Garden Tip: Have Your Soil Tested

As a Master Gardener I was advised just about every meeting to have my soil tested.  I always decided it wasn't necessary.   I mean I had been gardening here I think for about 25 years and have always done well (except for that corn), so why did I need to spend $25.00? 

Skip ahead a couple of years and I have changed my mind.  The weather is changing rapidly! Listen, everyone has to agree with me on this one, so this is not a political post.  We are having more heat, droughts, floods, etc. every year.  So here in our household,we decided we wanted to have the best garden soil we can get and it is well worth the $25.00 to find out what we need to do to accomplish that.  I mean if we needed to add more lime or something what could be simpler?  We need to make our gardens the best they can be to grow better in the changing weather patterns.  

So, I received my soil tester kit from Michigan State University.  If you do not live in Michigan, talk to your county extension service  and find out how to get your soil testing kit. 

I was instructed to get 1/2 cup of soil from 10 different spots in my vegetable garden (where I wanted my soil tested).   They told me how deep to go and what not to include.  

 I put it all in the canister above and mixed it together.  Thank goodness I had a helper!  

I then took out 1 cup of that soil and threw the other back in the garden.

I put it in their plastic bag and I mailing it off today.  It's really easy.  The results come by email in about 10 days. I let you know how this all comes out and what we need to do to help our garden. 

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