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Soil test mailer kits are available from Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth County for a fee of $20 (cash or check only) if the kit is picked up at our office, or $21 (check made out to NJ Cooperative Research & Extension) if you’d like them to send it to you. We are located at 4000 Kozloski Rd., Box, 5033, Freehold, NJ, 07728.
Each mailer kit contains a soil sample bag, a mailing envelope, a data sheet to fill out, and instructions for taking the sample. Once you fill out the data sheet and fill the sample bag with soil, the soil mailer kit is sent by you to Rutgers Soil Testing Lab. The test report and recommendations will be mailed directly to you, usually within two to three weeks.
In a standard soil test, the plant nutrients boron, calcium, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc are quantified to determine their availability to the crop (lawn, vegetable, flower, etc.) listed. The suitability of soil acidity is measured by pH. Fertilizer and liming requirements recommended by the Soil Testing Laboratory are based on soil nutrient levels, pH, and in some cases, crop management and site conditions.
Additional tests, available at an additional fee upon request, assess other soil properties that are important for crop management. These tests include soluble salt levels, organic matter content, soil texture, and lead screening. For more information check the The Rutgers Soil Testing Lab website.