Extension Search / Soil Labs / Tennessee
University of Tennessee Soil, Plant and Pest Center
University of Tennessee runs Tennessee’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 Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Open the lab's site for fees, forms and the mailing address.
Test Methods
This lab uses:
- Phosphorus: Mehlich-1. An older acid extract, still used in parts of the Southeast on sandy, acid soils.
- Potassium: Mehlich-1. An older acid extract, still used in parts of the Southeast on sandy, acid soils.
- Micronutrients: Mehlich-1. An older acid extract, still used in parts of the Southeast on sandy, acid soils.
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.
- Micronutrients. Zinc, iron, manganese and copper, sometimes boron.
- The Plus test covers pH, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, iron and boron, with recommendations.
- Pick up sample boxes at your county Extension office. Don't put the check inside the box.
- A Mehlich-3 report from another lab doesn't line up with UT's Mehlich-1 ratings.
Sources: [1] [2]
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 Tennessee Extension office can help you take the sample and read the report.
Results
Other States
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