What is on a typical soil test report?
Most reports list your sample name, the crop you requested, a set of measured values and a set of recommendations. Measured values often include pH, organic matter, and levels of major and secondary nutrients, and sometimes salts or micronutrients. Labs differ in methods and units, so compare only reports that use the same lab and method.
Extension guides from Minnesota, Maryland and Missouri each explain their lab's format, which shows how much layouts vary. Read the explanation sheet that came with your report before drawing conclusions.
Keep the report together with your sampling map and notes. Without the map, a report is just a set of numbers, and you may not remember which area it came from a year later.
What does soil pH tell me?
Soil pH measures how acidic or alkaline the soil is, and it affects how available nutrients are to plants. Most vegetables and pasture grasses do best in a particular range, and some plants such as blueberries prefer a different one. Your lab or extension office can tell you the target for each crop.
If pH is far from the target, nutrients that are present in the soil may still be hard for plants to use. That is why adjusting pH often comes before adding fertilizer. Our guides on soil pH and lime cover the concepts.
How do I read the nutrient ratings?
Many labs give each nutrient a number and a category such as low, optimum or high. Low means a crop is likely to respond to an addition; high means adding more is unlikely to help and may cause problems. The categories are based on research for your region, so they mean something only for the method the lab used.
Pay attention to the units and to the crop. A number that is fine for pasture grass may be low for a heavy-feeding vegetable.
Remember that a nutrient rated optimum today may drop after a few heavy crops. Retesting on a regular schedule shows whether levels are holding steady, rising or falling.
- Low: crop response likely
- Optimum: maintain
- High: do not add
- Check units and method
What about organic matter and other values?
Organic matter is reported as a percentage and is a rough measure of the decomposed plant and animal material in the soil. It influences water holding, structure and nutrient supply. It changes slowly, so do not expect a big jump in a single season.
Some reports include cation exchange capacity, soluble salts or a texture estimate. If you do not understand a line, ask your extension office rather than guessing.
Soil texture, if reported, tells you the proportion of sand, silt and clay. Texture affects how fast water drains and how fast pH changes, so it helps explain why neighboring fields may behave differently.
How do I use the recommendations?
Recommendations are written for the crop and area you named. They may suggest an amendment to correct pH, and an amount of certain nutrients, in the units your lab uses. This guide does not give application rates because they depend on your soil and your crop, so use the lab report and the product label.
If you plan to use organic sources such as compost or manure, tell your extension office. They can help you convert a recommendation into something you can actually apply, and they can point out nutrients that your compost already supplies.
What mistakes do people make with soil reports?
The common mistakes are applying more than recommended because more seems better, ignoring pH while buying fertilizer, and comparing numbers from different labs. Another is treating one report as permanent. Soil changes with your management, so retest after a few seasons.
Keep each report in your records folder with the sampling map, and write notes about what you applied and how crops responded. Over time, those notes are more valuable than any single report.
What should I do first this season?
Begin with the report in front of you. Circle the pH, the organic matter value and any nutrient marked low. Look up the target range for your crop, and note how far each number is from it.
Next, decide what is within your power this season and what must wait. Some changes, such as adjusting pH or building organic matter, take a full season or longer. Write a short plan with the order of steps, the materials you would need as cost categories, and a date to retest. Share it with your extension office for a quick check before you buy anything.
- Circle pH, organic matter and low nutrients
- Compare to target ranges
- Order the steps
- Set a retest date
Key takeaways
- Read the lab's explanation sheet before reading the numbers.
- Fix pH first, since it controls how well plants use nutrients.
- Apply only what the report recommends, following the label.
- Retest after a few seasons and keep reports together.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.