Soil Testing

Soil testing is a service that we recommend as a regular service to get the most out of our lawn care and landscape programs. 

For a soil test we will collect samples of your soil in different areas and prepare them for analysis. We do require separate soil tests for lawns  and landscape areas to ensure we get an accurate analysis of the soil in each area. This is because lawns typically have received more nutrients over time when compared to landscaped areas.

We use a third-party laboratory that provides detailed results as to what’s going on with the soil. If things are relatively in check, we can often work within our current program to receive stellar results.

Occasionally one or more aspects of the soil test may be outside of acceptable range and would require additional modification to a lawn care plan to help get it back to ideal ranges.

After soil testing, this would be something that would be discussed if needed.

This service can be done at any time of the year.

Results from a Soil Test

A soil test provides a comprehensive analysis of various properties and nutrient levels in your soil. Understanding these results is key to making informed decisions about soil amendments and fertilization. Here are the common results you’ll find on a soil test report:

Soil pH:

Measures the acidity or alkalinity of the soil, typically on a scale from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline. Most plants prefer a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.

Macronutrients:

Nitrogen (N):
Essential for plant growth and green foliage. Soil tests usually provide recommendations for nitrogen application rather than its current level, as nitrogen levels fluctuate quickly.

Phosphorus (P): Important for root development and flowering. Reported as P2O5 (phosphate).

Potassium (K): Vital for overall plant health, disease resistance, and drought tolerance. Reported as K2O (potash).

Secondary Nutrients:

Calcium (Ca): Important for cell wall structure and stability.

Magnesium (Mg): Central component of chlorophyll, essential for photosynthesis.

Sulfur (S):
Necessary for protein synthesis and enzyme function.

Micronutrients:

Includes elements like Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Boron (B), Molybdenum (Mo), and Chlorine (Cl). These are required in smaller amounts but are crucial for plant health and development.

Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC):

Indicates the soil’s ability to hold and exchange cations (positively charged ions). Higher CEC values generally mean the soil has a greater capacity to retain nutrients.

Base Saturation:

Refers to the percentage of the CEC occupied by essential cations (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sometimes sodium). This helps in understanding the soil’s fertility and nutrient balance.

Organic Matter (OM):

Percentage of decomposed plant and animal material in the soil. Higher organic matter improves soil structure, water retention, and nutrient availability.

Soil Texture:

Analysis of the proportions of sand, silt, and clay in the soil. This affects water retention, drainage, and root penetration.

Soluble Salts:

Measures the level of soluble salts in the soil. High levels can harm plant roots and affect water uptake.

A soil test is $47.00 per test and includes the specimen collection, sending it off for analysis and a report with the results of the test.

The cost is per test, so if you are having your lawn and landscape tested, that would be 2 tests or $94.00

When you get your test results back, you most likely get a document that has a bunch of information that you don't really know what to do with. 

But don't worry we are going to take care of everything. We will review your report and identify the items that need to be corrected. For many of them they will be included in our service and we will just make adjustments to your program to correct those issues. There are also possibly going to be some items on the report that will require an additional service or application to correct, in that case we will discuss those items with you and make recommendations for corrective action. 

Regular soil testing is essential for maintaining a healthy lawn and landscape. For most lawns and landscapes we recommend annual test as this is going to provide the best results from our services and really give you the yard your going to love! 

Although every year is our recommendation for best results we also recommend that you don't go more than 3 years without getting a soil test. 

We have a general idea of what the soil is like here in New Jersey and our programs are built based on that knowledge, but every property is different and soil testing gives us the data we need to make better decisions for your lawn.