Soil Testing - for lawn or garden

[Moved to a separate new thread]

Yes! The county will do a pH analysis on your soil if you send them samples.

Here is some good information on soil pH testing from the VA Tech headquarters: www.cses.vt.edu/html/stlab.htm

Pick up a pH soil test analysis kit by visiting our local Loudoun county VA Tech extension office in Leesburg. Contact info and hours of operation are at:
http://offices.ext.vt.edu/view.cfm?webname=loudoun

One can also pick up county soil test kits from the Nature Center, (M-F, 9-5).

Be sure to follow all the instructions on the kit (including using the little cardboard box provided). Remember, select your preferred plant or lawn "key code" on the form that accompanies the kit, in order to get the fastest results from the lab. Allow about 3 to 10 days for the lab to analyze your soil sample and to give you results.

The cost to have the soil sample analyzed is $7 (check made payable to "Treasurer, Virginia Tech), plus postage, to send the soil sample to the lab.

The Master Gardeners Help Line at 703-771-5150 (M-F, 9 to noon) is very helpful in answering soil analysis questions, too.


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Fyi - over the weekend, I saw some soil test kits being sold at Merrifield Garden Center on Lee Highway. They have large kits and small kits. The small kits are approximately $5. It's a little less expensive, but if one decides to try testing one's soil with one of these kits, the county extenstion office said to remember to follow the instructions on the kit very carefully, otherwise your test results may be skewed. The amount of moisture in the soil and moisture in the air of your home can affect the test results, among other variables. While the county can not guarantee accurate test results from someone's home experiment with a store-bought test kit, on the other hand the county will guarantee accurate results from their own lab because their tests are conducted in a strictly controlled environment.

Folks are welcome to share their own experiences with soil testing in this topic thread.

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I am thinking about doing a test, but I am not sure that my 100% clay soil will give good results. Are they difficult to do?


Pam D.

 

We are having problems with our yard also. At first we had grubs. We then replaced the bad sections and treated our yard with grubx, because we were infested. We treated this year with milky spore and are hoping that things will be better. We are still not happy, so we will pick up soil test from Nature Center to see if there is something going on with the PH.

 

If you live in a Courtyard home -- the HOA landscaper can test and analyze the lawn soil for you, because they are already contracted to care for your lawn. At least, this is what I heard from HLS during the Courtyard lawn care meeting.