I would like to know if there is some place where I can have my vegetable garden soil tested. For the last two years my vegetable plants were abysmal except for tomatoes and lettuce.
The Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline, sponsored by Seattle Public Utilities, provides the following recommendations on how to take a soil sample:
1) Take about 10 vertical slices of soil from the top 6-8 inches of your garden bed. If there is an area that you suspect to have problems, test this soil separately.
2) Place soil slices in a plastic bag and mix thoroughly. You are getting the average of the soil in your garden bed.
3) Take 1 cup from this mixture and dry it at room temperature. Do not dry in oven, on radiator or in microwave!
4) Put dry soil sample into a Ziploc bag and seal.
5) Label the outside of the Ziploc bag.
6) Mail to one of the soil testing labs below with completed order form and payment.
A WSU has a publication on soil testing for vegetable crops but it is mainly for agricultural growers.
Another option is the University of Massachusetts, Amherst soil testing laboratory.
This page has information and forms to send in with your samples.
For testing of toxics see:
King County’s Resident Self-Testing Page.
A & L Western Laboratories, Inc. in Portland, OR can provide soil and plant analysis.