What is a Soil Test?

Soil testing is a practical and common sense means of using reliable chemical analyses to assess soil nutrient levels and determine how fertilizer use can be improved. Note that there are no words like “exact,” “precise,” or “accurate” in this definition. A key word is “assess,” which means “to evaluate,” “to estimate,” or “to set a fixed value."

From the definition, the purpose of soil testing is:

—to assess nutrient levels, and

—to guide decisions in fertilizer use.