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Test Your Carmel Soil This Fall, Before Spring Planting

By Carmel Landscape Design · November 1, 2026

Gardener with gloves using a red trowel to plant a seedling in soil outdoors. — Photo: Helena Lopes / Pexels, Pexels License

Planning new beds, a new lawn or new plantings in Carmel next spring? A soil test now tells you what your soil actually needs before you buy fertilizer, lime or amendments. K-State Research and Extension says fall is a preferred time to test if you want to avoid the spring rush or suspect a soil pH problem, because it leaves ample time to apply lime to raise the pH. [K-State]

What a soil test tells you

It measures soil pH and the available nutrients. It can't identify insects, diseases or chemical pollutants, and it can't answer questions about drainage or compaction. [K-State]
Most turfgrasses, flowers, shrubs, vegetables and fruits grow best in slightly acid soil, a pH of about 6.1 to 6.9. [K-State]
A test every two to three years is usually enough. [K-State]

How to take a good sample

Use a clean shovel or soil probe and dig to 3 inches for lawns, 6 inches for vegetables, flowers and small fruits, or 10 to 12 inches for trees and shrubs. [K-State]
Take at least 4 to 5 samples from the area, mix them in a clean container and remove plant material and debris. You need about two cups in a resealable plastic bag. [K-State]
Make a separate sample for each area you want tested, and skip spots that are different, like backfilled ditches or areas where brush piles were burned. [K-State]
Avoid overly wet soil and soil that was just fertilized. The sample should be dry, but don't use heat to dry it. [K-State]

Where to send it

Your county Extension office can tell you how to submit a sample and what it costs. Turnaround times vary by office and season; K-State offices list anywhere from about two weeks to 5 to 6 weeks, and longer in busy seasons. [K-State] [K-State] If your soil needs sulfur to lower the pH, K-State says to apply it in spring. [K-State]

Sources

Planning new beds or a new lawn for spring?

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