AgriLawn's Seasonal Weed Control and Fertilization Blog
Why test the soil?
Testing the soil not only provides information regarding the macro nutrients present in the soil it also more importantly reveals the soil pH. Soil pH is the measure of the acidity vs. alkalinity of soil using a scale of 1.0 to 14.0 with 7.0 being neutral. Here in Oklahoma turfgrass and many landscape plants perform best when the soil pH is slightly acidic (between 6.5 and 7.0). When the soil pH is too high or too low (further away from neutral) it becomes increasingly more difficult for turfgrass and landscape plants to utilize the nutrients available from regular fertilization. In this case, we use soil amendments such as sulfur or limestone to strategically raise or lower the pH. Fall or winter is a great time to go ahead and get your soil tested and apply any soil amendments if necessary.