food garden with raised beds and wood chip pathways

At Home Soil Testing

Helping the Earth by adding only what is needed
WSU Extension > Snohomish County > MG Home > Educational outreach > Soil Testing
Rows of lettuce are divided by thin black tubing that make up a simple, but effective drip irrigation system for easy watering and water conservation.

Why test your soil?

Master Gardeners often get the question ‘Why isn’t my plant healthy?’
We often answer, “Have you had your soil tested?’
The benefits of a Soil Test:

  • Soil nutrients are not the same across your property
  • Avoid adding unnecessary fertilizer
  • Provides nutrient application recommendations that your soil needs
  • Identifies soil pH and the possible need for liming
  • Shows how soil nutrient changes over the years

Having your soil tested gives you a detailed assessment of your garden soil. The analysis provides the nutrients and quantities needed to make your garden flourish!

Soil Testing Labs

Instructions about how to collect and process a soil sample are on each website.

Try to mail out the soil sample to lab the same day you take it. If mailing at a later date, place sample in the freezer to stop microbial activity which can cause varied test results, avoid mailing near the weekend.

The Snohomish Conservation District

May provide soil testing, often at no charge under certain circumstances, for property within its district.
Address: 528 91st Ave NE, Lake Stevens, WA 98258
Phone: 425-335-5634
E-mail: outreach@snohomishcd.org
Website: https://snohomishcd.org/