Free Soil Testing Is Available to All Watershed Property Owners

Again this Spring, there are smart Lake-friendly fertilizing savings available to all property owners within the Candlewood Lake Watershed (and beyond) which will protect our shared environment as well as your wallet. Soil Testing Day is scheduled for Saturday, April 17, and will be held in both New Fairfield and Sherman. The event offers property owners the opportunity to receive free, scientific guidance on how to enhance the fertility of their soils and nourish their lawn and garden plantings while minimizing harmful effects to our Watershed and treasured Candlewood Lake. Special discount prices on recommended fertilizers are planned as well – to be offered by two of our leading garden centers: Scott's Landscaping and Nursery in New Milford, and Dom's Garden Center in Danbury -- to balance your soil’s nutrient content and add to these savings. It’s smart, free and easy to participate!

This will be our thirteenth year hosting this unique event that has benefited over 1,050 residents to date. Designed to raise awareness of the financial, energy and environmental values of smart fertilizing practices, importantly it will help avoid unnecessary, inappropriate or over-fertilization by testing submitted soil samples before fertilizing decisions are made. Following tradition, this year’s event is being hosted by its founding organization -- the Candlewood Watershed Initiative, and co-sponsored by Candlewood Lake Authority, Candlewood Voices, and Friends of Ball Pond in conjunction with the CT Agricultural Experiment Station with its Soil Test Lab in New Haven.

Note that this year’s format is being modified in two ways to ensure the event is covid-safe by limiting human interaction: a) participants are requested to download and print Sampling Instructions posted to the CLA website, and then b) proceed to draw, package and label their soil samples for handoff at one of two Sampling Sites on Saturday morning, 4/17. The website -- candlewoodlakeauthority.org/soiltesting -- may be accessed, and samples drawn at any time in advance of 4/17, ideally when the soil is dry. Both Sampling Sites will be open from 9 AM to noon on the 17th and will have balloons hoisted for easy identification. One is located in New Fairfield at the lower parking lot behind Town Hall; the other in Sherman Green towards the back parking area. Simply drive up to an awaiting volunteer and hand off your packaged soil samples that will then be delivered directly to the Soil Test Lab for expedited processing.

The Soil Testing event simply involves digging soil samples from representative portions of your lawn and/or garden, inserting them in zip-lock or similar plastic baggies, delivering them to a Soil Sampling Site, and then sitting back to receive your test results by mail from the CT Agricultural Experiment Station. It’s a great deal particularly for those concerned about their property’s health and that of the environment. So mark the date, draw and package your samples, and keep an eye out for a follow-on article on 4/15 that will provide confirming specifics and how you, your lawn and garden – as well as Candlewood Lake and its Watershed -- can benefit. We suggest retaining these directions for reference, and look forward to your covid-safe participation.