
Say you’re building a house and the contractor started building the roof before he poured the foundation. Would you keep that contractor or look for a new one? Just like it doesn’t make sense to put a roof on a house before you lay the foundation, it doesn’t make sense to plant a garden or lawn without first building healthy soil.
But where to begin? First, you’ll need to have soil samples from your growing space tested. If you live in North Carolina you can have your soil analyzed for FREE! Simply head to your local library, Renfrow Hardware in Matthews, or your Ag extension office and pick up a few soil sample test kits. The kit will include two sample boxes along with instructions for taking a good sample and where to send your samples.
From April through Thanksgiving each year, you can have an unlimited number of samples tested for just the cost of shipping. There is a nominal fee of $4 a sample from December - March, still a fantastic deal for the information you get. For each sample you’ll receive a detailed results sheet that includes the pH, rates of lime to apply, fertilizer recommendations that will help balance your soil, the amount of organic matter in your soil, and more! If you have questions about how to read your results, you can call your local Ag extension office or Master Gardener.
For more on this program and how to read your results, check out this article from NC State Extension.
Happy growing friends!
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