Spring garden centers have a way of convincing us that our soil desperately needs another bag of something. Fertilizer, lime, compost, sulfur and specialty amendments can quickly turn a simple vegetable bed into an expensive project, especially when you’re guessing about what the soil actually needs. Fall soil testing replaces much of that guesswork with actual information about pH, nutrients and, depending on the test, organic matter and soil texture. The University of Minnesota recommends laboratory soil testing as the best way to understand your soil’s condition and make informed decisions about fertilizer, compost and manure. Spend a little time collecting soil this fall, and your spring shopping list could become considerably shorter.
