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Moore County Master Gardener urges residents to test soil before buying fertilizer
Summary
At a Moore County senior-center Lunch & Learn, a Master Gardener explained how soil tests (pH, phosphorus, potassium) guide fertilizer choices, outlined free local testing via the ACT Center, and gave step-by-step sampling tips to save money and protect garden health.
Betty, a Moore County Master Gardener, told a senior-center audience that gardeners should “take a soil test” rather than guessing when they buy fertilizer.
"So I'm going to give you the dirt on sampling and why it's important," Betty said as she described what a standard test reports and how to use the results to pick fertilizer.
The presentation explained why tests matter: a typical analysis reports soil pH and phosphorus and potassium indexes, and lab recommendations translate into N–P–K numbers that match fertilizer labels. Betty told attendees that nitrogen is not measured on most standard soil reports because it is unstable in soil; labs instead predict nitrogen needs for the crop type. She emphasized that testing can prevent unnecessary purchases and reduce environmental runoff.
She gave practical sampling guidance: use clean stainless or chrome-plated tools and a clean plastic bucket, take 5–8 subsamples across the planting area and mix into a composite sample, avoid sampling atypical spots (compost piles, animal-urine areas or visible wet depressions), and label each box so backyard and front-yard samples are not confused. For many garden crops she recommended sampling to roughly 4 inches deep; sandy soils should be tested every 2–3 years and clay soils every 3–4 years.
Locally, Betty said tests are free from April through Thanksgiving; work submitted in December–March typically carries a $4 fee. Samples are dropped off at the ACT (Agricultural) Center in Carthage; a representative from Raleigh picks up labeled boxes and results are returned by email or mail if requested.
Betty pointed attendees to Master Gardener resources and a helpline: volunteers staff a phone help line Monday–Friday from 10 a.m. to noon and the ACT Center supplies free forms and collection boxes. She encouraged gardeners to bring a sample to the fertilizer retailer if a recommended N–P–K ratio isn’t available in the store's bag sizes, noting the report lists alternative fertilizer options.
The session closed with a reminder that soil-testing data help diagnose plant problems, save money on fertilizers and protect the environment. Attendees were told to contact Moore County Cooperative Extension for assistance with sampling and lab submission.
The senior-center program continued with a vermiculture demonstration and later Cooperative Extension presentations.
