Soil Testing Program
Clark Conservation District is offering free technical assistance for soil sampling to residents of Clark County with cropland or pastureland. Clark CD will send out a staff member to perform a test and send your samples to an accredited laboratory
Home gardens, raised beds, and lawns are currently not eligible to receive soil testing assistance. Eligible requests can receive up to 3 samples per address. Pastureland that has received testing from Clark CD will be eligible for testing again every 2 years. Cropland that has received testing from Clark CD will be eligible for testing again every 3 years.
If you have questions about the program or eligibility requirements, please reach out to our Natural Resources Coordinator, Eddie Alto:
eddie@clarkcd.org
Why Should You Test Your Soil?
Testing your soil is a valuable tool to accurately determine the makeup of your soil and ensure your plants are receiving the nutrients and conditions they require. Soil tests help you make informed management decisions regarding the rate, timing, placement, and source of soil amendments if needed to maximize the productivity of your plants and economic efficiency of your amendments. Additionally, proper soil amendment practices prevent excess fertilizers and manure from polluting Clark County’s waterways and benefit soil health overall. It is recommended to sample every 2-3 years. For most crops and pastures, the ideal times to sample soil are early fall before heavy rainfall, or before planting in spring.
What Can Soil Testing Do for You?
If you are interested in testing your soil independently, Clark CD has soil probes available for rent. Check out OSU Extension’s Guide to Collecting Soil Samples for Farms and Gardens for more instructions on independent soil sampling. Accredited labs can be located through North American Proficiency Testing. Follow the sample submission protocol that each lab provides.
Soil tests will provide the following data:
pH
Organic Matter
Potassium (K)
Phosphorus (P)
Nitrate Nitrogen (N)
Calcium (Ca)
Magnesium (Mg)
Soluble Salts
Organic or conventional fertilizer recommendations
Clark CD will not provide testing outside of what is listed. This includes heavy metals and pollutants.
To request assistance with soil sampling and testing, please fill out our Soil Testing Interest Form.
A Clark Conservation District staff member will follow up with you to confirm eligibility and schedule a site visit for soil sampling if applicable. Site visits will be available from 9 am to 3 pm Monday-Thursday. Soil samples will be sent to the lab every Thursday. Sample result turnaround time is typically 1 week.
If you have any questions regarding the soil testing program or about interpretation of soil test results, please reach out to Eddie Alto at eddie@clarkcd.org.