Test Your Soil in the Fall

Test Your Soil in the Fall

Author Ellen Vande Visse

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Test your Soil In The Fall

Autumn is an Ideal Time

Get a jump on spring. Do a soil test in the autumn.

September is a great time to find out what nutrients your soil needs for the next growing season. Why?

  • You’ll avoid the usual 2-week wait of spring soil tests.
  • You can use the recommendations to calculate quantities & purchase the soil amendments you’ll need.
  • Ta DA! You have your supplies ready to apply with no delay in the spring.

    • Here’s how to collect a sample.

    Collect representative samples of your soil from several areas in the garden/field in a clean container. Mix well. Then extract 2 cups and place in a labeled Ziploc bag or a bag provided by your lab of choice. Be sure to state on the written form that you want recommendations for non-certified organic or sustainable growing. If you can, specify which organic fertilizers for NPK you’ll be using. (This website gives you a list of organic amendments available in South Central Alaska area.)

    For a list of labs I recommend, see OG Soil Test Services 2020