Why get ph soil testing? PH levels are important because they determine how a plant uptakes nutrients. Without a good pH level, it doesn’t matter how much nitrogen you add to your soil—your plants can’t use it. 

A soil pH test is a quick way to determine the acidity of a soil sample. It’s an invaluable tool for ensuring that soil conditions are ideal for plants. 

Massachusetts Master Gardeners offers free soil testing. Samples should be prepared 3-4 days ahead of time. Here are their instructions for preparing your samples. 

(1) Identify the area(s) of your property you want to have tested. Different areas may have different pH levels, e.g., lawn vs. flower bed vs. vegetable garden. To submit different areas for testing, collect separate samples. Within a given area, if there are sections that are sickly vs. healthy, they should be sampled and labeled separately (e.g., “sickly section of front lawn,”“healthy section of front lawn”).

(2) Gather your materials:

  • A spade, shovel, soil probe, or augur for digging your sample(s)
  • One small clean bucket for each area you plan to sample (e.g., one bucket for the lawn, a separate bucket for your flower bed)
  • One small plastic bag for each area to be sampled

(3) Prepare your soil sample(s) – NOTE: You will need to repeat this process for each of the areas you’ve decided to test.

  • Step A: Depending on how large the area is, dig between 5 and 10 holes. The depth of the holes should be based on the following guidelines:

– Lawns: 4-6” deep

– Garden beds: approx. 6-8”

– Tree/shrub areas: 8-10” deep

  • Step B: Collect a soil sample all the way down to the bottom of each hole. In other words, make certain your sample includes soil from the top, the middle, and the bottom of each hole.
  • Step C: Combine all soil samples from the same area in a clean bucket. Mix thoroughly and remove stones, sticks, and other debris.
  • Step D: Set the bucket aside and let the soil dry for a few days.
  • Step E: Put approx. 1/2 cup of dry soil into a plastic bag. Mark the bag with your name and the area of your property where the sample was taken (e.g., Jane Jones, front lawn; Bob Brown, rhododendron bed).

To prepare samples for other areas of your property, repeat Steps A thru E above.

(4) Bring your sample(s) to the MMGA Soil pH Testing table at one of their free events.