Soil Testing

How to Collect a Soil Sample

Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving lawn, garden, or landscape. Testing your soil helps you understand what nutrients are available—and what might be missing—so you can make informed decisions about fertilization and care.

Steps for Collecting a Soil Sample:

  1. Depth Matters

    • For gardens, trees, or shrubs: sample soil 6–8 inches deep.

    • For lawns: take samples 4 inches deep.

Note: remove thatch/debris from the top of the soil before taking the soil sample.

  1. Take Multiple Samples

    • Collect at least 6 or more samples from different spots across your garden, lawn, or planting bed.

Note: Do not include soil from a turf area and a vegetable garden in the same soil sample. Areas that have been fertilized and treated differently should be sampled and tested separately.

    • Mix all the samples together in a clean bucket to get an average and representative sample of the area.

  2. Prepare the Sample for Submission

    • Take about 2 cups of the mixed soil and place it in a clean plastic container or sandwich bag.

    • Label the bag with a description of the area (e.g., “front lawn” or “vegetable garden”).

  3. Drop Off Your Sample

    • Bring your soil sample to one of our Extension offices:

      • Salina: 2218 K-State Road North, Salina, KS 67401 (K-State Salina Campus)

      • Minneapolis: 307 N Concord, Ottawa County Courthouse

    • Office hours are 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday.

  4. What to Expect

    • You’ll fill out a form, pay for the test, and receive your results by email or mail.

    • Questions? Call 785-309-5850 for assistance.

Average Cost of a soil sample is $20-25 and depends on the testing package chosen plus shipping cost to the lab.