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Elbert County
UGA Extension Office

Services

Current Services Available

Lab staff are practicing Covid-19 prevention practices and will come in only long enough to process samples and to read results. Due to this need the types of samples taken are limited to the list below:

  • W1: Basic Water Test
  • W2: GA Expanded Water Test
  • W24: Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
  • W33: GA - Certification for Drinking Water Providers
  • W33B: Water Sample for Home Closing
  • W33C: Dept. of Public Health: Private Well Chemical Test
  • W35: Total Coliform / E. coli (Colilert)
  • F1: Hays and Silage (NIR + nitrate + minerals)
  • F2: Hays and Silage (NIR + nitrate, excluding minerals)
  • F3: Hays and Silage (NIR only)
  • S1: Routine Soil Test
  • P1: Basic Plant Test

Samples (excluding bacterial water samples) will be mailed on Friday afternoons. If you have any questions or need to process a bacterial water sample please call the office at 706-283-2037.


Whether you'd like to increase your crop yield, grow healthier plants, test the quality of your drinking water, or make sure your creek isn't polluted, we can help. All samples should be submitted directly to our office and are sent to the University of Georgia Extension's Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Laboratories (AESL) for analysis. As a unit of the Cooperative Extension Service within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the AESL's mission is to provide objective analytical services to agricultural producers, consumers, and agribusinesses. These services combined with unbiased interpretations and recommendations contribute to a competitive agriculture, a healthy environment and an improved quality of life.


Soil

Soil sample bag

Routine Soil Test - $10 (price change starting January 15, 2021)

Provides pH and nutrient availability (phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, and zinc), as well as recommendations to prepare soil for the specified crop. Please see our publication about Soil Testing for Home Lawns, Gardens, and Wildlife Food Plots.


Plant Tissue 

Plant foliage

Basic Plant Diagnosis

Plant samples often need to be screened for insect damage, the presence of disease, or general identification. Basic plant diagnosis is a service we offer free of charge. Please call ahead to schedule an agent visit, either on-site or at our office. We will meet with you, look over your sample, and offer a recommendation for control or improvement.

Tips for Submitting Plant Specimens for ID

When possible, collect a generous sample of the plant's stem with leaves still attached. Try to include any flowers, fruits, cones or buds of the plant.

Deliver the specimen fresh to the county Extension Office. Plant samples may not be identifiable if they have been crushed, decayed or dried and shriveled.

To assist in obtaining a rapid, accurate identification of plant specimens, please bring as much of the following information as possible:

  • Description of site where plant was collected. (Sun/shade, natural area/landscape, wet/dry area)
  • Date it was collected.
  • Description of plant (size, shape, description of flowers, etc.).
  • Stage of growth: seedling, blooming, fruiting.

Plant Disease Clinic: $10 - $25

For more complex issues, plant material and soil may be sent to the Plant Disease Clinic to analyze for bacterial, fungal, viral, and nematode pathogens, as well as appropriate control measures when available. This service is available to both homeowners and commercial clients.


Insect Identification

Proper diagnosis is necessary to achieve good pest management, and basic insect identification is a service we offer free of charge, as well. We ask that when coming into the office for identification services, you call ahead to confirm a time to meet with our ANR agent. We will meet with you, look over the specimen, and offer a recommendation for control, if necessary. It's important to remember that only a small percentage of insects on plants are pests.


Private Pesticide License

Video & Electronic Test

We will provide an affidavit for notarization to verify citizenship and will scan driver's license and submit with application.


Water 

Water sample bottles

Basic Mineral Test - $25

Checks for pH, water hardness, and the presence of 16 minerals.

Bacterial Test - $40

Checks for the presence of Total Coliform and E. Coli bacteria.

For more information, please see our Household Water Quality publications:


Forage

Rolled bales of hay

Basic Hay Test - $25 (price change starting January 15, 2021)

Provides moisture content, Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Crude Fiber (estimated), Crude Protein, Lignin, Nitrates, Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN), and Relative Forage Quality (RFQ).

Please see our publication about Improving and Understanding Forage Quality. 


Animal Waste

Pile of chicken litter

Chicken Litter Test - $5

Provides total nitrogen content, as well as the availability of 12 minerals.


911 Address Signs

911 sign reading 503

911 Sign - $15

Local ordinance dictates that homes must have an identifying street number located on the same side of the street as the structure. A mailbox across the street with numbers is not sufficient. To order your 911 address sign, please contact our office. These signs are bright blue and mounted on a 3ft. t-post. The reflective numbers are printed by Elbert County Emergency Services.  


Other pricing options, as well as more specific tests, are available.