Soil Testing and Test Kits

A soil test is one of the best investments a gardener can make. The purpose of a soil test is to provide the gardener with information necessary to make a wise investment in fertilizer and soil amendment choices. Performing a soil test is one of the first things any gardener should do regardless of what is to be planted. A soil test report will provide a wealth of information: the pH level, available phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (C), magnesium (M), zinc (z), manganese (Mn), copper (C) and iron (Fe) components of your soil. These elements are essential for healthy productive plants, trees and lawns.

Soil test kits are available at Portsmouth’s Virginia Cooperative Extension office and at Portsmouth libraries.

Some general rules about soil sampling:

  1. If the soil is too wet to work, it is too wet for a sample. Slightly wet samples can be dried on newspaper prior to sending the sample in for analysis.
  2. Rocks, twigs, grass or any other debris must be removed from the sample.
  3. Samples from mulched beds should be taken after the mulch is removed from the area.
  4. Do not take samples from areas where the soil conditions are different from the rest of the landscape such as pet areas, brush piles, wet spots, and landscape borders.

For a detailed explanation of the contents of a soil test report, look view this page: https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-701/452-701.html

Review the report for each unique area sampled:

With your soil test report in hand, you will be able to add necessary amendments in the right amounts to create a fertile environment for your lawn, your flower bed and your vegetable garden. Doing a soil test is one of the best ways and most certainly least expensive ways of insuring that your landscape will flourish.