7.3 Management of soils in general

The first step in soil management is to know what you are dealing with by getting your soil tested. Soil sample kits provided by laboratories are available at most produce stores. The kits will instruct you how to collect a number of soil samples (usually topsoil) which are mixed together in a bag. This means that the report you get back will be an average of the samples you combined.
However, averages can hide problems if there is a big range in the soil you have sampled. Areas where vegetation changes or where plant vigour is different are likely to have different soil conditions, and these areas should be tested separately.
A video demonstrating how to take soil samples is available on the Murray CMA website. There are laboratories that do soil testing throughout Australia but whichever one is chosen, make sure it has NATA quality accreditation.
Your local NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) horticulturist or agronomist can help you determine the best tests for your block. NSW DPI also offers a soil testing service at the Wollongbar Primary Industry Institute. They can be contacted on (02) 66261103 or www.dpi.nsw.gov.au