# New construction...should I get a soil test?



## kem5882 (Apr 30, 2020)

Here are my circumstances. New construction home closed September last year. Just had a pool installed in the back yard. Current soil is just hard, red clay that was dug up from the pool and spread around.

Laying sod soon and plan to amend the red clay by tilling in some compost. Then I will top and level with 1-2" of sand and then drop the sod over top.

Is there any value in getting a soil test of that red clay right now? Or just wait until I go through the above process and get a soil test later in the summer?

Any thoughts or guidance appreciated.


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## Grizzly Adam (May 5, 2017)

I wouldn't worry about a full soil test, but I would definitely be doing mason jar tests as you go to keep track of how much your amendments are actually changing your soil.


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## Lawn Whisperer (Feb 15, 2021)

Yes, IMO it's best to get a soil test now. If you have to make pH adjustments it can be incorporated to the soil. Especially, if your going to till the soil. It can take lime up to 3 years for it to get deeper into the soil; but in a few hours of tilling you would have incorporated it deep into the root zone.


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## Vtx531 (Jul 1, 2019)

Maybe search about tilling before sod. (or tilling before any lawn project). Keep the tiller for the garden. Otherwise you may get settling and end up with a bumpy, lumpy lawn.


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## littlehuman (Jun 10, 2020)

FWIW, I tilled new soil into my GA clay before laying my sod. Just be prepared to roll the sod into place once done (which should probably be done anyway to increase sod/soil contact).

It's very difficult to get a completely smooth lawn after sodding. The sod pieces themselves are rarely the exact height of one another, so it's to be expected that a leveling project is in your future, regardless. You can see in my lawn journal how smooth I was able to get everything after sodding, and I still moved forward with a sand level during the summer.

If you've rock hard clay soil, then tilling in compost and/or better dirt will go a long, long way for the health of your yard.


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## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

Personally, I don't think I'd try to till high clay content soil. Lawnwhisper makes a good point about pH change, but I don't think it would outweigh the possible downsides of tilling clay. In any case, wait a year after the sod is installed to take samples and test and go from there. In the meantime, follow the fertilizing advice of the sod farm/installers.


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## kem5882 (Apr 30, 2020)

Thanks to everyone for their input. Seems to be some differing opinions, which I definitely understand.

I ultimately decided not to till and just put a solid layer of sand down instead. Several reasons for that but the primary one was the amount of extra work tilling would be. Ha.

And I agree, very hard to get level. Even with a sand base it was tough (it was hard to spread the sand 
out evenly and smoothly because of how fine/soft it was). I can tell I'll have some leveling projects in my future.

Will probably wait a bit on the soil test for now as well.


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