Clear away mulch and surface debris.
Dig 6-8 inches deep in garden beds (or 3–4 inches for lawns).
Take 10–15 subsamples from different spots across the area.
Mix subsamples thoroughly in the bucket.
Fill the sample bag with about 2 cups of mixed soil.
Label your sample with the area’s name (e.g., “Backyard Bed” or “Front Planter”).
KSU West Louisville Extension Office
1300 Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40203
Dr. Alhagie K. Cham
alhagie.cham@kysu.edu
Jefferson Co. Soil & Water Conservation District
4229 Bardstown Rd Ste. 203, Louisville, KY 40218
Dave Nichter
soiltech@jeffcd.org
KSU Soil Lab
Dr. Mahateme Gebremedhin
maheteme.gebremedhin@kysu.edu
Jacob Brown, MSc
jacob.brown1@kysu.edu
Senior Extension Associate,
Urban Horticulture Production
(502) 597-6570
alhagie.cham@kysu.edu
1300 Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 4020
Dr. Maheteme Gebremedhin
Assistant Professor, Soil
Science
Jacob Brown
Research Assistant
Kelly Rawalt
Food Systems Coordinator
Dave Nichter
Soil & Water Conservation
Technician
Allen, T., Kariuki, S., Mangan, F., Parkash, O., Xing, B., & Barros, Z. (2015). How and why to measure soil contaminants in urban settings (Ref. No. SPTTL_12). https://www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/soil-plant-nutrient-testing-laboratory/fact-sheets/how-why-to-measure-soil-contaminants-in-urban-settings.
Craul, P. J. (1985). A description of urban soils and their desired characteristics. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, 11(11), 330–339. https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.1985.071.
Wu, Q., & Congreves, K. A. (2024). Soil health benefits associated with urban horticulture. Science of The Total Environment, 912, 168852. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168852.