Community Garden Soil Record & Testing Workbook

New World Survival · Revision September 4, 2026

This workbook is designed to stand on its own in the garden. Use it to define the soil question, document site history, select the correct laboratory, map samples, preserve reports and record what changed.

Rule: Do not check a box because you read about the task. Check it when you can produce the record or show the work.

Safety boundary: A routine fertility test does not automatically establish environmental safety. If site history suggests contamination, use the appropriate environmental process and qualified interpretation.

1. Garden and bed identification

Garden name		Date opened
Street/location
Bed/plot ID		Current gardener/steward
Growing system	☐ Native in-ground soil ☐ Raised bed ☐ Container ☐ Imported media ☐ Other: ______

2. What question are we answering?

☐ Fertility: pH, lime or nutrient recommendation

☐ Environmental safety: contaminant question based on site history

☐ Soil health/function: physical, biological or chemical performance

☐ Diagnostic: plant or soil problem requiring comparison

Write the question in one sentence:

What decision will the answer support?

3. Site-history screen

Question	Known	Unknown
Previous residential use	☐	☐
Previous commercial or industrial use	☐	☐
Auto repair, fuel, tanks, machinery or solvents	☐	☐
Old painted structures or demolition	☐	☐
High-traffic road exposure	☐	☐
Imported fill, rubble, ash or dumping	☐	☐
Historical orchard/pesticide use	☐	☐
Flooding, runoff or neighboring source concern	☐	☐
Existing environmental records/tests	☐	☐

Unresolved history question that could change testing:

4. Garden soil map

Mark north, paths, beds, old structures, fill zones, drainage areas and sample IDs. Do not combine areas merely because they are close together.

Sample/zone ID	Area represented	Why separate

5. Laboratory selection

Laboratory
Website/phone
Test ordered
What is included
What is not included
Who can interpret questions

6. Copy the laboratory's sampling instructions

Sampling depth		Subsamples required
Approved tools		Container
Sample amount		Drying/storage
Form/crop code		Submission date

Attach or save a copy of the actual laboratory instructions with this workbook.

7. Sample collection log

Sample ID	Date	Depth	Subsamples	Collector	Notes

8. Fertility report record

Copy only what the laboratory reports. Do not invent a target from another state's report.

Measure	Result	Lab interpretation	Recommendation/action
pH
Lime/buffer result
Phosphorus
Potassium
Organic matter, if tested
Soluble salts, if tested
Other

What the fertility report establishes:

What it does not establish:

9. Environmental testing record

Do not use this table to self-create a cleanup threshold. Record the result, laboratory method and the qualified interpretation you receive.

Analyte	Result/unit	Method/lab	Interpreter/contact	Decision

Agency/professional interpretation notes:

10. Amendment plan

Material	Reason	Rate/amount from recommendation	Date applied	Applied by

11. Imported soil or growing-media source log

Date	Supplier/product	Documentation/test	Batch/receipt	Destination bed

12. Raised-bed soil system record

Bed ID		Date built/refilled
Native soil condition/question
Separation/barrier design
Growing media sources
Path/adjacent soil exposure controls
Maintenance/replacement plan

13. Retest and change log

Date	What changed	Why it may matter	Retest/next action

Examples of meaningful change can include new fill, flooding, construction, demolition, a spill, a new contaminant concern or major changes in amendment practice.

14. Decision record

☐ Proceed

Question answered enough for the intended action.

☐ Investigate

History, test scope or interpretation remains incomplete.

☐ Modify

Change amendment or growing system based on evidence.

☐ Stop

Do not proceed until a safety-critical question is resolved.

Reason for decision:

Who approved/interpreted the decision:

15. Capability check

☐ I can explain fertility, contaminant and soil-health testing as different questions.

☐ I can identify site-history clues that require more investigation.

☐ I can locate the correct Extension or laboratory resource.

☐ I can follow that laboratory's exact sampling instructions.

☐ I can map and identify every submitted sample.

☐ I can find the laboratory's pH and nutrient recommendation.

☐ I can state what the report did not test or establish.

☐ I know when to seek environmental or public-health interpretation.

16. Handoff record

Where the original reports are stored:

Where digital copies are stored:

Person responsible for next review: