 I'm Melissa Saclar and I'm the Extension Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources for Sgt. County. Today I'm going to show you how to take a soil sample in your garden. Taking a soil sample is an important step in starting off the growing season. A routine soil test will analyze nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as soil pH in your percent organic matter. These soil test results will determine the key essential nutrients for plant growth and development and the results will suggest appropriate fertilizer recommendations for your garden. When taking a soil sample the tools will need include a shovel or a soil probe if we have one. You'll also need a bucket to mix your samples in and a soil sample bag or container to send your samples into the lab. When taking a soil sample I'm going to sample it in the top six inches of the soil as that is where most of the roots concentrate for plant growth and development and take up the available nutrients. In my sample I want to make sure to take any plant material that's left on the soil surface off of my sample and just send in the soil. I'm also going to sample in about five to ten areas in my garden to get a representative sample. I'm going to avoid areas that might throw off my sample. For example, I had a manure pile in the corner of my garden over the winter. I'm not going to sample that area so I get a better representation. Once I've sampled enough areas in my garden I'm going to mix together my sample thoroughly. Break apart any clumps in there. Once my soil is mixed together I'm going to fill my soil sample bag. I'm going to fill my sample to at least the fill lot which will be approximately one pint of soil. Once I have my soil I'm going to make sure to label my bag with my name, address, sample number and sample depth. I'm also going to fill out my lawn and garden information sheet as thoroughly as possible. This will help the lab to determine the best recommendation for your soils. If you have any questions about taking a soil sample, contact your local NDSU extension agent and they'll be happy to help you.