Are you struggling to produce the best crops in your fields, the best vegetables in your garden or even the nicest yard in the neighborhood? Or even just curious what the nutrients were in your soil?

Most gardeners know that success depends on many factors: You can’t grow a sun-loving plant in a shady area, for example. And a shrub that loves wet places won’t do well in dry soil. But the most ...

Before applying fertilizer or any other soil amendment, it's a good idea to see what the soil already contains. That way you ...

Soil testing is not nearly as exciting as planting a new perennial or landscape tree, but much more interesting than pulling weeds. It can be done any time the soil is workable, but the best time is ...

One of the most common questions gardeners have is how to fertilize specific plants. Many plants have individual nutrient needs, but for all plants it’s challenging to guess at what you need without ...

Growing a beautiful landscape starts with the soil under your feet. The best place to start building a healthy soil foundation is with a soil test. The results will tell you what type and how much, if ...

Regularly testing your soil is more important than you might think for helping your plants thrive. Soil tests measure soil pH and nutrient content. The soil of established gardens should be tested ...

Soil is a key ingredient in any backyard garden, so it’s important to make sure it’s the healthiest it can be. That’s why longtime gardeners – and soil science experts – recommend testing. Knowing the ...

ST PAUL, Minn. — If you suspect that your soil is to blame for your yard's poor performance, all you need is a bag of it and a couple of dollars to get a detailed analysis from the University of ...

Anxious about the rueful state of his peas, radishes and onions, Rod Marquardt arrived at the University of Minnesota’s soil testing laboratory with two lunch bag-sized containers of dirt. “We’re just ...