Soil Testing During COVID-19 Mitchell County Extension Office Closure

— Written By Vonda Vaughn
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How to test soil

Consistently reliable results can only be obtained by submitting samples to a soil-testing laboratory. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Division will analyze your soil samples free of charge or for a small fee. Forms and boxes for samples are available from the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Mitchell County Center – just outside the door!

When and how often should soil be tested?

Soils samples may be taken any time of the year. The pH and phosphorus level are relatively constant throughout the year unless lime, fertilizer, or organic matter has been applied recently. It’s best not to sample immediately after applying lime, fertilizer, compost, or manure.

The soil-test report will make recommendations for the next growing season, so test soil before planting or fertilizing. For a spring vegetable garden or flower bed, it’s best to submit a sample in the fall or winter but samples can be submitted any time.

How to take a soil sample

The accuracy of the soil-test report depends on the quality of the soil sample. It is best to collect soil samples with stainless steel or chrome-plated tools. A shovel or trowel can be used. Avoid using brass, bronze, or galvanized tools, which may contaminate the sample with copper and/or zinc. Put the sample in a clean, plastic bucket; even small amounts of residual lime or fertilizer will affect test results.

Scrape leaves, mulch, and other debris from the soil surface. When using a trowel or shovel, dig a hole to the appropriate depth for each type of plant to be grown, then scrape soil from the side of the hole—one stroke, bottom to top. For gardens, new lawns, and other cultivated areas, sample to the depth the soil has been or will be tilled. For established lawns, collect samples 4 inches deep. For vegetable gardens and flower beds, take samples 6 to 8 inches deep, and for trees and shrubs, sample to a depth of 6 to 10 inches.

Repeat this procedure in six to eight areas (subsamples) and combine to obtain a more representative sample for testing.

Avoid areas that are obviously different—wet spots, the compost pile, animal urine spots, brush piles, under eaves, and sites where trash has been burned. Mix the subsamples together to obtain one composite sample. Remove large pieces of organic material such as roots, stalks, leaves, rocks, and other debris. Fill the soil sample box to the fill line. Submitting less than the suggested amount of soil could lead to a sample that does not adequately represent the area you are testing or may not produce enough soil to conduct all of the necessary tests.

Even if the soil looks the same, take separate samples for each general type of plant to be grown-flower beds, vegetable gardens, fruit orchards, shrub borders, and lawn areas. It’s not necessary to list each plant to be grown. But if only one type of plant is to be grown, be specific; for example, list fescue for lawns and apples instead of fruit trees. You will receive a report for each area. Areas with different soil types should be sampled separately. Soils vary by location, slope, the amount of fertilizer applied in recent years, and in their physical, chemical, and biological properties. Soil variations can also result on a new home site when soil is moved around or brought in to fill low areas.

Soil moisture will not affect soil-test results directly. However, it’s best if the soil is slightly damp to dry-not wet when samples are collected. If the soil is too wet to till, it’s too wet to sample. Wet soil is more difficult to mix and could damage the soil sample box during shipment.

For the full article, please see: A Gardeners Guide to Soil Testing