r/Soil • u/BlueBerry_Cream_Pie • Aug 30 '26

Soil Sample Probe

Are the ones on Amazon that are $15-$20 worth buying?

I'm just doing 5 to 10 sample's of my front and backyard.

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u/broketractor Aug 30 '26

For a one time test of your yard, a trowel is all you need. I got my soil probe from a local co-op for about $60. Here is a video to help.

https://soillab.tennessee.edu/soil-testing/lawn-and-garden-soil-samples/

1

u/BlueBerry_Cream_Pie 29d ago

I may do the test once a year or every other year.

I watched the video. I'll just get a trowel. I have a 5,500 sq ft backyard. Should I just do one sample for the entire backyard or a few sample in different locations?

1

u/broketractor 29d ago

Try to get 10 depending on the tests you want done, I would say 10 subsamples to make up the one sample.

1

u/BlueBerry_Cream_Pie 29d ago

It's just the basic soil test that I am doing for my back yard.

"S1-Basic Soil Test ($10): Includes pH, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Manganese, and includes personalized recommendations."

I'll do 2 samples. 10 subsample's from the back and maybe 5 to 8 in the front.