MSU Extension Lapeer County

The first step to growing and maintaining a healthy lawn and garden is getting to know your soil!

MSU Extension provides easy-to-use soil tests for home lawn and garden or commercial crops, with personalized soil amendment recommendations provided by experts who are familiar with Michigan’s unique soil composition. It is important to choose the correct soil test for your application.

Both types of soil tests can be purchased at the Lapeer County MSU Extension office.

MSU Extension does NOT provide testing services for

• Contaminants like lead, arsenic, PFAS, pesticides or bacteria
• Soilless potting mixes, including most bagged potting “soils” sold in garden centers
• Compost

How it works

Commercial soil sample bags and home lawn and garden mailers are available for purchase from MSU Extension. A&L Great Lakes Laboratories, Inc. (A&L), analyzes the soil samples and sends the data to MSU Extension. MSU Extension staff then generate MSU recommendations and send those directly to the client. All MSU recommendations utilize the latest research and follow state laws and guidelines, including Generally Accepted Agricultural Management Practices (GAAMPs), enabling farms to stay within the provisions of the Michigan Right to Farm Act.

Please do not send samples to the MSU Soil and Plant Nutrient Laboratory (SPNL), which closed on Dec. 31, 2022. Samples sent to SPNL can not be processed.

Which test do I need?

We offer both home lawn and garden soil tests and commercial soil tests. It is important to choose the correct soil test for your application.

The Home Lawn and Garden Soil Test Mailer is appropriate for all types of home soil samples, including lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables and fruits (but NOT wildlife food plots). The mailer includes instructions on how to collect a soil sample, a simple form to fill out identifying what you plan to grow (e.g., lawn, vegetables, flowers, shrubs), a bag for the soil sample, and a postage-paid envelope for your convenience. You will receive a report with easy-to-interpret instructions for adding recommended fertilizers or other amendments. Note: You must provide an email address as results will be sent directly to you via email. You can receive further assistance and help intepreting your test results through Ask Extension or by calling the MSU Lawn and Garden Hotline (1-888-678-3464), both of which may be accessed through our Gardening in Michigan website. The Hotline is available Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9 am – Noon. Additional Information can be found at: https://homesoiltest.msu.edu/

The mailer is available for purchase in our office or online through the MSU Extension Bookstore - https://spartanspiritshop.msu.edu/collections/msu-extension-bookstore. The cost for the Home Lawn and Garden Soil Test Mailer is $26.00.