Extension Search / Soil Labs / Connecticut
University of Connecticut Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory
University of Connecticut runs Connecticut’s public soil testing program. Send a soil sample and you get back your pH and nutrient levels, and what each number means for your plants.
Lab Details
University of Connecticut
Storrs, Connecticut
- Basic test
- Organic matter
- Micronutrients
- Texture
- Lead and metals
Open the lab's site for fees, forms and the mailing address.
Test Methods
This lab uses:
- Phosphorus: Modified Morgan. A weak extract used in the Northeast. It gives much lower numbers than Mehlich-3.
- Potassium: Modified Morgan. A weak extract used in the Northeast. It gives much lower numbers than Mehlich-3.
- Micronutrients: Modified Morgan. A weak extract used in the Northeast. It gives much lower numbers than Mehlich-3.
Labs pull nutrients out of soil with different chemicals, and each one gives a different number for the same soil. 20 ppm on one test and 20 ppm on another don’t mean the same thing, so check which test your report used before you compare it to a chart.
Tests
- Basic test. pH, phosphorus and potassium, usually with calcium and magnesium. Enough for most gardens and lawns.
- Organic matter. How much organic matter the soil holds, which sets how much nitrogen it releases.
- Micronutrients. Zinc, iron, manganese and copper, sometimes boron.
- Texture. Sand, silt and clay, which sets how fast water drains and how much the soil holds.
- Lead and metals. Lead and other metals, worth testing in old yards and near old buildings.
- The standard test covers pH, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, micronutrients and boron, with a lead screen and an estimate of texture and organic matter.
- Lime and fertilizer advice is given for lawns, vegetables, flowers, shrubs, fruit and field crops.
- Container and greenhouse mixes get a separate test.
- The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven also tests soil for state residents.
Sources: [1] [2] [3]
Out of State
The lab’s site doesn’t say whether it takes samples from other states. Ask before sending one.
Sample Tips
- Take 10 or more small cores across the area and mix them in a clean bucket. One spot tells you about one spot.
- Sample gardens and lawns about 6 inches deep, below any mulch or thatch.
- Keep beds that are grown differently, like a lawn and a vegetable garden, as separate samples.
- Wait a couple of months after fertilizing or liming, so the test reads the soil and not the last bag.
- Use the same lab and the same tests each time, so the numbers compare from year to year.
Your county Connecticut Extension office can help you take the sample and read the report.
Results
Other States
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