For people who are eating food that they grow in native soil, I think the main concern is presence of heavy metals like lead, cadmium and arsenic. The pH scale is logarithmic. The difference between pH 6 and pH 7 is tenfold. The difference between pH 6 and pH 8 is one hundredfold.

you know so much about gardening. I love that you share it with us

Omg I NEED to just break down and do a soil test..... I'm wasting time and money guessing what's going on with my dirt! Thank you, I'm glad you included the University Extension. Hope you and yours has a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving! 🦃

This vid was incredibly informative - thank you so much!

Great video Erin! Keep your great work up!✨🌟💚🌿

Good points in here Erin! We definitely will plan to do this since we’ve got so many new plants added into our landscape and lots for the future! Hoping for good results 🤞

I am so glad that Garden Answer told me about your channel!

Nicely done! I’m testing this fall through my extension office the area where I lost that redbud. I was never happy with how anything performed in that bed.

I’ve lived in numerous areas on the West Coast, have never tested my soil, and have always had a beautiful and robustly healthy garden by paying attention and providing plants the basics (e.g., amending the soil at planting, top dressing with organic fertilizer at recommended intervals for the unique plants and ensuring they have regular water). That said, you’ve convinced me (and raised my curiosity). We are about to start developing our garden at a new home in Northern CA, and the well-draining soil seems bereft of organic matter. We will send it to university of CA extension and see what we learn! Thanks for the detailed video.

We had our soil tested this year specifically for the lawn. I live in WI and we did use the UW ext. We emailed them with questions and they were quick to answer.. Now that you have explained what everything means I think I will pull it out and review it again because I do feel that we really were not sure what everything meant.

Hey Erin, I know Laura at Garden Answer is Mecca but I have to say your soil test video taught me WAY more. Who knew nitrogen was always low and had to added? Love the way you compared numbers but explained and averaged them to show how they were pretty much the same just told in a different way. I had a soil test done a couple years ago from my local agricultural college and although it looked good on paper I had no idea what to do with the information. Thanks for everything. Have a good Thanksgiving down there.

Great and thorough video!!! I cannot recommend everyone's local extension service enough. In addition to soil testing, they also have the know-how to help you battle pests and diseases as well. The extension services aren't only for farmers and 4-Her's :)

Wow, so comprehensive! Thank you. I had one done. Mine was free from our county service which is about 10 minutes away. I didn't know how to read it but I was told everything was okay which surprised me since my soil is nothing but clay and rock.

Picking up my soil kit test this year. Thanks 😊

Video is perfect timing just sent off a soil test last week and used Univ of Massachusetts Soil Testing Lab as a referral, basic @ $20. I'm testing a untouched field for cut flowers. Excited to see the results.

This subject has always been super interesting to me but also kind of intimidating. I actually work on site of the extension office for my county so I have NO excuse for not doing this. You have inspired me to do it, so thanks!!! Great video as usual ☺️

Thank you Erin for your clear and balanced video on soil testing. I would like to add a suggestion on sampling (what is going into the bucket). Most gardens will sample the soil surface (0-6 inches) but most of our plants reach much deeper into the soils for nutrients. In addition, some nutrients, especially nitrogen leach down the soil column. So what - well I would suggest that you also sample deeper (6-12 inches) for a more complete picture.

Thanks! I’m going to try a soil test. I tried those little ones you get at local Lowe’s or Home Depot where you add water to your dirt in little vials. Did not get great results from that. Will check into my local Univ. But since it is Thanksgiving may try The Soil Test kit since schools will be taking winter break soon. Thanks again, very informative.

Now watching this video I think i will get a test done by the University here in Regina thanks for the great idea Erin love your videos

Have never tested our soil before, but just bought two, one for our flower garden and one where we are going to grow grapes and raspberries for the first time this spring.

So well explained, that was all useful information! Thank you for that 😊 I understood it well, despite having english as a third language. I didn't test my soil, but I only have a really small garden and some pots, still interested how soil works, since it is magical. I will keep the informations I have learned in my mind for future real garden 😊 Greetings Judit

I have never done a soil test and really should. Most of my yard and gardens are wonderful. I top dress, use coffee grounds and try to add nutrients in the soil but I have 1 area that the soil is dry and powdery. I might need to have two samples tested and see how to proceed- hopefully my extension center will help.

I use U Maine’s service. You can go online to request the kit. It comes with the little box and instructions. You have to find another little box to send it back, but since I shop on line frequently that’s no problem. The results were back fairly quickly, don’t remember exactly. I did it last summer but haven’t done one for years, but do add composed cow manure in the spring. The reason I did it this year is because of a problem I am having in some raised beds. I fill them with bagged potting mix and add some of the composted cow manure. I planted green beans and they came up and just sat there for WEEKS. Then started growing normally and blossomed. I never plant before June first. I wondered if the manure was too strong for the plants and it took time for something to wash out???! The tests showed everything medium to high. Love your videos!

I don't test the soil here because I rent. I usually plant annuals in pots with the soil I use for my house plants. When I own I will definitely test the soil. Good information and video, thanks for sharing.

I had our slips tested this fall through our county extension office through the University of GA for $9. I was able to drop the sample off at my local extension office and they sent it off for testing. Results were back in a few weeks.

I think it would be kind of interesting to test a container or pot. I know best practice is to completely empty a container of its old soil and replace, but like... who realllllly does that all the way unless there is a major pest problem? I guess it is almost like more of a "closed system" test how the health of that soil is impacted over time.

I never considered doing a soil test. After watching your video I'm curious as to what is in my soil.

Thank you for a wonderful analysis of the two testing methods. It’s obvious the university is geared towards big Ag, commercial growers. The amount of potassium they said to use is what commercial growers use, and is a problem for our watersheds. Do remember, we’re organic Gardners. They are crowing crops in totally dead soil!! Sand, clay, etc that can only hold chemicals for 3-6 months before reapplication. I currently do a test every 2-4 years, when I make a soil amendment routine change. The big difference I get between the University and the local Extension service is PH. The university (in NJ) gives me a low reading 4.8-5.2. That freaked me out when I saw those numbers. NJ has sandy soil. I’m in southern NY with heavy clay soil, ph 7.0. The Ex. Service says my soil is around 5.9, and pretty much agrees with my bulb meter. Yea, I had to get one to figure out who was closer. I do add acidifier to bring it down to 6.5-6.7 range. 6.5 is the annual goal. I grow 100’s of plants very densely. 2. 4x10 ft plots have 20 tomato plants, melons, onions, carrots, flowers & herbs. 2. Plots for greens, root veggies, peas, beans, cucumbers, probably forgot some. 2. Smaller plots for other stuff. Thank you, and Hope you enjoyed!

Hi Erin, I have considered soil testing, but didn't know where to start. Thank you for the useful information. BTW, from what I saw, your cat looks exactly like ours :)

Ah the joys of container gardening... 😅 I still found this video exceptionally interesting.

Look at that beautiful soil.

Interesting video, thank you. Do either place have an opinion on why their results differ?

Bravo .Very nice , Channel

when we bought our property 20 years ago, I had the soil tested and learned that I needed to add lime and nitrogen. I add lime every year. Should I get it tested again>. I have some beautiful flowers here in the summer.

Thanks, I know I need to test my clay - Missouri=clay. Thanks for the this, it will help me decide what to do.

Still, branded fertiliser sponsors is a good way to fund maybe better lab equipment or more affordable tests ... and surely we can work out from their recommended products NPK etc what other fertilisers might match our needs.

Yes, I've been meaning to do one all summer for a new bed I'm going to put in. Question, it's next to the house and it seems like it was back filled with a dry, sandy soil while the rest is more clay like. Would that skew the results?

Still not convinced these tests are worthwhile. I have heavy clay soil so the answer is always to add organic matter. I supplement with espoma fertilizer occasionally and broadcast milorganite a couple of times in the spring to amp up the nitrogen. Most of the shrubs, perennials and annuals I grow do fine. If I get a bit of chlorosis I spot treat with Espoma Iron Tone which seems to do the trick. I'm sceptical of the varied results both you and Laura received.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hello! This is a bit off topic but I notice in the video what appears to be a Christmas cactus. With blooms! I’ve had my Christmas cactus for quite a few years and it’s never bloomed. Maybe you could do a video on how you care for yours, please? Just an idea which I hope you might do. Thanks!

Thanks for this great, helpful video! I tested my soil about 15 years ago... time to do it again. One question: when adding the amendments suggested, do you just sprinkle it around the given area, or do you need to dig it in? Happy Thanksgiving!

Interesting! I had a soil test by our local state soil lab in Georgia. They don't test for nitrogen or organic matter. Wish that organic matter was something they tested.

Great topic! Big lesson for me this year is it's all about soil. My garden is in northern CA, Bay Area, much of it on a steep hill facing directly west. I have one area of the slope where it seemed no matter what I did the plants kept dying. I finally did a soil test this summer. Turns out the soil there is low pH and high sodium and other deficiencies. Honestly, the results and their recommendations were confusing to me. My preference is to always use organic products and compost. I've been applying John & Bob Soil Solutions for years with great success everywhere except in this area. (Their Blend product is incredible for restoring the soil in my potted plants.) So I emailed JohnandBobs my test results to see what they thought. They were SO helpful! Five month later and all the plants are looking great. (I don't have any affiliation with them--just wanted to share info on what's worked for me.) Now when I dig in that area the soil looks healthier and I'm seeing worms for the first time. I'm going to do another test soon to confirm the soil is optimal. I've also started gathering leaves for leaf mulch to further help my soil. In hindsight I could have saved a lot of money in plants if I'd first put more effort into soil health!

Arkansas soil tests are free and a box is provided to the grower. Thanks for the comparison.

Sorry....keep getting distracted by your Christmas cactus! What I can see is beautiful!

I appreciate your comparison Erin! Call me a cynic (everyone does) but the idea of a private company testing and providing brand name recommendations feels suspect. There's obvious business advantages for the soil kit company in selling their data and promoting one brand over the other. I also think that a certain well known gardening channel wouldn't recommend nearly the same amount of products if they weren't receiving them for free by the truckload-which they rarely remember to disclose properly on screen when recommending. For me, I started with compost and rarely feel the need to add anything to my plants all of which are very young and thriving in the compost rich beds that I've built. While I grow flowers over veggies, I will always defer to Charles Dowding's methods of creating a soil ecosystem that will grow just about anything your climate can support. If one area struggles, I'll certainly try to test within the university system but for now I'm happy just building up my soil. Hope you had a happy holiday!

Thanks for your science based reporting. I'm weary of youtubers that promote garden myths.

I would be curious about the consistency of results within each testing entity. If you had enough of the sample you originally collected and sent them in again would you get the same numbers?

You had mentioned grabbing a bit of soil from several different spots in your yard and mixing it together and sending in a sample of that. But what if some parts of your yard are very healthy and others are not. You wouldn't then want to add the wrong things to the wrong spots. I'm a little confused on that. It seems to me they would want you to send in several different samples. Does this make sense or does it not really matter.

For the most part a soil test is recommended every 3 yrs unless you are living on a lunar surface. There are so many benefits to supporting your local extension service. They do so much “cheap” work on so many fronts. No way I’m supporting an outside service like this for the same reason I would rather drive 40 miles to a mom and pop hardware store than support Home Depot. If I were asked to review a product such ad this it would have gone straight to the trash. Let’s start supporting American small businesses and small business owners

Unfortunately, Purdue doesn’t do soil testing for homeowners. I’ve not gotten around to figuring out which lab to send mine off to instead, but I really need to do that. All I can say with any certainty is “clay”. 😝

I think your plants do the talking. Compost is probably the number #1 thing lacking in modern gardens. Some well known gardeners like John Lord don't ever use fertilizers at all. If your soil is full of compost and healthy, it shouldn't need anything else. Not that I don't use fertilizers, I definitely do but it's a crutch in my mind.

I have added a soil test kit to my Amazon wish list for Christmas. I have gone as far as emailing the master gardeners in my county to see where to send it locally. The sent me names of independent labs. I don't understand, I am surrounded by corn and soil bean fields, so I just want to grow pretty flowers. I might mention I am in Ohio and the agriculture college is 50 miles away.

Fascinating- could your high sulphur be due to the presence of volcanic rock? (- I remember that there were volcanoes in the upper peninsula of Lake Michigan albeit many, many years ago). Or maybe your creek brings sulphur downstream from elsewhere in the big storms?