🧪 The Soil Test Translator

Got your UF/IFAS soil test back and it reads like a chemistry exam? Punch in your numbers — we'll tell you what they actually mean, in English, with the nerdy bits intact.

Your numbers

From the UF/IFAS Standard Soil Fertility Test (code 15). Don't have one yet? They're ten bucks — soilslab.ifas.ufl.edu. Best ten dollars in gardening.

Soil pH

Soil type

Phosphorus (P) ppm / mg/kg

Potassium (K) ppm / mg/kg

Magnesium (Mg) ppm / mg/kg

Calcium (Ca) ppm / mg/kg — optional

What your soil is telling you

Interpreted using UF/IFAS Mehlich-3 ranges. This is educational, not a fertilizer prescription — your county extension agent is the pro.

Ranges: P low ≤25 / med 26–45 / high >45 ppm · K low ≤35 / med 36–60 / high >60 ppm · Mg low ≤20 / med 21–40 / high >40 ppm (acid-mineral soils; Miami-Dade calcareous ranges differ). pH sweet spot for most plants: 5.5–6.5.