Soil Testing

Stop into our office to pick up a kit that includes information about how to collect and send your soil sample in to be tested. You would work directly with AgSource to get results. For help interpreting lawn & garden samples, contact Kaitlin Bricco, Horticulture Educator at Kaitlin.Bricco@outagamie.org, for field samples contact Kevin Jarek, Crops and Soils Educator at Kevin.Jarek@wisc.edu. 

Basic samples will be analyzed for pH, organic matter, available phosphorous (P) and available potassium (K); it will also provide a fertilizer recommendation. Additional micronutrient testing is available as well. 

Examples of tests offered:

  • Field Sample
  • Lawn and Garden
  • Wildlife Food Plot

Testing is also available through the UW Soils Lab.

Download the instructions for how to take a soil sample in the link below.

Instructions for sampling Garden Soils and Turf pdf


Instructions on how to take a soil sample:

Soil sampling instruction chart
  • Take at least 10 soil cores and mix them together thoroughly.
  • Soil cores should be taken to the same depth that the roots grow.  This means 5 to 7 inches for most gardens and turfgrass areas.  For golf course putting greens and tees, 4 inches is more appropriate.
  • Place 1 to 2 cups of the well-mixed soil in a clean plastic bag or a soil testing bag from your county Extension office.  Send your sample, along with the appropriate form to the desired lab.

Soil probes are available for a rental fee.  (The fee can be applied to the cost of having your soil sample processed.)  Payment can be made by credit card, cash or check.