Soil Testing

Ideal pH by Grass Type

BERMUDA = 6.5

ZOYSIA = 6.5

ST. AUGUSTINE = 7

Testing Your Soil

A thriving lawn starts from the ground up, literally. Healthy soil provides the foundation for strong, green grass, and the best way to ensure optimal soil conditions is through precise soil testing. That’s why, at Natural State Horticare, we’ve partnered with several University labs to provide professional soil analysis for every client. This scientific approach enables us to monitor progress and deliver customized, data-driven solutions tailored to your lawn’s specific needs.

Every new client will receive a FREE soil test. Samples are taken by the technicians just before applying Round 7 of the lawn program.

Lime takes a minimum of 3 months to even begin working and up to 2 years before its full effects on pH can be observed via testing. It can take several years to overcome acidic conditions.

Why We Test

Soil health determines how well your lawn can absorb essential nutrients. Without the right balance of pH, organic matter, and nutrients, your grass may struggle, leading to weak growth, discoloration, and increased susceptibility to weeds and disease.

When interpreting soil tests, we focus on 4 key factors:

1. pH Balance is a representation of your soil’s acidity or alkalinity. pH plays a significant role in the soil's ability to absorb nutrients.

2. Nutrient Deficiencies in key macronutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium).

3. CEC (cation exchange capacity) is an indication of the soil’s ability to hold or absorb cations, including many nutrient cations applied as fertilizer. The higher the CEC, the more nutrients the soil can hold.

4. OM% (organic matter percentage) is the organic component of soil consisting of three primary components: small (fresh) plant residues with small living soil organisms, decomposing (active) organic matter, and stable organic matter (humus).

By testing the soil at the end of each season, we track its progress over time and fine-tune our approach to maximize your lawn's health.

The Data (2025)

• ONLY 2.6% had an Ideal pH

• 81% Had Acidic Soil

• 16.4% Had Alkaline Soil

• 30% Had a Potassium Deficiency 

• 42% Had Low Organic Matter

Our Data-Driven Program

At Natural State Horticare, we sample and test every client’s lawn, utilizing those results to customize Round 10 of your lawn program to your lawn’s needs. We can confidently say we offer the most science-backed, comprehensive fertility and soil amendment program in Arkansas. Here’s how we do it:

• Complimentary Soil Testing - We provide a complimentary soil test to every new client at the end of their first season.

• Custom Treatment - Round 10 of our lawn program is tailored to your specific soil type.

  • Clients with acidic soil will receive lime to raise the pH.

  • Clients with ideal pH will receive a pelitized granular compost affectionately known as Superfood.

  • Clients with alkaline soil will receive granular sulfur to lower the pH. 

• 3X the Amount of Potassium – The 2025 test results indicated that 30% of our clients were deficient in Potassium.

  • To further demonstrate our commitment to providing the best science-backed program possible, we've increased Potassium inputs by 3X in 2026 at NO ADDITIONAL cost. 

Lab Testing Is Better

While hand-held probes and meters may seem convenient, they lack the accuracy and depth of analysis required for precise lawn care. Many of these devices can have errors as large as 2.0 pH units, a significant difference in a system where even slight variations can substantially impact nutrient availability.

This level of precision ensures that our custom lawn treatments are based on science, not guesswork.

The Natural State Advantage

With our scientific approach to soil management, we eliminate the guesswork from lawn care. Instead of applying generic treatments, we fine-tune our programs based on actual soil conditions, helping your lawn reach its full potential while minimizing unnecessary chemical use.

A healthy lawn starts with healthy soil. If you’re ready to see the difference precision soil testing can make, trust Natural State Horticare to provide expert solutions tailored specifically for your lawn.

Contact us today to learn more about our lab-based soil analysis and custom lawn care programs!