculture Laboratory Proficiency (ALP) program. Types of analyses are also included. However, the analyses offered by individual labs may change without notice. Contact the lab for current pricing and tests. The inclusion of a lab on this list does not necessarily imply any endorsement by The Ohio State University, nor does the exclusion of a lab imply any condemnation. Hence, The Ohio State University does not assume any liabilities associated with the selection and use of these labs.
| Listed in Alphabetical Order | Standard Test | Additional Tests (added cost) |
Horticultural Needs? (from website) |
Graphic Results? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
A&L Great Lakes Laboratories |
pH, buffer pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, CEC, and organic matter (OM). Fertilizer recommendations are provided. |
Soluble salts (EC), sulfur, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, and boron. | Home lawns, gardens, and landscape beds. | Yes |
| Brookside Laboratories Inc. 200 White Mountain Drive New Bremen, OH 45869 Phone: (419) 977-2766 Email: info@blinc.com Website: blinc.com Note: Services accessed through consultants. |
pH, buffer pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Mn, Zn, B, Cu, Fe, Al, S, CEC, and organic matter (OM). | Accessed through consultants. | Lawn and garden. | No |
| Calmar Soil Testing Labs 130 South State St Westerville, OH 43081 Phone: (614) 523-1005 Email: ohiolab@calmarlabs.com Website: calmarlabs.com |
pH, buffer pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, CEC, base saturation for K, Ca, Mg, and organic matter (OM). Fertilizer recommendations are provided. |
Home and garden. | Yes | |
| Logan Labs, LLC 620 North Main Street P.O. Box 326 Lakeview, OH 43331-0326 Phone: (937) 842-6100 Email: office@loganlabs.com Website: loganlabs.com |
pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, S, B, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Al, CEC, base saturation, and organic matter (OM). | Co, Mo, Se, SI, soluble salts (EC), and estimated nitrogen release (ENR). |
Yard, flower bed, and home garden. Tissue analysis for fruits, vegetables, turfgrasses, ornamental grasses and sedges, certain annuals and herbaceous perennials, hemlock, and Fraser fir. |
No |
| Penn State University Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory 720 Tower Rd University Park, PA 16802 Phone: (814) 863-0841 Email: aaslab@psu.edu Website: aasl.psu.edu |
pH, buffer pH, P, K, Mg, Ca, CEC, and lime. Fertilizer recommendations are provided. |
Micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu), soluble salts (EC), organic matter (OM), and soil texture. Heavy metals Ca, Cu, and Pb. |
Home garden, flowers, landscape plants, woodlots, Christmas Trees, and turfgrass. Soilless media (greenhouse). Tissue analysis for floricultural crops, fruits, and vegetables. |
Yes |
| Spectrum Analytic, Inc. 1087 Jamison Rd NW, Washington Court House, OH Phone: (740) 335-1562 Phone: (800) 321-1562 Email: info@spectrumanalytic.com Website: spectrumanalytic.com |
pH, buffer pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, base saturation, CEC, and organic matter (OM). Fertilizer recommendations are provided. |
T1: Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu, with recommendations. T2: B, nitrate nitrogen, Na, soluble salts (EC), and S with S and B recommendations. |
Turf and ornamentals. Tissue analysis for fruits, vegetables, nut crops, turfgrass, and trees/shrubs (conifers and deciduous). |
|
| University of Kentucky Division of Regulatory Services 103 Regulatory Services Bldg. Lexington, KY 40506-0275 Phone: (859) 257-2785 Email: fsikora@uky.edu Website: rs.uky.edu/soil/soil.php |
pH, buffer pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, and CEC. Fertilizer recommendations are provided. |
Micronutrients (B, Mn, Cu, Fe), soluble salts (EC), heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu), organic matter (OM), and soil texture. |
Commercial horticulture crops. Soilless media (greenhouse). Home lawns and gardens. Tissue analysis (contact lab). |
Yes |
| Waters Agricultural Labs, Inc. 2101 Calhoun Road Owensboro, KY 42301 Note: use Kentucky submittal form, “Soil, Plant, Nematode Samples.” Phone: (270) 685-4039 Email: kyinfo@watersag.com Website: watersag.com |
pH, buffer pH, P, K, Mg, Ca, CEC, base saturation, any two of Zn, Mn, Fe, B, or Cu. |
Organic matter (OM), and texture. Pesticide residue testing in soil: general herbicide screen; chlorinated pesticide screen; phenoxy herbicide screen; pyrethroid insecticide screen; and some neonicotinoids—contact the lab. |
Greenhouse and container mix (soilless media). Tissue analysis for fruit, nut, and berry crops; vegetable crops; ornamentals, flowers and trees; conifers; and turfgrass. |
Yes |
Additional Resources
Building Soils for Better Crops: Ecological Management for Healthy Soils
(core.ac.uk/download/pdf/554813727.pdf)
Simplifying Soil Test Interpretations for Turf Professionals
(turf.unl.edu/sites/unl.edu.ianr.agronomy-horticulture.turf/files/media/file/Simplifying-Soil-Test-Interpretations-g2265.pdf)
Soil Testing and Interpretation of Results for Christmas Tree Plantations
(content.ces.ncsu.edu/soil-testing-and-interpretation-of-results-for-christmas-tree-plantations)
Turfgrass Establishment Series - Soil Testing
(faes-webmain.org.ohio-state.edu/buckeyeturf/news/turfgrass-establishment-series-soil-testing)
Soil Test Interpretation Guide
(extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pub/ec-1478-soil-test-interpretation-guide)
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Originally written Jan 1, 2017, by Joe Boggs, Cindy Meyer, Gary Gao, and Jim Chatfield, Extension Specialist, Agriculture and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University.