Dig out a profile slab cut for sampling.

Professional soil sampling tools. Pull samples for lawn about 4-5 inches deep. Go 5-6 inches deep in gardens and beds.

Cut a strip from center of soil slab to represent a soil core of 3 to 6 inches deep.

The chemical analysis of a soil sample has been worked out and calibrated so the numbers reported mean something useful to the client. However, the results are only as good as the sample is representative of the area and crop’s root zone. In general, soils that differ in appearance, crop growth or past treatment should be sampled separately, provided the area or zone is large enough to be fertilized separately.

For each sample, collect soil plugs from about 10 or more places in each sampling area. Use a zigzag fashion so as to make a good, representative sample across the block. Mix plugs thoroughly before filling a sample carton or container that is mailed to the soil test lab. A pint of soil is the suggested amount of sample. One soil sample should represent 10 acres or less.

Avoid sampling directly in unusual spots unless you specifically want to examine those spots. The results you get will reflect the sampled area. A bad spot is not representative of the larger, normal area. Those recommendations will apply just to that bad spot. Proper sampling depth depends on the kind of crop you plan to grow. We recommend that for pasture and turf you take top 3 inches of soil, and for bushes, vegetables and cultivated crops, you collect plugs from the upper 5-6 inches of soil.

It is not necessary to chill or prevent sample desiccation that would be required for a nematode sample because  soil samples will be dried before analysis.