Soil testing
Find out the pH and what the soil is missing before adding anything.
Nassau County · Father-and-son crew
Soil Amendment in Nassau County for Sandy Long Island Soil
Wondering if your yard needs soil amendment in Nassau County? If water runs right through your beds and the lawn is thin no matter what you do, the soil is often the reason. Long Island soil is mostly sand. We’re Arnol MR Landscaping, a father-and-son crew, and we fix the ground your plants grow in.
Better ground
Soil Amendment
Soil amendment means adding something to the soil to make it better for plants. On Long Island, that usually means two things: helping sandy soil hold water and food, and fixing the pH.
Start with a soil test
A soil test tells us the pH and what the soil is missing. It keeps us from guessing, and from adding things the soil doesn’t need. New York’s fertilizer rules also depend on it: phosphorus is only allowed on an existing lawn if a soil test shows it’s needed.
Compost
Compost is the best fix for sandy soil. It holds water, feeds the soil and helps roots grow. We mix it into new beds and spread a thin layer, about a quarter to half an inch, over lawns after aeration.
Compost
Mixed into beds and top-dressed on lawns to build better soil.
Lime
Raises the pH of acidic soil so grass can use its food.
Topsoil
Fills low spots and builds up thin soil before seeding or sod.
pH
Why pH matters on Long Island
A lot of Long Island soil is on the acidic side. Most lawns grow best at a pH of about 6 to 7. When the soil is too acidic, the grass can’t use the food that’s already there, and adding more fertilizer doesn’t help.
Lime for lawns
Lime raises the pH slowly over months. Fall is a good time to put it down so it works over winter. We only add lime when a soil test says the lawn needs it.
Acid-lovers
Azaleas, rhododendrons, blueberries and hollies like acidic soil. We keep lime away from them. For blue hydrangeas, acidic soil is what keeps the flowers blue.
Where we work
Where we do soil amendment in Nassau County
We do soil amendment for homes in East Williston, Garden City, Mineola, East Meadow, Levittown, Bethpage, Plainview, Hicksville, Albertson, Roslyn Heights, Carle Place and Westbury. See every town on our Nassau County towns list.
- No fertilizer December 1 to April 1: New York State bans lawn fertilizer during these months.
- No phosphorus, most of the time: lawn fertilizer with phosphorus is only allowed for a new lawn or when a soil test shows the lawn needs it.
- Keep it off pavement: any fertilizer that lands on a driveway, walk or street has to be swept back up.
- Keep it away from water: no fertilizer within 20 feet of a pond, stream or other water, unless there is a 10-foot planted buffer.
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.
Related services: flower bed installation, lawn fertilization, seeding and overseeding and sod installation.
Soil Amendment questions
What homeowners ask about soil amendment in Nassau County
Who’s the best soil amendment service near me?
One that tests the soil before adding anything. Ask what they’d add and why. If the answer is the same for every yard, they aren’t looking at yours.
What do I do if water runs right through my garden beds?
That’s sandy soil. Mix a few inches of compost into the top 8 to 12 inches and keep 2 to 3 inches of mulch on top. Water deeply and less often.
Is topsoil the same as compost?
No. Topsoil is mostly mineral soil used to fill and level. Compost is broken-down plant matter that feeds the soil. Most beds and lawns do best with a mix.
How much does soil amendment cost?
It depends on the size of the area and what the soil needs. Text a few photos for a free quote.
Nassau County
Fix the soil in your Nassau County yard.
Text a few photos of the lawn or beds that are struggling.