Soil testing: home tests and the lab

In short

• One sample = one part of the land used the same way: garden, orchard and meadow are never mixed.
• Take 15–25 cores in a zigzag, all at the same depth, and mix them into one sample of 0.5–1 kg.
• Don't sample within 2–3 months of liming, manure or fertiliser.
• Home tests tell you about structure, water and life; the lab tells you about pH, organic matter, phosphorus and potassium.
• Ask for a report with recommendations, and repeat the test every 3–5 years at the same time of year.

What's inside

Chapters

1. What the soil tells you, and what the lab tells you
2. Split your land into sampling areas
3. How to take a proper sample
4. Ten home tests
5. How to read a lab report
6. Heavy metals and contamination
7. From report to plan
8. Repeating and tracking
9. Common mistakes
10. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Sampling map
• Sample log
• Home test log
• Reading the results and plan
• Results over the years
• Soil test cost calculator
• Soil testing and monitoring calendar