Skip to content Skip to navigation
UMass Collegiate M The University of Massachusetts Amherst
  • Visit
  • Apply
  • Give
  • Search UMass.edu
Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

Integrating research and outreach education from UMass Amherst

  • About
    • Overview of CAFE
    • Be Ambitious!
    • History
    • Strategic Directions
    • Research & Outreach Interest Areas
    • UMass Extension Board of Public Overseers (BoPO)
    • Partners
    • Locations
    • Faculty & Staff Directory
    • Contact Information
    • Civil Rights Information
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Extension
    • Extension Outreach Overview
    • UMass Extension In Your Community
    • CAFE Extension Faculty
    • Extension Outreach Projects
    • Extension Initiative Reports
  • Programs
    • Extension Programs Overview
    • 4-H Youth Development
    • Clean Energy Extension
    • Climate Change
    • Cranberry Station
    • Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine
    • Food Science Extension
    • Fruit
    • Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture
    • Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry
    • Nutrition Education
    • Turf
    • Value-Added Food
    • Vegetable
  • Research
    • Mass Agricultural Experiment Station
    • Information About Accessing Research Funds
    • Research Projects
    • NIFA Integrated Research and Outreach Initiatives
    • Civil Rights Information & Resources
    • Summer Scholars Program
    • REEU Internship Program
  • Resources
    • Resources Overview
    • Interest Areas
    • Extension Sales Portal
    • Agriculture & Commercial Horticulture
    • Community & Economic Vitality
    • Disaster Preparedness
    • Food Safety
    • Home Lawn & Garden
    • Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
    • Land Conservation Tools
    • Pollinators
    • Tick Testing Resources
    • Urban Agriculture
  • Services
    • Services Overview
    • Pesticide Education
    • Plant Diagnostics Laboratory
    • Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory
    • Hot Water Seed Treatment
    • Environmental Analysis Laboratory
  • Farms
    • Farms and Facilities Overview
    • Cold Spring Orchard Research and Education Center
    • Cranberry Station
    • Crop and Animal Research and Education Farm
    • Equine and Livestock Research and Education Farm in Hadley
    • Joseph Troll Turf Research Center
  • News & Events
    • Center News
    • Upcoming Events
    • News from the Media
    • Faculty/Staff Brief Bios
    • Spotlight Stories
    • Video Gallery

Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory

Why Test Soil?

Here are five good reasons!

  • Nutrient levels - Test results provide you with soil nutrient levels and fertilizer recommendations when needed.
  • Soil Acidity - Soil pH and exchangeable acidity are measured for the determination of lime requirements.
  • Environmental Protection - Test results identify areas with excess nutrients that can pollute local waterways.
  • Economics - You buy soil amendments only when needed, avoiding unnecessary spending.
  • Health - Soil testing can help protect you and your family by alerting you to elevated levels of lead or other toxic heavy metals.

Soil tests do not identify plant growth problems associated with soil drainage, insects, plant diseases (whether soil-borne or not), weeds, winter injury or the misuse of pesticides.

 

Be our hero by helping us to upgrade analytical equipment!

Make a gift to the UMass Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory:

Make a Gift

 

Key Ordering Facts

We are operating at full capacity and are within a 6 - 10 business day turn around time for routine soil fertility analysis. Particle size analysis is currently 10 - 12 business days. Total sorbed metals is currently 10 - 20 business days; we anticipate a faster turn around time for this analysis by the end of April.

What we can analyze:

We are currently accepting orders for all analyses listed on our services page.  This includes routine soil fertility, soil organic matter nitrate, soluble salts, particle size analysis, saturated media, and total sorbed metals. Effective March 2025, we are again offering plant tissue analysis and CN analysis on plants and soils. We are offering soil total carbon, organic carbon, and inorganic carbon analysis. For plant tissue and soil carbon, please email the lab directly at soiltest[at]umass[dot]edu (soiltest[at]umass[dot]edu) for instructions. 

How we can receive samples: 

Mail. Most samples are mailed by USPS or other private carrier. All samples must be labeled and all orders must include a completed form listing all samples and full payment. Please see the order forms and sampling instructions at our Ordering Information and Forms page.

Drop-off. Samples cannot be dropped off inside of the laboratry. Orders must be dropped - no more than 6 samples per order - in the Drop Box on the outside of Paige Laboratory's ground floor (Google Map Directions). As with mailed samples, all Drop Box samples must be labeled and all orders must include a completed form listing each sample, and full payment. Please see the order forms and sampling instructions at our Ordering Information and Forms page. Please note that the Drop Box cannot handle large packages; the opening in similar to the size of a mailbox. Please package samples in the least bulky way possible. 

Large Order Drop-Off. If you have 30 or more samples that you would like to bring in, email kyarrows[at]umext[dot]umass[dot]edu (subject: Drop-off%20of%2030%2B%20samples) (kyarrows[at]umext[dot]umass[dot]edu) to arrange a drop-off of your order during business hours.

Campus Orders. UMass Amherst departmental orders may be delivered to the lab via Campus Mail or by hand to Paige Lab with advance email confirmation of delivery instructions with kyarrows[at]umext[dot]umass[dot]edu (subject: Campus%20Department%20Order%20Drop-Off) (kyarrows[at]umext[dot]umass[dot]edu).

When you can expect results:

Updates on our turn-around time will be posted here. Unless your test results are long overdue, please check this link periodically for updates rather than contacting the lab, as responding to inquiries leaves less time for processing samples.

Get a Soil Test!

Services

  • Services Overview
  • Pesticide Education
  • Plant Diagnostics Laboratory
  • Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory
    • Lab Services
    • Contact and Lab Hours
    • Ordering Information & Forms
      • Overview and Order Forms
      • Soil Test Gift Kit
      • Turnaround Time for Routine Soil Analysis
      • Payment Policy
      • Recharge Order Forms
      • Which test do I need?
    • Fact Sheets
      • Sampling Instructions for Routine Soil Analysis
      • Master Crop Code List for Routine Soil Testing
    • Lab Proficiency
    • Recommended Soil Testing Procedures
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Directions and Parking
    • Make a Gift to the UMass Soil Testing Lab
  • Hot Water Seed Treatment
  • Environmental Analysis Laboratory

Home Lawn & Garden Information »

Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment

 

Stockbridge Hall,
80 Campus Center Way
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Amherst, MA 01003-9246
Phone: (413) 545-4800
Fax: (413) 545-6555
ag [at] cns [dot] umass [dot] edu (ag[at]cns[dot]umass[dot]edu)

 

Civil Rights and Non-Discrimination Information

College of Natural Sciences

Login for faculty and staff

CAFE Units

Mass. Agricultural Experiment Station

UMass Extension

UMass Research and Education Center Farms

UMass Cranberry Station

Water Resources Research Center

Interest Areas

Agriculture

Commercial Horticulture

Energy

Environmental Conservation

Food Science

Nutrition

Water

Youth Development & 4-H

Services

Pesticide Education

Plant Diagnostics Laboratory

Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory

Hot Water Seed Treatment

Water Testing / Environmental Analysis Laboratory

Projects

Conservation Assessment Prioritization System (CAPS)

Extension Risk Management/Crop Insurance Education

Mass. Envirothon

Mass. Herp Atlas

Mass. Keystone

MassWoods

North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative

RiverSmart

UMass Design Center in Springfield

Resources

Extension Sales Portal

Agriculture & Commercial Horticulture Resources

Community & Economic Vitality

Disaster Preparedness

Food Safety

Home Lawn & Garden

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Land Conservation Tools

Pollinators

Tick testing

Resources for Faculty and Staff

Extension Programs

4-H Youth Development

Agriculture

Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine

Fruit

Greenhouse Crops and Floriculture

Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry

Pesticide Education

Turf

Vegetable

Clean Energy

Climate Change

Food Science

Nutrition Education

Value-Added Food

Seal of The University of Massachusetts Amherst - 1863
©2025 University of Massachusetts Amherst · Site Policies · Accessibility