HOW TO TEST YOUR SOIL

If you find that your plants just aren’t producing,  you should test your soil to see what it needs. Usually poor soil is  lacking in sufficient levels of nutrients to sustain plant development. By knowing what your soil lacks, If,you  amend the soil and in turn have a garden that will fight deaseis and produce the best garden you ever had.

Testing your soil is  easy. Basic soil test kits can be purchased either online or at a garden supply store.  You need to test  the different parts of your garden to find a balance in soil conditions. Yyou may need to test each area of your garden. For example, a flower garden, a vegetable garden, and a field will all have different needs and the soil usually has a different composition.

You can also use your local cooperative extension agency to assist you in a soil test.  In New Hampshire we use the University of New Hampshire to test our soil condition. Check with your local Goverment to see were you can have your soil tested. These soil tests are generally much more detailed.

To prepare to test your soil you just hake a small amount of soil from several different parts of your garden,and place all the soil in a plastic bag bring or send it to your testing service.

Once the soil test has been performed, you should receive a report from the testing company that will let you know what the various components of your soil are and at what levels.