Take a soil sample a few months before initiating any new landscaping, whether you are seeding a lawn, starting a vegetable garden, putting in a flower bed, or planting perennials. Sampling well in advance of planting will allow time for applied soil amendments to begin making the desired adjustments in soil pH or nutrient levels. Sample established areas include lawns, trees, shrubbery, and other perennials - at any time of year.
Note: an ideal time to take samples is when the garden season has ended in the late summer to early fall. Sampling in the fall allows time for corrective pH and nutrient management before new growth starts in the spring. It is recommended that the soil be tested every three years.