Hillsborough County Extension
Urban Forestry Website
Diagnostic Services from the University of Florida

Many diagnostic tests are available from the University of Florida:
Water - $10- information and fees - submission form and instructions
Plant disease - $20 - guidelines - plant submission form and instructions
Turf disease $20 - turf submission form and instructions
Nematode - $12 - complete instructions - submission form
Plant ID - submission form and instructions
Insect ID - $8 - information - submission form and instructions

Soil - price varies- information and fees - submission form and instructions

The Hillsborough County Extension office offers a soil pH testing service. This test provides the pH (acidity or alkalinity) and a recommendation for adjusting the pH if necessary. It does not provide any information about nutrients, diseases, insects or nematodes. pH tests are conducted every Friday morning, so samples should be submitted no later than Thursday. There is a $2.00 fee for each sample. Please make checks payable to "Master Gardener Program."

How to take a soil sample: Using a trowel or shovel, take 10 "slices" of soil (4-6" deep) from the area you want to test. Combine the slices into one sample which should equal at least 1 cup of soil. Spread the soil on a piece of newspaper and allow it to dry completely before bringing or mailing the sample to the Extension Service. Be sure to note what plants are growing in the soil to be tested e.g., vegetables, citrus, St. Augustine grass, azaleas, etc.

The results of the soil test will be mailed to you the following Monday.