Need to test your soil? Here’s how.

All you need to test your soil is a soil test kit available at any University of Maine Cooperative Extension office. Here in Cumberland County, you can pick up a free kit at the Extension office at 75 Clearwater Drive, Falmouth. If you are unable come and pick one up, one can be mailed to you; order here.

The kit includes a box for your soil sample, a form that must be filled out to tell the lab in Orono what you want to grow on the tested soil, and our bulletin #2286, Testing Your Soil. Go out to your lawn or garden armed with a shovel, trowel or a soil sampling tool, and a clean bucket. You will want to take a minimum of 10 cores or soil slices per area sampled. Take them down to a depth of about 8 inches. Mix the soil well in the bucket, and fill the box with soil. You do not have to dry the sample.

The sample needs to be sent to the University of Maine Soil Testing Service in Orono. The cost for a Standard Soil Test is $20 per sample. See the complete list of services and prices on the Maine Soil Testing Service’s website.

For more information, visit the UMaine soil testing lab website or watch our informational video.