Each year, the lab processes approximately 14,000 samples for residential and commercial clients. The lab is located within the newly opened George Leigh Minor Plant and Soil Health Center<\/a>, a hub for students and the public. The Minor Center is also home to UConn\u2019s Plant Diagnostic Lab, Turfgrass Diagnostic Lab, and Home Garden Education Office.<\/p>\n The lab offers a series of affordable soil nutrient analysis services starting at just $5. The lab can measure soil pH, major plant nutrients, several micronutrients, and lead. Lead in soil is an important public health concern, especially in older and previously developed areas. Lead contamination in soil is a serious public health concern, especially in older and previously developed areas.<\/p>\n Detailed soil analysis helps growers better understand their actual fertilizer needs. Using only what is needed can reduce nutrient losses to waterways, which can contribute to water pollution and related environmental problems, while also saving money.\u201cThe value clients get from soil testing is far greater than the cost of the test,\u201d says Avishesh Neupane, assistant extension professor of soil science and director of the Minor Center. \u201cIt helps people protect the environment while also saving money.\u201d<\/p>\n Soil testing methods differ across the country. Because Connecticut soils are generally acidic, labs in this region use different extraction methods than labs working with more alkaline soils elsewhere. The Modified Morgan extraction used in this region grew out of soil test methods first developed in Connecticut in the early 1930s by M. F. Morgan.<\/p>\n \u201cSoils vary widely, so labs need regionally appropriate methods and research-based calibration to make sound lime and fertilizer recommendations,\u201d Patrick McIntosh, the technician for the lab, says.<\/p>\n UConn is part of the Northeast Coordinating Committee on Soil Testing, a consortium of regional universities that came together to develop soil testing guidelines for the area.<\/p>\n \u201cThe recommendations we provide were developed specifically for Connecticut and the Northeast,\u201d Neupane says. \u201cThey are based on work done in this region and are tailored to the crops and soils here.\u201d<\/p>\n The laboratory traces its roots back roughly a century and was already providing practical soil testing support through UConn Extension work by the late 1920s. In its early decades, the lab mainly served farmers and agronomic producers.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the 1950s through the 1970s, there was strong demand among agronomic producers,\u201d McIntosh says. \u201cA major purpose of the lab was to support agricultural production.\u201d<\/p>\n Today, the lab serves a broader constituency including farmers, home gardeners, homeowners, commercial clients, and UConn research projects.<\/p>\n \u201cThe public has taken a huge interest in soil testing,\u201d McIntosh says. \u201cPeople want to know what\u2019s in their lawn, garden, flower beds, or commercial property.\u201d<\/p>\n While most customers are Connecticut residents, the lab receives samples from around the region and across the country.<\/p>\n In the new Minor Center facility, the lab is expanding services to include compost analysis and soil adsorbed metal testing.<\/p>\n \u201cThese services are here to help [the public],\u201d McIntosh says. \u201cIt\u2019s a low-cost service that can improve the health and success of their landscapes. We are a service lab, but we are also here to educate the public and help people make informed environmental decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n This work relates to CAHNR\u2019s Strategic Vision area focused on\u00a0<\/em>Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n![\"Patrick](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/DSC07243-edited-1024x684.jpg\")