Most property owners know that regular fertilization is an important part of keeping your lawn healthy, especially with the drastic changes between the seasons in Iowa. However, it is not a good idea to fertilize your lawn with no knowledge of the status of your soil. Testing your soil is the best way to figure out what kind of fertilizer you need and how much of it to use so you don't waste any. Soil testing does this by telling you exactly how much of each nutrient is in your soil which helps you pick the correct fertilizer and reduce nutrient runoff. Soil testing also tells you if your soil is acidic, allowing you to remedy this issue before using fertilizer.

Soil testing tells you which nutrients your soil is lacking.

Our lawn care specialist assessing the soil health on our client's property in Clive, IA.

Soil testing will tell you exactly how much of each vital nutrient is in your soil. Finding out which nutrients your soil is lacking will provide insight into what kind of fertilizer you choose and how much of it you need to use; it allows you to choose a fertilizer that caters to your lawn's needs by replenishing the nutrients that your soil is lacking. Choosing a fertilizer without knowing which nutrients your lawn needs or already has could be a waste of time and won't be as effective for your grass.

You won't want to give your lawn a nitrogen-rich fertilizer if it already has a sufficient supply of nitrogen as too much nitrogen can cause fertilizer burn.

Soil testing helps to reduce harmful nutrient runoff.

A green soil testing device in use at our client's property in Norwalk, IA.

Nutrient runoff is a form of water pollution where too many nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, which are commonly found in fertilizer) end up in bodies of water and cause excessive growth of algae and sea grass. This can be harmful for the environment because it leads to low levels of oxygen in these bodies of water, which kills fish, crabs, oysters, and other aquatic animals. By testing your soil, you will know how much of each nutrient your soil needs; that means that you will be able to cater to the needs of your soil and give your lawn the correct amount of each nutrient, leaving fewer chances for nutrient runoff.

Soil testing tells you your soil's pH level so you don't waste fertilizer.

Our lawn care specialist holding granular fertilizer to spread in Adel, IA.

It is crucial to be aware of your soil's pH level before you apply fertilizer; soil pH is important because it affects several factors of plant growth such as nutrient availability (or how soluble certain essential nutrients are in your soil's moisture). Most nutrients are readily available to plants when soil pH is near neutral. But, if your soil's pH level is on the acidic side, half of the fertilizer you use won't be available to your grass because the blades can't soak up the nutrients. Testing your soil prevents wasting fertilizer by allowing you to know your soil's pH so you can remedy the acidity before using fertilizer.

Call our lawn care experts to schedule your soil testing today!

Fertilizing effectively can be difficult if you don't know the specifics behind what your lawn needs. Our lawn care team at A+ Lawn & Landscape can help you with that. We will test your soil and then tailor your lawn care regimen based on its pH level and the exact amounts of each essential nutrient. With our soil testing service, your fertilization treatment will be as effective as possible. We have offered premium lawn and landscaping services to the homes and businesses in Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, and nearby communities in Iowa since 1988. If you are interested in getting everything you need out of fertilization, call us at (515) 289-2020 to schedule our soil testing service today!