How would you feel if you went to your doctor for a checkup and all she did was glance at you and say, "You look OK to me. Just keep doing what you are doing and come back to see me next year."

You wouldn't feel as if that superficial exam was telling you anything, would you? A doctor always makes you get a blood test and does some other probing to see if everything is normal, right?

So why should you treat your landscape, lawn or garden any different? Unfortunately, many homeowners make decisions on landscape care not knowing anything about the nutrient levels in their soil.

Do you know what the pH, phosphorous, potassium and other levels are in your soil? What levels are needed to feed your flowers or lawn? Is the soil too acidic for your plants to use the nutrient levels already there?

Good gardeners have their soil tested every two or three years to answer such questions.

The University of Georgia's Cooperative Extension has a lab in Athens to test the soil.

Soil samples can be taken any time during the year, but fall is the most desirable time. The soil pH and nutrient levels will be at or near their lowest points during this time. Fall sampling also allows sufficient time to apply lime well before next year's growing season.

The best lab in the world can't return accurate information if the sample you submit is poorly collected.

Map out the area where the plants or lawn are to be grown or are presently growing. This will help in record keeping and ensure that the soil is taken from throughout the entire area. Divide the area in such a way that each soil sample represents one plant type or condition.

For example, keep samples from the lawn area, flower garden, shrubbery bed and vegetable garden separate. Use a zigzag approach when taking the samples, collecting about 10 soil samples from each location. For trees and shrubs, take soil samples from six to eight spots around the drip line of the plants.

The depth of sampling depends on the type of plants being grown, but you typically like to go down the depth of where most of the roots grow. For lawns, sample down to 4 to 6 inches. For gardens, ornamentals and fruit trees, sample to a depth of 6 inches.

Use clean sampling tools and containers to avoid contaminating the soil sample. Never use tools that have been in contact with fertilizer or lime. Collect samples with tools such as trowels, shovels, spades, or hand probes. Place the soil in a plastic bucket. Mix all this together to make one sample. You will only need about a pint of soil to submit to the lab.

If the soil is wet, spread it out on some newspaper and let it dry for a day.

A zippered sandwich bag is a great container to put the soil in. Extension office staff can transfer the soil to our own bags for shipping. The cost for each sample is $8.

Within a week to 10 days, you will get a report by e-mail or regular mail on your soil. The report will highlight the levels of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and the pH of your soil.

You'll also get a recommendation of how much fertilizer and lime is needed for the landscape, garden plants or grasses you are growing.

One thing your report will not have is the nitrogen level, because it is too volatile to obtain an accurate reading.

And certainly, if you don't understand your report, give us a call and we can explain it to you.

REACH SID MULLIS, DIRECTOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA EXTENSION SERVICE OFFICE FOR RICHMOND COUNTY, AT (706) 821-2349 OR SMULLIS@UGA.EDU.