Soil Testing
In order to find out what your soil needs to make your plants flourish without adding indiscriminate amounts of different fertilizers, a basic soil test is recommended. A test of this sort will usually indicate the phosphorous, potassium, pH, and organic material in your sample. The results will show you what you need to add to your soil to grow what you want to grow in that area. This should be done early in the spring before you are ready to plant. There are private labs that sell this service to gardeners, but check with your local farm co-op store or with your extension agent about local availability. Upon checking with a local farm co-op store about this service, it seems that the cost is about $8 per test and the results should be back in 10-14 days. Now, how and what do you need to do to get this soil test?
Wait until the soil is workable to get the sample. It should not be wet enough to make a ball in your hand.
You should wear gloves while getting the sample because the salt on your hands might affect the results of the test.
After removing the thatch or mulch from the sampling area, use a small spade or sturdy trowel to get a soil sample about 6" in depth. Put it in clean box.
Take 7-10 more samples, depending on the size of the garden, and add them to the box.
Let the soil dry naturally--at room temperature.
Break up the lumps, remove stones, and stir to mix it up well.
The actual test requires only a small amount of soil, so place about 2 cupfuls in a clean box for mailing to the lab. The co-op I checked with provides small heavy plastic bags which are to be filled to the "fill line" and returned to the co-op. In approximately ten days you will know if your soil is acid or alkaline and what kind of nutrients you need to add.
It sounds easy, doesn't it? You can reap the rewards if you take the time to do this. Then let the fun begin!