If a garden area or flower bed has been consistently producing poor plants, you may want to consider having the soil tested. Soil testing may also be desirable if you have a new home and want to find out more about the soil before you landscape or garden. The Soil Test Laboratory at the University of Saskatchewan will provide a soil analysis for the home gardener. Soil samples representing depths greater than 6 inches provide information of particular importance in assessing problems related to salinity and nitrogen deficiency. The Labortory's test will provide you with the following information.
Texture is determined by the relative proportion of sand, silt and clay found in a given soil.
Fine-textured soils hold nutrients and moisture well, but often have poor drainage and are subject to heaving. Most prairie soils are neutral to slightly alkaline. At much higher or lower pH levels, certain nutrients become less available to growing plants, leading to deficiencies. Other nutrients or chemicals in the soil may become so soluble that they can be toxic to plants. Salinity Salinity is determined by the amount of salts in the soil.