Q: I keep hearing that I should have my soil tested, why would this do any good and what will it tell me?
A: There are many reasons to have soil tested, but the basic answer is that a test will tell you what nutrients are most prevalent or what is lacking in your soil that can affect the growth of what ever type of plant you are growing, be it turf, tree, flower or vegetable. All plants respond differently depending on the level of nutrients in the soil. If something is lacking you can improve the plant by adding the appropriate nutrient or if you have too much of something that can also be bad for plants. A good soil test gives a guide to help decide the type of fertilizer to use and how much.