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Soil & Water

Across West Virginia, WVU Extension Service agents and specialists work with residents and landowners to test, analyze and improve soil quality.

Browse the Soil & Homesite Guide

Whether you need fertile soil to farm, good soil to grow a lawn, or soil that drains well or compacts easily to build on, WVU Extension experts can help you yield the most of your land.

Soil & Homesite Guide

Before construction, topsoil should be salvaged and placed in a pile. Once the home is built, the area around the home should be graded and the topsoil replaced on the surface.

Conduct a Soil/Site Review

It is important to know about soil characteristics that make a site suitable for home construction or that may cause problems on an established homesite.

Determine Land Suitability for Building
Soil & Site Factors
Homeowner/Site Buyer Recommendations
Final Comments
Clean composted soil for cultivation.

Composting for Beginners

Composting is an environmentally-friendly way to add nutrients back to the soil while also reducing the amount of waste generated.

Cattle grazing in a pasture.

How Phosphorus is Lost from Farmland

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant growth, but phosphorus runoff from the landscape can affect nearby water sources.

Introduction to Phosphorus Loss
A rake and a shovel in a mound of dirt.

Improve Soil Test Recommendations

If you're submitting a soil sample to grow hay, pasture, corn, barley, wheat, soybeans, oats, small grain silage or grain sorghum, it's important to determine the predominant soil series within your field.

2018 WVU Soil Test Changes
How to Select Your Dominant Soil Series
How Farmers Can Determine the Dominant Soil Series & Field Size
How to Use the Web Soil Survey
lime blower in pasture

Liming Soil

A training to better understand and improve the management of liming to modify soil pH for nutrient management and crop production.

Liming Soil Educational Videos
A person gets ready to till and turn-over soil.

Low-rate Application of Pelleted Lime

When soil pH is below optimal for a crop and bulk agricultural lime is not available, the use of pelleted lime may be a good option. Use this guide to determine how much pelleted lime is required. 

Truck in field applying poultry litter

Managing Phosphorus Saturated Soils

Repeated litter applications in West Virginia's eastern panhandle have resulted in an accumulation of phosphorus in agricultural soils, increasing the potential of nutrient losses to waterways. 

Introduction to Phosphorus Saturated Soils
Weeds are a constant problem inside and outside of growing structures, because they compete with your crop for light, nutrients and water. (Photo credit: B.E. Liedl)

Salinity Management in High Tunnel Systems

High tunnels are controlled environment structures that accelerate crop growth and protect the crop from environmental extremes. Since most crops are produced in soil within the high tunnel, soil health is very important for sustainable food production. 

Introduction to Salinity Management
A copy of WVU's Soil Test Form sits on the ground amid plants and containers.

Using the WVU Soil Testing Report

The WVU Soil Testing Lab report is divided into four sections – submission information, laboratory test results, fertilizer recommendations and recommendation notes. Refer to it when ready to amend your soil.


WVU Soil Testing Lab

Contact the Lab

WVU Soil Testing Lab

1405 Agricultural Sciences Building
1194 Evansdale Dr, PO Box 6108,
Morgantown, WV 26506-6108
https://soiltesting.wvu.edu
email Email Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw
phone 304-293-5375

Monday - Friday | 8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Closed on WVU Holidays

Collect & Submit Soil Samples

Take & Submit a Soil Sample



Soil & Homesite News

WVU Soil Testing Lab Changes

As of September 2018, the  WVU Soil Testing Lab has made some changes, and here's what you need to know for an effective, informative soil test.

A person tills dirt with a motorized tiller.

Read WVU Soil Testing Lab Changes

Expert Help

Get soil and homesite assistance
Jeff Skousen

Jeff Skousen

WVU Extension Specialist – Land Reclamation, Professor of Soil Science

phone 304-293-2667
email JSkousen@wvu.edu

About Jeff Skousen