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| So I am planning on getting my soil tested this fall and want to be prepared. Based on past recommendations I was going to use Logan Labs unless someone else can recommend a better/cheaper/etc option.
Now their basic test is $20. I am unsure how many "tests" I should be doing for my lawn. I know you want to mix samples from several locations in the lawn to get an accurate measurement but should I do a separate test for the front and back lawns? As a note my total lawn is between 1,500-1,750 sq ft so not big my any means. Thanks for the help! |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Unless you have reason to believe that there is a reason (they backfilled the front of the house with a different soil than what was used for the back, oak trees in one and not the other) for a significant difference, one test should be sufficeint, expecially for 1750 sq ft. |
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| Most lawns are pretty homogenous unless you have areas that have issues, or were recently ammended with topsoil or other materials. I generally find fronts and backs to be different however, enough to warrant separate tests. I use an Oxo apply corer to take samples. I remove a three inch core and set it to the side. Then I take another inch of soil from that hole and put it in a container. I then put the three inch core back in the hole. I repeat this throughout the yard, so the cores are fairly evenly spaced throughout. Most labs need about a cup of soil. Before sending the sample I break up all the clumps, remove and rocks and large organic matter (roots, blades of grass, insects, etc) and let it air dry for a few days (not necessary, but the turnaround time is faster I think). |
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| Thank you both. Timeco based on your comment it looks like you use the soil 3-4 inches down for lab tests? Is that correct? Also, roughly how many core samples should I take from around the yard to get a good sample. I think I will go with a test for the front yard and a test for the back yard. The trees are pretty different and I know the backyard was in much worse shape than the front yard last year before I did a lawn overhaul. Should have tested last year but o well, trying to make up for it now. |
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| Yes, shoot for anywhere between 4-6 inches. I sort of messed that up a bit in my haste of typing. The first core you take should be about 4 inches long, then the sample would be an inch long from the 4-5 layer. |
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| Sample hole pattern should be in a zig-zag. 5 sanmples would be in the shape of the spots on a die for the number "5". I've never found any guidance for the number of holes based on sq ft. I would recommend 5 holes minimum or 1 hole for every 1k sq ft, whichever results in the greater number of samples. Logan recommends at least 15, but that is for agricultural fields. |
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