Soil Testing Services

  • rake in the garden

Trusted Analytics & Recommendations to Help You Grow

UNH Cooperative Extension provides soil analysis and fertilizer recommendations to farmers, homeowners and researchers. Recommendations are based on the latest research and are specific to the crop being grown. 

We are accepting samples both in-person and by mail!
 

*Please Note: Soil samples can be dropped off in the blue bins outside Barton 206, Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm. Blank submission forms are available here. Soil samples can also be dropped off at our drop-box outside in the Sage Way parking lot, just to the right of Barton Hall, which is open 24/7. Due to weather, blank submission forms are not available at this outside location. Be sure to bring your own form from our website.

For in-person assistance, our soil staff is available on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8am-4pm. For help outside these hours, call 603-862-0509 or email soil.testing@unh.edu, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

If you are mailing in sample(s), please send all samples to the address below. 

Mail all samples to: 

     UNH Extension Soil Testing Service

     Barton Hall B206

     34 Sage Way

     Durham, NH 03824

Turnaround time for soil testing is approximately three weeks from the time we receive the sample(s). Thank you for your patience. For questions, please send an email to soil.testing@unh.edu or leave a message  at (603)-862-0509.

soil drop box

**Our new drop-box is located at the front of the Sage Way visitor parking lot just to the right of Barton Hall. This drop-box is for soil samples only. Due to weather, blank submission forms are not available here. All insect and plant disease samples must be sent by mail or dropped off in person during regular business hours.

Frequently asked questions
Location, Hours and contact information
Soil Testing Form

Resources

Gardening spade in soil
Best Practices for Submitting Your Soil Sample
Cooperative Extension’s soil testing service dates back to 2005. The number of samples we process averages more than 3,000 a year. The following list ... Learn More
soil
Soil Testing Forms
All forms needed for soil testing. 
Learn More
garden trowel in soil
Pricing List for all Soil Test Options
In addition to the standard analyses, soil tests may be customized to meet your individual testing needs.  At the link below, you will find a complete... Learn More
Wood ashes from a home stove being applied to a snow covered garden.
Guide to Using Wood Ash as an Agricultural Soil Amendment
Introduction

Wood ash has a long history of use in New England. Our Yankee ancestors used wood ash to make lye for soaps, to clean glas... Learn More
Small plant in the dirt
Lead Screening for NH Soils: Minimizing Health Risks [fact sheet]
Lead is a naturally occurring element that is present in all soils at very low concentrations of less than 50 parts per million (ppm). Elevated levels... Learn More
Manure pile
Guidelines for Using Animal Manures and Manure-Based Composts in the Garden [fact sheet]
Animal manures and animal manure-based composts are rich in plant nutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) and provide organi... Learn More

View More Resources

Articles

Renuka Mathur portrait
Welcome Renuka Mathur
Renuka Mathur, Ph.D., joins UNH Extension as the State Extension Specialist for Soil Health
UNH Cooperative Extension is pleased to welcome Renuka Mathur, Ph.D., to the Food and Agriculture Team, as a Soil Health State Specialist. Renuka has ... Learn More
hand holding soil
Should I add soil amendments recommended by my soil test this fall or in the spring?
A Question of the Week
Even if choosing slow-release sources of Nitrogen and Potassium, fertilizer should be applied in the spring. In most New Hampshire soils, amendments c... Learn More
UNH Soil Testing Update
We have recently updated the prices of the soil & tissue tests offered by UNH Extension. We continually work to keep the program as affordable as ... Learn More
View All Posts

Events