Soil Test
Nothing tells us more about the health of our soils than a survey of its microbiology -- what organisms are crawling around in there, and how many?
Our soil assessment generates population estimates of the major trophic groups of soil organisms:
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Bacteria
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Fungi
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Protozoa
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Nematodes
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Microarthropods
We also count the various organism types within these groups. This allows an assessment of:
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Organism diversity
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Beneficial/aerobic vs. non-beneficial/anaerobic organisms
For credit card payment, use the menu below, or just call us at (530) 648-0694.
To downloand and print our order form, click here
Pulling a Sample
The first thing you need is a coring tool – a large-size apple corer works well. Always collect samples when soil is moist, preferably when moisture has been present for several days. Clear any surface material from a small patch (a square-inch will do), and insert the corer. Twist and pull up, and you should have a 'core' of two to three inches. Shake it gently into a resealable plastic bag.
Choose a name for the sample (say, “orchard NW corner 1”), and write it:
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on the bag with a permanent marker
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on the sample submission form (link above)
Selecting Sample Locations
To examine biology in the root zone of a particular plant, sample from midway between its stem/trunk and dripline. Pull three cores from around the plant (or grouping of plants), and combine for a single sample.
To survey a broader area (pasture, crop field, garden, etc.) separate the area into zones – based on geography, prevailing conditions, variance in dominant plant type, plant health, etc. – and sample each area.
Shipping Your Samples
Arrange samples gently in a sturdy cardboard box. If there is extra space, add packaging material to prevent jostling en route. Add a completed submission form with payment (or pay with credit card below), and ship overnight to:
Foothill Biological
Soil Health Services
111 Bank St. #188
Grass Valley, CA 95945
To help ensure prompt processing, alert us with an e-mail before shipping.
Any questions, just drop us a line or give us a call.