MASSACHUSETTS· UNIVERSITY & EXTENSION LABS
Where to get a soil test in Massachusetts
A soil test is how you stop guessing at fertilizer and fix the one thing your lawn actually needs. In Massachusetts, the public program below tests homeowner samples and interprets the results for local soils.
MASSACHUSETTS STATE LAB
UMass Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory
UMass lab for soil and plant nutrient testing.
Visit the lab & sampling instructions →County drop-off & extension offices
County extension offices across Massachusetts hand out sample forms and can walk you through submitting to the lab. 8 of the most populous counties are listed below.
Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, Barnstable County office
Barnstable, MA
UMass Extension, 4-H & Agriculture Extension Program offices (Newton, Charles River Campus)
Newton Center, MA
UMass Extension, 4-H Western Region office (Amherst)
Amherst, MA
UMass Extension, Cranberry Station (East Wareham)
East Wareham, MA
UMass Extension, Nutrition Education Program & Mass 4-H office (Auburn)
Auburn, MA
UMass Extension, Nutrition Education Program State Office (Amherst)
Amherst, MA
UMass Extension, Nutrition Education Program office (Raynham)
Raynham, MA
UMass Extension, Plymouth County office
Plymouth, MA
Not your county? Find your local office in the full Massachusetts 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 UMass Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory. 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
Mail your sample to the lab with its completed form. County offices can help if you get stuck.
- 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts?
- Massachusetts's public soil testing is run through UMass Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory. 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 Massachusetts?
- 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 UMass Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory for current pricing before you send a sample; the page linked here is the authority for its own fees.
- How do I turn my Massachusetts 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. UMass Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory is the authority for its own test menu, sampling instructions, fees, and result interpretation.