I hope so because this is one test you don’t want to miss! Testing your soil can make all the difference between a successful lawn and garden, and one that doesn’t quite make the grade. A soil test will reveal how much – if any – fertilizer and/or lime your soil needs in order to provide the best growing environment for lawn grass, flowers, vegetables.
Here at Evergreen of Johnson City we have a nice variety of soil testing kits that walk you through the process of soil testing.
A test can also be done through your County Extension Office – for instance, at the one here in Washington County, you can call them at 423-753-1680, or go visit this site. Using the on-line option, you can choose the test you want and send in your sample for testing via mail. Depending on the tests you choose, $15 or less is the cost. (NOTE: collecting the soil properly is vital to receiving accurate results. For details on how to collect a sample, use this link.
By knowing your soil’s pH balance, your plants and grass will be able to use the fertilizer more efficiently and more effectively, so you don’t have to add as much. If you apply lime randomly with no idea how much your soil really needs, you run the danger of your fertilizer not being used as efficiently as it could be.
Everyone getting tested these days – don’t forget to test your soil, too!
