Online Soil + Nutrient Sample Submission Form

Online Soil + Nutrient Sample Submission Form

Our soil and nutrient testing program provides a nutrient analysis from Midwest Labs and an interpretive report detailing the nutrient levels in your crop and recommendations on correcting nutrient deficiencies.

For soil sampling methods please see instructions here: https://www.thurstoncd.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Soil-Sampling-Procedures-1.pdf

Please plan for a 4+ weeks turnaround time for soil test reports.

Questions? Contact us at tcdadmin@thurstoncd.com or call (360)-754-3588.

Date?*

Name?*

Email Address?*

Address?*

City?*

Zipcode?*

Phone Number?*

Test Type?*

Select

Vegetables

The best time to test is prior to the start of the growing season, when fertilizers can be added. For spring-planted vegetables planted next year, we recommend testing anytime between this fall and spring of 2025.

Crop/Plant Type for Soil Report?*

This is the:

The crop or plant type that is currently (or will be) growing in the area you sampled. (Combining samples from multiple crops can lead to invalid results - please sample only in the area of this particular crop type)
The crop or plant type for which you would like your test interpreted for. If needed, we will recommend appropriate fertilizers or amendments for your soil specific to this crop or plant type's needs.

We have recently limited our crop or plant types due to capacity challenges. Only one crop or plant type can be chosen per soil sample. Many crop or plant types have different nutrient and soil pH requirements, and one-sized-fits-all guidance is often not possible.

Please note: we do not provide testing for landscaping, ornamental plants or shrubs, container-grown plants, contamination/toxin testing, engineering-related soil compaction testing, disease testing, or pest identification.

Contamination testing is conducted at environmental labs. For a web map of accredited commercial environmental labs in our area, please click here. A local list of accredited environmental labs Thurston County labs providing relevant testing services can be found here here.

Select

Pasture Composition*

Pastures have a mix of forage species. Legume species, which include species like clover, may have reduced need for nitrogen fertilizer. We can take this into account in your recommendations. Please select an option below.

Select or enter value

Results Only

With this option, you will receive a one-page table of your soil nutrients and soil pH from Midwest Labs.

No explanatory report of the results, nor any recommended fertilizers will accompany your report. We recommend this choice if you're are comfortable reading and can understand nutrient levels in "ppm" or "parts per million", and have experience

Do not choose this option if you could not find your crop or plant type on the drop-down, but want to submit it anyway. Our crop-specific interpretive reports are limited to those crop and plant types in the drop-down above.

Is this sample from a purchased soil mix or topsoil?*

Yes

Soil mix or topsoil mixed into the area I sampled, but it doesn't make up the entire soil in the area that was sampled.

This is potting soil.

Potting Soil

Unlike a soil mix, which usually contains some sort of mineral soil component (like sand or loam), potting mixes are mostly organic matter.

A different type of test needs to be run for such samples. As a result, there may be extended turnaround times for potting soil mixes.

Nutrient Test Type*

Select or enter value

Dead or dying plant

We do not offer a general screen that can determine why a plant has died or is dying. Please read below to learn more.

In most cases, we do not recommend our soil tests as a way to determine why a plant is dying or died. Our soil tests only look at plant nutrients, soil pH, and organic matter.

There can be many different reasons why a plant is dying or has died that aren't due to soil nutrients. These include the following:

Diseases
Pests
Too much water or too little water
Soil compaction
Insufficient sunlight
Heat stress
Frost

If you suspect a disease or pest might be the cause, we recommend testing with the WSU Puyallup Plant & Insect Diagnostic Laboratory.

For other issues, we recommend reaching out to us using the form on our Contact Us page to request more in-depth technical assistance for these issues.

Contamination Testing

We do not offer contaminant testing. Please read below to learn more.

There are many local environmental labs that do provide this type of testing.

If you believe your soil might be contaminated, and are interested in testing for testing for contaminants, we recommend looking at the Department of Ecology's list of local accredited environmental testing labs. That can be accessed here.

For some locations in the northeast of our county, there may be concern about lead and arsenic contamination from the Asarco smelter plume. For information about that and the affected areas, please refer to this informative page by the Department of Ecology.

Generic recommendations (multiple types of plants)

We do not offer this as an option. Please read below to understand why.

One of our most frequent requests is for a large number of different crops or plant types grown together. While we would like to be able to offer fertilizers that match a one-size fits all approach, in many cases we can't, since many crops or plants have different soil requirements.

For example, vegetables do best at a soil pH range that could seriously harm acid-loving blueberries. Raspberries prefer soil pH that's above the preferred range for blueberries, but below those of vegetables. Vegetables need high levels of nitrogen, but this could harm fruit quality in apples.

Managing those all the same could harm some plants at the expense of others.

Instead of a one-size fits all approach, we instead recommend taking a sample from the area around each crop type. In our drop-down menu of options, we have already grouped types of crops that can be similarly managed (for example, vegetables).

Please choose one of the crop or plant types in the drop-down above, or if you have questions, please contact us at soiltesting@thurstoncd.com.

Getting a sense of what my land can grow

We do not offer this as an option. Please read below to understand why.

We unfortunately can't offer interpretive reports of what can and cannot grow in an area based on the results of a soil test.

In most situations, the nutrients in your soil do not determine what you can and cannot grow. By adding fertilizers or soil amendments, many soils can be adjusted over time to meet the nutrient needs of a wide range of crops.

Aspects like soil texture (whether your soil is sandy, silty, clayey, etc.), sun exposure, soil slope, soil drainage, your local climate, irrigation resources - these can be more important factors in deciding what crops your site can support. The soil tests we offer cannot tell us about those factors.

If you are looking for more in-depth technical assistance around crop selection or crop establishment, we recommend reaching out to us using the form on our Contact Us page.

Lawns and Post-Construction Permit Tests

Lawn tests are different from post-construction permit tests. If you are a builder and need soil information for a post-construction permit test choose that test above. You will receive your results more quickly by selecting the correct test. If you need suggestions for lawn care, please disregard this note.

Ornamental Plants

We do not offer this as an option. Please read below to understand why.

While we would love to provide tailored soil test reports and guidance for fertilization for ornamental plants, there is little to no established information about the level of soil nutrients needed for the vast majority of ornamental species.

This makes it impossible for us to interpret the results of your soil test and recommend fertilizers or amendments like we can for many agricultural crops.

While the preferred level of soil nutrients is not known for many ornamentals, the preferred soil pH (that is, whether the soil is acidic, alkaline, or neutral) may be known for some species. See below for some common situations:

Certain acid-loving plants like rhododendrons, azaleas, or camellias, prefer or need acidic soils. Most soils in western Washington are strongly to slightly acidic. If you are planting in a soil mix or in an area where vegetables were grown, the soil pH may be neutral or even slightly alkaline which could harm these species.

Other ornamentals may prefer neutral or slightly alkaline soils. Since many soils in our area are acidic, it may be helpful to raise the soil pH using limestone. A soil test can help determine how much lime would be needed to raise your soil pH.

If you would like to test for soil pH, you can submit a Basic Soil Test which can provide this information. Choose "Results Only" for the Crop Type.

Notes (Optional)

Please let us know if this sample was taken from a greenhouse or hoophouse (or an area otherwise shielded from rainfall), since this will strongly influence nutrient levels and our management recommendations.

You may also add any information that is helpful to understand the management or source of this soil.

Do not list additional crops here. We only offer one interpretive report per crop per soil sample.

What crop or plant type was planted last year in this location?*

Select or enter value

What depth was your sample taken at?*

The depth is counted from the surface downward. An 8 inch sample starts at the soil's surface, and goes down 8 inches.

Select or enter value

What size best fits your production?*

Select

Would you prefer recommendations for conventional or organic fertilizers?*

Select or enter value

At what rates would you like fertilizer recommendations?*

Select

Did you submit at least 2 cups of leaves or 1 cup of petioles?

Select or enter value

Did you wash your plant sample or is your sample wet?*

Select

What is the crops growth stage?

Growth stage refers to the stage of growth or age of the plant tissue you are submitting for sampling and which growth stage to sample depends on the crop. For specific information on which plant part to sample for your crop, please contact Thurston Conservation District.

Select or enter value

Manure type?*

Select or enter value

What size best fits your production?*

Select

Compost or manure type?*

Select or enter value

Did you submit at least 2 cups of leaf blades?*

Select

What types of forage species are in your sample?*

Select or enter value

Pick 5 letters or numbers as an ID for each sample you submit, for example: JIM84 or 360WA. This ID is how we will keep track of your soil sample. Please avoid any IDs that are simply numbers in sequence, like 00001, 00002, 00003, etc.*

Please take a moment to ensure your sample bag (Paper bags are ideal for plant material, Ziploc bags for soil) or sample container (no glass or metal containers please!) has your name, phone number, and sample ID. You can drop off your soil sample in the cooler outside the Thurston Conservation District office (582 Tilley Ct SE, Suite 152, Tumwater, WA)

Did you write your name, date, and contact information on your sample? Do you have at least 2 cups of soil?*

Select

Are you submitting multiple samples in separate containers? If so, please fill out an online form for each sample.*

Select

Additional Information Related to your test (Optional)

Please add any additional important information here relevant to your submitted tests.

Do not list additional crops here. We only offer one interpretive report per crop per soil sample.

For any questions about our services, please contact us at soiltesting@thurstoncd.com before submitting sample(s).

For requests for additional technical assistance around nutrient management or other issues, please reach out to us using the form on our Contact Us page.

Important Information

New location: Thurston CD's office is now located at 582 Tilley Ct SE, Suite 152, Tumwater, WA. Samples can be dropped off in the cooler located in front of the office. Please only drop samples during weekdays when our office is open.

Turnaround time: We are currently running at 4+ weeks turnaround time. This accounts for shipping time, testing, and interpretation of the results. You will receive your results by email when they are ready.

Payment: You can expect to receive a Paypal invoice within a week of dropping your sample off at our office. You do not need a Paypal account to pay the invoice. The invoice has an option to pay by credit card or debit card.

Payment must be received in order to receive your results and reports.

Don't forget to hit the submit below. Thank you!

I understand TCD cannot perform this test, and agree not to drop off a sample at the TCD office. (To submit another type of test that we do offer, please refresh the page).*

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