Testing the soil

I am a big believer in 'healthy soil equals healthy plants.'I first heard this back in 1993 when I enrolled in the Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Garden Course and it couldn't be more true. When you start the growing season with healthy, well balanced soil that is full of the proper amounts of nutrients and organic matter, there is less need to fertilize during the season and the healthy plants that result are strong and better equiped to fight off predatory bugs and diseases. That is not to say that my past gardens have been immune to bugs and disease, its just that when the plants are healthy and strong they are better able to recover from whatever it is that might be trying to attack them.
It is a good idea for anyone starting a new garden to have the soil tested to get a baseline account of their soils composition and nutrient makeup. At the very least determine the soil PH which needs to be in a range where nutrients can be available to the plants. This will not happen if the soil is too alkaline or acidic. Even if your soil looks nice and dark and full of organic matter, if the PH is way off, your plants will not thrive. I have been sending my soil samples all the way to California for the past ten years to a place called Timberleaf Soil Testing. Their web address is www.timberleafsoiltesting.com
I like Timberleaf because their comprehensive report is easy to read. Bob and Valerie Russo who own the business, are responsive and available by phone to answer questions. They provide time frames and recommendations on how to achieve maximum soil fertility, which generally takes anywhere from three to five years.
Happily, the soil test for my garden was generally positive. It showed that the soil is already in fairly good balance. The PH is at 7.2, a bit high, but not enough for me to be overly concerned. The potassium was also high which means that I need to be mindful of limiting the amount of manure that I add to my compost this year. Both sulfur and boron levels were low which can be easily remedied by adding these two minerals directly to the garden. Making these simple changes puts me on the road to soil balance and fertility and will create a good environment for my plants to grow healthy and strong.
Cost:
Soil test $63.00