Be sure to list the existing plants and/or the
plants you are planning to grow. You must
include the crop code(s) in order to receive
lime and fertilizer recommendations. Codes are
listed on the back of the information sheet.
Code 024 applies to all vegetable garden crops
and 026 to all lawn grasses except
centipedegrass, which is coded as 022.
■ Package the sample appropriately. Put
the soil mixture in the sample box. Do not tape
the box or put soil in a plastic bag. If you are
sending several sample boxes through the mail,
pack them carefully in a sturdy container. Do
not send samples in a manila envelope. Mail
samples to the Agronomic Division laboratory
at the address on the back of this publication.
Receiving the soil test report
Soil samples are usually analyzed within one
week of the time they are received. However,
from late fall through early spring, processing
may take several weeks due to the heavy
sample influx from farmers at this time.
When testing is complete, a report is mailed
to the client and a copy is posted on the
Internet at
http://agronomy.agr.state.nc.us/
A cover sheet and a crop-specific note are sent
with the report. The cover sheet explains the
technical tenns and index values. The note
provides extra details on fertilizer application
for the kind of plants the client wants to grow.
Information about soil tests and how to
interpret them is also available on the internet at
http://www.ncagr.com/agronomi/uyrst/
Consult an agricultural advisor for more help
on sampling, interpreting soil test results, and
understanding how to implement them.
North Carolina
Department of Agriculture
and Consumer Services
Agronomic Division
Soil Testing Section
Physical Address: 4300 Reedy Creek Road
(FedEx, UPS) Raleigh, NC 27607-6465
Mailing Address: 1040 Mail Service Center
(U.S. Postal Service) Raleigh, NC 27699-1040
Phone: (919)733-2655
Web site: www.ncagr.com/agronomi/
Agronomic Sampling
Folder No. I
prepared by
M. Ray Tucker, J. Kent Messick
and Catherine E. Stokes
revised
January' 2001
10,000 copies of this public document were printed
at a cost of $353.44 or $0,035 per copy.
Soil Sampling
for Home Lawns & Gardens
The Agronomic Division can analyze soil for
its nutrient content and for properties that
affect plant growth. Soil testing
• fosters plant growth by providing optimal
lime and fertilizer recommendations,
• diagnoses common nutrient deficiencies
or toxicities, and
• promotes environmental quality.
When gardeners apply only as much fertilizer
as is necessary, nutrient runoff into surface or
ground water is minimized, money is saved,
and natural resources are
Taking a good sample
The benefits of a soil test depend on a good
sample. The sample should represent the area it
is taken from. Otherwise, the results may have
little or no value.
A soil sample must be taken at the right time
and in the right way. The tools used, the area
sampled, the depth and uniformity of the
sample, the information provided, and
packaging all influence quality of the sample.
■ Time it right. Take a soil sample a few
months before initiating any new landscaping—
whether it be laying sod, starting a vegetable
garden, putting in a Dower bed, or planting
perennials. If the soil test report recommends
lime, you will have enough time to apply it and
have it adjust the soil pH before you plant.
Sample established areas — lawns, trees,
shrubbery, and other perennials — once every
