The Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities project is a research and education partnership with New York’s urban gardeners and others interested in healthy gardening. We help people make more informed decisions to address concerns about lead and other contaminants in gardens, farms, and other community spaces. Find their resources at this website.
Featured: Urban Eden demonstration videos
Developed for the Fall 2020 semester to help with distance learning efforts in the course Creating the Urban Eden: Woody Plant Selection, Design, and Landscape Establishment, these videos will aid your understanding of soil assessment methods for woody plant establishment:
- Penetrometer demonstration
- Bulk density sampling demonstration
- Percolation test demonstration
- Soil pH test demonstration
- Soil texture by feel demonstration
- Understanding soil porosity and water-holding capacity using sponges
For Nutrient Testing with Cornell Recommendations
Cornell University’s research-based nutrient guidelines for both soil and plant tissue (tree- and small-fruit leaf and grape petiole) are available through Agro-One Services. They provide more about their services, sampling instructions, submission forms (gardeners use Form H), and pick-up points throughout the Northeast.
The following nutrient management Fact Sheets will accompany your soil test analysis report when you select a specific crop code.
EXAMPLE of the soil test report format (pdf)
Lawns (LAW)
Getting the most out of your lawn soil test report (pdf)
Getting the most out of soil test report for lawn establishment (pdf)
Mixed Vegetable Gardens (MVG)
Getting the Most out of Your Vegetable Garden Soil Test Report (pdf)
Blueberry (BLB)
Getting the Most out of Your Blueberry Soil Test Report (pdf)
Raspberry (RSP)
Getting the Most out of Your Raspberry Soil Test Report (pdf)
Strawberry (STR)
Getting the Most out of Your Strawberry Soil Test Report (pdf)
Grapes (GRA)
Getting the Most out of Your Grape Soil Test Report (pdf)
Fruit trees (TFR)
Getting the Most out of Your Fruit Tree Soil Test Report (pdf)
Annuals and Perennials (FLA, PER)
Getting the Most out of Your Annual and Perennial Garden Soil Test Report (pdf)
Trees and Shrubs (SAG)
Getting the Most out of Your Landscape Tree and Shrub Soil Test Report (pdf)
Excessive Soluble Salts
Soluble Salts in Soils and Plant Health (pdf)
Soil Testing for (some) Contaminants.
If you need to see if your soil has heavy metals or need a custom analysis, this can be done through the Cornell Nutrient Analysis Laboratory (CNAL).
