DELAWARE· UNIVERSITY & EXTENSION LABS
Where to get a soil test in Delaware
A soil test is how you stop guessing at fertilizer and fix the one thing your lawn actually needs. In Delaware, the public program below tests homeowner samples and interprets the results for local soils.
DELAWARE STATE LAB
University of Delaware Soil Testing Program
UD Cooperative Extension soil testing program.
Visit the lab & sampling instructions →County drop-off & extension offices
County extension offices across Delaware stock sample forms and, in many cases, accept samples for the state lab. 3 of the most populous counties are listed below; the full directory has one for every county.
University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, Kent County office
Dover, DE
University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, New Castle County office
Newark, DE
University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, Sussex County office
Georgetown, DE
Not your county? Find your local office in the full Delaware directory.
How it works
- 01
Get a form and sample the way your lab says to
Pick up a form at a county office or download it from University of Delaware Soil Testing Program. Where you pull cores and how you mix them decides whether the report means anything, so follow the lab's instructions exactly.
- 02
Send it in
Many county offices accept the sample and route it to the state lab; otherwise mail it in with the form.
- 03
Turn the report into a plan
When results come back, the numbers only matter if they change what you put down. Enter them in the app and it builds the plan.
THE APP · SOIL REPORT ANALYZER
Got your Delaware report back? Analyze it.
Enter your report values in the Lawn Dominator app and pick your lab, and it handles the messy part: units and extraction methods differ by lab, so your numbers get compared against turf targets that match how your lab measured them. Then it helps build the fertilizer plan for your grass type and checks timing against your live soil temperature.
Free to download on iPhone and Android.
Common questions
- Where can I get a soil test in Delaware?
- Delaware's public soil testing is run through University of Delaware Soil Testing Program. Many county extension offices (listed on this page) stock the sample forms and can help you submit. National mail-in labs like Logan Labs, Ward Laboratories, and Waypoint Analytical are established alternatives.
- How much does a soil test cost in Delaware?
- Fees vary by lab and by which package you choose (basic pH plus phosphorus and potassium, versus expanded panels with organic matter and micronutrients). Check University of Delaware Soil Testing Program for current pricing before you send a sample; the page linked here is the authority for its own fees.
- How do I turn my Delaware soil test into a fertilizer plan?
- Enter your report values in the Lawn Dominator app and pick your lab so units and extraction method are handled correctly, and it compares your numbers against turf sufficiency targets and helps build the fertilizer plan for your grass type.
Looking for another state? See the national map of soil test labs. University of Delaware Soil Testing Program is the authority for its own test menu, sampling instructions, fees, and result interpretation.