Before applying fertilizer or any other soil amendment, it's a good idea to see what the soil already contains. That way you ...

These DIY tests uncover your soil's texture and drainage rate. Then you'll know which plants will grow best in your garden ...

One of the most common questions gardeners have is how to fertilize specific plants. Many plants have individual nutrient needs. But with all plants, it’s challenging to guess what you need without ...

Soil is a key ingredient in any backyard garden, so it’s important to make sure it’s the healthiest it can be. That’s why longtime gardeners – and soil science experts – recommend testing. Knowing the ...

Along with the development of new instrumentation, the test procedure itself was also standardized. By “walking” the potential probe toward the current probe and graphing the measurements, the ...

One of the challenges we face as gardeners (and there are many) is knowing which fertilizer to use and how much to apply. This process is complicated by the fact that fertilizers come in a variety of ...

Is soil testing important? How can I get my soil tested? The first question is do you need a soil test? There are several situations where a soil test may be appropriate: 1. Landscaping a new home ...

One of the biggest factors affecting the health of plants in your garden is the pH of the soil, which is a measure of its acidity or alkalinity. A pH of 7.0 is neutral while that above 7.0 is alkaline ...

A reader seeks advice on helping her tired garden grow. Dennis G. of Santa Rosa asks: I was told by my neighbor, that I should have my soil tested because, after years of growing vegetables and ...

ST PAUL, Minn. — If you suspect that your soil is to blame for your yard's poor performance, all you need is a bag of it and a couple of dollars to get a detailed analysis from the University of ...