Agricultural Soil Testing: Get a clear picture of your land’s nutrient status, pH, and fertility. Fast, reliable analysis to help you make confident decisions on fertilising, liming, and land management. Read more below. ↓
Agricultural soil testing analyses a sample of your soil for the physical and chemical characteristics that affect plant growth and fertiliser planning. Depending on the suite you choose, your results can cover:
Soil pH and lime status
Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) levels
Magnesium
Organic matter content
Heavy metals
CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity)
Overall soil health, via our Soil Health Check suite
This gives you the information you need to support healthy plant growth, manage nutrients efficiently, and stay compliant with Irish and EU agricultural regulations.
Who’s This Test For & Why?
Agricultural soil testing is recommended for any farmer, grower, or land manager who relies on the soil to support crops or livestock. It gives you the information you need to make informed decisions about fertiliser use, lime application, and land management, in line with Teagasc guidance and Nutrient Management Planning requirements.
Soil nutrient status changes over time, so most farmers retest every 2–3 years, or sooner if land use changes. The best time to sample is before spreading lime or fertiliser, typically over winter or early spring.
Read the table below to see how different professions use soil testing.
Why Choose Southern Scientific?
Southern Scientific is Ireland’s largest soil testing laboratory, supporting Farmers and Ag Advisors at every level with fast, dependable soil analysis.
To stay up to date with future agricultural requirements, Southern Scientific was an early adopter of carbon analysis and soil health testing.
Our ISO 17025-accredited laboratories process 70,000 soil samples each year, delivering consistent results that support nutrient management planning in line with Teagasc guidance and Irish and EU agricultural regulations.
With standard and express 3–5 day turnaround services, decisions on fertiliser and lime can be made with confidence and without delay.
What's The Process?
The soil testing process can be completed in 3 easy steps:
(1) Order the soil testing kit, and we’ll post it to you. If you’re not sure which kit you need, call or email us for advice.
(2) Follow the clear instructions to collect the soil sample. Post it back to us as soon as you collect the sample.
(3) Get your easy-to-follow results by email within 10 working days.
This video gives you a quick and easy guide on how to take a soil sample.
FAQs
Why Soil Test Your Land?
Soil testing tells you exactly what your land needs, including nutrient levels, pH, and lime requirement, so you can target fertiliser use instead of guessing. This protects your investment, supports better yields, and helps you stay compliant with EU nutrient management directives.
It’s relevant whatever your land is used for: sowing crops, grazing, feeding animals, forestry, or horticulture. Most farmers test every 2–3 years to keep their nutrient management plan up to date.
What Soil Testing Kits Can I Order?
We have an array of agricultural soil testing kits designed for different land uses. They include tillage, grassland and horticulture tests and tests for land grazed by dairy, beef, sheep and horses. You can also send a sample to test for heavy metals, pH (acidity/alkalinity), lime and other parameters.
The dropdown menu at the top of the page shows the full range of options available. If you’re not sure which one you need, call 066 97 63588 or email [email protected] for advice.
