SOIL TESTING
Would you like to have your soil tested? Look no further than your local University of Wisconsin-Extension Oneida County office!
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE TESTED?
Lawn and Gardens
Here is what you should do:
- Take a soil sample from your garden or lawn. Click here for instructions on how to take a soil sample.
– A soil sample is 2 cups of soil.
– The UW-Extension Oneida County Office has wax-lined bags that you can use to put your soil sample in or you can simply use a Ziploc bag.
2. Bring your soil sample into the Extension office of Oneida County at Nicolet College, Northwoods Center, Room 121. The Northwoods Center is the first building on the right as you enter campus. We are open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please call to make an appontment first before dropping off soil, to be sure office is open due to staffing shortages. Park in the upper lot and enter the double doors. Take the stairway on right to lower level and take a right down the hall. Room 121 is last office on the left.
3. UW-Extension staff will give you a form to fill out.
4. The cost for Lawn & Garden and Wildlife Food Plots is $15 per sample. Make checks payable to “UW Soil Testing Lab” and we will send it with your sample. You will receive results of your test 10-14 days after it is received either by mail or email, whichever you prefer. We will mail out your soil sample for you. Current postage during holidays is $10.40. Make check payable to UW Extension Oneida Co.
Forms & Instructions: Submission Form | Sampling Lawns and Gardens (A2166)
Applications: Home lawns, home vegetable and flower gardens, non-commercial fruit crops, landscape trees and shrubs.
Standard Analysis: $15 / sample. Includes soil pH, percent organic matter, phosphorus and potassium analysis in addition to a lime recommendation, fertilizer recommendation and other environmental tips.
Optional: | Soluble Salts: $7 | Physical Analysis (percent sand, silt, and clay): $23 | Calcium and Magnesium $3|
Lead screening is also available for $15 per sample.
Additional References & Resources
- Sampling Garden Soils and Turf Areas for Testing (A2166)
- Understanding Your Soil Test Results
- Lowering Soil pH
- Lawn/Turf Resources
- Vegetable Garden Resources
- Mixed Bed Resources
- Flower Garden Resources
- Tree Resources
- Shrub Resources
- Fruit Resources
- Annual Cover Resources
- Permanent Cover Resources
- Management of Wisconsin Soils (A3588)
Wildlife Food Plot
Here is what you should do:
- Take a soil sample from your wildlife food plot. Click here for instructions on how to take a soil sample.
– A soil sample is 2 cups of soil.
– The UW-Extension Oneida County Office has wax-lined bags that you can use to put your soil sample in or you can simply use a Ziploc bag.
2. Bring your soil sample into the Extension office of Oneida County at Nicolet College, Northwoods Center, Room 121. The Northwoods Center is the first building on the right as you enter campus. We are open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please call to make an appontment first before dropping off soil, to be sure office is open during COVID. Park in the upper lot and enter the double doors. Take the stairway on right to lower level and take a right down the hall. Room 121 is last office on the left.
3. UW-Extension staff will give you a form to fill out.
4. The cost is $15 per sample plus $8.45 for shipping. Check only. Make checks payable to “UW Soil Testing Lab.” You will receive results of your test 10-14 days after it is received either by mail or email, whichever you prefer.
Standard Analysis: $15 / sample. Includes soil pH, percent organic matter, phosphorus and potassium analysis in addition to a lime recommendation, fertilizer recommendation and other environmental tips.
Optional: | Soluble Salts: $7 | Physical Analysis (percent sand, silt, and clay): $23 | Calcium and Magnesium $3|
Lead screening is also available for $15 per sample.
Field
Here is what you should do:
- Take a soil sample from your field. Click here for instructions on how to take a soil sample.
– A soil sample is 2 cups of soil. Dig to a dept of 6 to 7 inches down in the soil.
– The UW-Extension Oneida County Office has wax-lined bags that you can use to put your soil sample in or you can simply use a Ziploc bag.
2. Bring your soil sample into the Extension office of Oneida County at Nicolet College, Northwoods Center, Room 121. The Northwoods Center is the first building on the right as you enter campus. We are open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please call to make an appontment first before dropping off soil, to be sure office is open. Park in the upper lot and enter the double doors. Take the stairway on right to lower level and take a right down the hall. Room 121 is last office on the left.
3. UW-Extension staff will give you a form to fill out.
4. The cost is $8.00 per sample plus for shipping. Check only. Make checks payable to “UW Soild Testing Lab.” You will receive results of your test 10-14 days after it is received either by mail or email, whichever you prefer.
Applications: Field crops, commercial vegetable and fruit crops.
Routine Analysis: $8 per sample. Includes pH, lime requirement, organic matter by loss on ignition, phosphorus and potassium plus recommendations. Wildlife Food Plot samples are $15 per sample.
Optional:Calcium + Magnesium: $3 | Boron: $3 | Zinc: $3 | Manganese: $3 | Sulfur-Sulfate: $3
contact us for more information.
Forms & Instructions:
Submission Form | Form Instructions / Crop Codes
How to Determine Soil Map Units
A2809 Soil map units and yield potentials as of April, 2021.
Important message on soil map units and nutrient management planning (December 15th, 2015) [Read letter]
Excel sheet with soil map units and mukey for nutrient managers file here
Volume discounts are also available.
Why test?
Over 200,000 soil samples are analyzed in Wisconsin each year, and the results of these tests guide Wisconsin farmers in the use of lime and nutrient applications. The appropriate use of lime, fertilizer, manure and other nutrient sources significantly increases Wisconsin farm income. Just as importantly, following nutrient application guidelines prevents over-application of nutrients. This, in turn, enhances profitability and reduces the potential for environmental degradation.
Analysis and Reporting
Your soil test report will provide an accurate index of the level of available nutrients in the soil; indicate the degree of nutrient deficiency that may exist for the various crops grown; suggest how the deficiency might be corrected; and provide the results in a meaningful way so that you can make the appropriate decision as to what nutrients to add. View a sample report.
Laboratory analysis will include soil pH, percent organic matter, phosphorus and potassium. Additional secondary and micro-nutrient analysis of calcium, magnesium, boron, manganese, zinc and sulfur are also available for an additional charge.
Your report is also available in PDF format accompanied by a spreadsheet containing the laboratory results and a SNAP-Plus compatible input file.
Additional References & Resources
- Nutrient Application Rate Guidelines for Field, Vegetable, and Fruit Crops in Wisconsin (A2809)
- Sampling Soils for Testing (A2100)
- Management of Wisconsin Soils (A3588)
- Nitrogen Application Rate Guidelines for Corn (MRTN)
- Supplemental Nitrogen to Corn Price Ratio Calculator
- Wisconsin Soil Test Summary Data
- SnapPlus
For disease issues contact the Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab or the Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab.
Questions?
