Soil Testing Resources

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See the green box to the right for information on how to have a Master Gardener volunteer test the pH of your soil.

See the blue box to the right for information on how to have a complete nutrient analysis completed for your soil.

See the brown box to the lower right for information on testing your soil for contaminants or heavy metals.

Last updated April 21, 2025

MG Volunteer Soil pH Testing Service

A pH test of your soil can be completed by trained Master Gardener Volunteers through our Hotline office.

You can complete a form and pay online with a credit card here.

Click here for information on how to take a pH soil sample.

See this Cornell Small Farms Factsheet for an overview of soil properties including pH.

Master Gardener Growing Season Hotline hours:

Mon - Fri (varying times, usually mornings, note some volunteers work remotely)

21 S. Grove St, East Aurora, NY

Suite 300

(Office entrance near the elevator on the 2nd floor.)

pH Soil Sample Cost:

$2 per sample or $5 for 3 samples.

Comprehensive Soil Testing

Are you looking to have a complete soil nutrient analysis done for your garden, landscape, or farm?

Dairy-One Agro-One offers soil test options that include recommendations based on Cornell research on New York State soils.

Information from Dairy-One Agro-One:

For heavy metals testing, see information box below.

If you need assistance completing your soil test forms, contact the Master Gardener Hotline office at mgerie@cornell.edu, (716) 652-5400 x 202; or Sharon Bachman, CCE Erie Agriculture Educator at sin2@cornell.edu, (716) 652-5400 ext 150.

Soil Heavy Metals Contamination Testing

Cornell Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities - Soil Contaminant Information Follow this link to find soil testing information.

Heavy Metals Testing is available from the Cornell Soil Health Lab as an individual test. Cost is $80. (Included in the test are As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni and Zn.) For submission form and to learn more, click here.

Cornell Soil Health Lab factsheet - Heavy Metals Soil Sampling Guide

Other state Extension labs also offering heavy metals testing, below are two others in the Northeast.

Penn State Agricultural Analytical Lab Services

The University of Maine (See Soil Tests (pdf))

Cornell Cooperative Extension

Erie County