A soil testing service is available to every citizen of Kentucky through the University of Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service. The McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service specifically offers seven free soil samples to each county resident per year, with a small charge for every sample after that. Soil testing is the best way to know what plant nutrients are available, and what nutrients may be lacking. Once soil samples are collected at McCracken County Extension Office and the information is submitted, they are sent to Princeton, Kentucky’s soil lab for testing. Results and suggestions are then mailed to the resident.

This March, the Horticulture Assistant, along with the help of the Horticulture Agent, ANR Agent, and support staff, submitted a total of 70 soil samples just for McCracken County. Most of these samples being for home lawns and gardens. Although early spring is the busiest time for soil testing, samples continue to be processed throughout the year. The McCracken County Extension Office also provides resources on how to properly take soil samples. This service constantly brings in new faces, new questions, and new ideas, and is something that every county resident can and should take advantage of.