Most soil tests don't test for nitrogen levels
Summary points:
- Skip the Soil Test at First. Most struggling lawns don’t lack specific nutrients but rather organic matter, so adding organic matter is a better first step than testing.
- Healthy Soil Needs Organic Matter: Soil should contain 5-10% organic matter, but most lawns fall short of this range, leading to poor turf health.
- Organic Matter Locks in Nitrogen: Nitrogen, the key nutrient for greening and thickening your lawn, doesn’t show up in soil tests but is retained and released steadily by organic matter.
- Simple Organic Matter Options: Compost, grass clippings, mulched leaves, and organic fertilizers enrich soil structure, promote beneficial microbes, and improve nitrogen availability.
- Soil Testing as a Last Resort: Only consider soil testing if your lawn is still struggling after 1-3 months of adding organic matter.
You may be wondering if it would be helpful to get a soil test for your lawn, to see what your soil needs to give you thicker, greener and healthier turf.
Chances are, you don't need a soil test.
While it's true that a thriving lawn begins with healthy soil, one of the simplest ways to improve soil health is by adding organic matter. Typically, if soil is lacking anything, it's organic matter, not a specific nutrient. Healthy soil should be between 5 and 10% organic matter. Most lawns have considerably less than that. So if your lawn is struggling, the first thing you should do is add organic matter.
Organic matter—such as compost, grass clippings, mulched leaves or organic fertilizer—acts as a soil conditioner, enriching its structure and promoting beneficial microbial activity. It also serves to lock in the most important nutrient your turf needs: nitrogen.
Nitrogen is the key nutrient that greens and thickens your lawn, but here’s the catch: nitrogen doesn’t appear in typical soil tests because it cycles quickly through the environment. So if you're hoping a soil test will tell you if you need to add nitrogen, you're out of luck.
Organic matter plays a crucial role here, though, acting as a reservoir for nitrogen. It helps retain and release nitrogen over time, ensuring your turf gets a steady supply for robust growth.
If you've added organic matter and your lawn is still struggling 1-3 months later, you may now need to get things tested. You soil's pH may be off, or you may still be below the 5% minimum for organic matter. Either way, a soil test shouldn't be the first thing you do when starting an organic lawn care program. Instead, start with adding organic matter (compost, organic fertilizer, leaf and grass mulch, etc).
Chances are, you don't need a soil test.
While it's true that a thriving lawn begins with healthy soil, one of the simplest ways to improve soil health is by adding organic matter. Typically, if soil is lacking anything, it's organic matter, not a specific nutrient. Healthy soil should be between 5 and 10% organic matter. Most lawns have considerably less than that. So if your lawn is struggling, the first thing you should do is add organic matter.
Organic matter—such as compost, grass clippings, mulched leaves or organic fertilizer—acts as a soil conditioner, enriching its structure and promoting beneficial microbial activity. It also serves to lock in the most important nutrient your turf needs: nitrogen.
Nitrogen is the key nutrient that greens and thickens your lawn, but here’s the catch: nitrogen doesn’t appear in typical soil tests because it cycles quickly through the environment. So if you're hoping a soil test will tell you if you need to add nitrogen, you're out of luck.
Organic matter plays a crucial role here, though, acting as a reservoir for nitrogen. It helps retain and release nitrogen over time, ensuring your turf gets a steady supply for robust growth.
If you've added organic matter and your lawn is still struggling 1-3 months later, you may now need to get things tested. You soil's pH may be off, or you may still be below the 5% minimum for organic matter. Either way, a soil test shouldn't be the first thing you do when starting an organic lawn care program. Instead, start with adding organic matter (compost, organic fertilizer, leaf and grass mulch, etc).