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Healthy soil necessary for successful growing
 
Ohio Farm News by Brad Bergefurd 
 
Healthy soil is the foundation of successful growing. The first step to cultivating healthy soil is having your soil tested.
Collecting soil samples only takes a few minutes, can help you save or make money in your field, lawn, garden and landscape, and can result in healthier plants by telling you which nutrients are already in your soil and which you need to add.
One of the most important things the soil test measures is soil pH, or how acidic or basic your soil is. Soil pH levels in Ohio will range anywhere from 3.5 (very acidic) to 8.0 (basic) or higher.
Most ornamental plants, vegetables, fruits and lawns prefer to grow in soils where the pH is 5.5 to 6.5 – though acid loving plants such as azaleas, camellias, gardenias and blueberries prefer a soil pH between 4.5 and 5.5.
Soil testing is the only way to know if your soil is too acidic, if you need to add lime to raise pH, and if so how much. Many people apply lime unnecessarily, which can raise soil pH too high, resulting in poor plant growth.
Soil test results will also tell you which nutrients you need to apply for the type of plants you are growing. If nutrients are needed, they can be supplied with either natural (organic) or synthetic fertilizers.
Soil test results will not determine if there are diseases or herbicide residues in your soil, or if poor drainage or soil compaction are causing plant problems. If you suspect these issues contact your local Extension office for advice.
When should I sample?

Submit samples for any planting projects you have in mind several months before you plan to plant. This will allow plenty of time for you to get the results back and amend the soil before planting. If soil amendments need to be made, this will give plenty of time for the adjustments to take effect before planting.
When adjustments need to be made to soil these changes are slow in reacting, therefore give yourself plenty of time before planting.
Soil samples can be submitted for testing any time of the year.
Results are usually ready within a few days once received by the lab. Winter and spring are the lab’s busiest seasons. Samples submitted during these times may take longer to process.
How are samples submitted? Bags and forms for sampling are available from many – but not all – county Extension offices.
Call your county office in advance to see if these services are available. For more information on choosing a soil testing lab see the fact sheet http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/pdf/1133.pdf
How do I collect samples?

To have your soil tested, collect samples from different areas of your yard, garden or field.
You will need to randomly collect 3-5 samples from each section of your yard where you are growing something different; for example, 3-5 samples from your lawn, 3-5 samples from your vegetable garden, etc.
Samples should be collected with a stainless steel trowel and need to be taken around 6 inches deep. For each sample you submit (example – lawn, garden, flower bed), aim to collect a total of about a cup and a half of soil when the 3-5 random samples are mixed together.
If there are areas in your yard where plants are not growing well, be sure to sample them separately to find out if the problem is nutrient or pH related. For more details on how to collect and submit soil samples, see the OSU fact sheet at http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/pdf/1132.pdf
For help reading your soil test results, see http://ohioline.osu.edu/agf-fact/pdf/Interpreting_a_Soil_Test_Report_AGF-514-12.pdf
For information on soil testing contact your county Extension office or to be added to the Ohio commercial horticulture list serve to receive Ohio fruit and vegetable crop updates, contact Brad Bergefurd at Bergefurd.1@osu.edu or call the OSU South Centers 1-800-860-7232 or 740-289-3727, ext. 132.
4/16/2015