1. How to Take a Soil Sample
1. Select an appropriate sampling tool.
Spade, auger, or soil tube.

2. How to Take a Soil Sample
2. Make a sketch dividing the area into sampling areas.
Front lawn, garden, flower bed, etc.

3. How to Take a Soil Sample
3. Avoid wet or bare spots, and test on soil that has normal plant growth.

4. How to Take a Soil Sample
4. Remove the surface litter, and take the correct depth of sample.
For established lawns, this is 2 in.
For crops, gardens, flower beds, etc., this is 6 in.

5. How to Take a Soil Sample
5. Submit separate composite sample for each significantly different area. Select 10 to 20 different areas and collect small samples.

6. How to Take a Soil Sample
6. Make a “v” shape with a spade. Then remove a 1 in. slice from one side of the cut. Then remove a 1 in. slice from the middle.

7. How to Take a Soil Sample
7. Air dry the soil. Do not use heat! Mix your composite samples in a clean bucket. Place 1 pint of this into a sample box. Fill in the information on the box.

8. How to Take a Soil Sample
8. Send soil samples to testing agency in soil sample bag. (Plain paper bags are acceptable. Ziploc bags will also work.)