Cornell Cooperative Extension

Suffolk County
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Horticulture Diagnostic Labs

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Gardeners and ornamental horticulture professionals alike may contact our Diagnostic Labs for answers to their questions about plants, gardens, landscapes and lawns. The Labs also offer diagnostic services to help diagnose plant problems and diseases as well as identify insect and tick specimens. You can phone in questions, or drop off samples and specimens for diagnosis or identification.  We have two locations to serve you better: 

423 Griffing Ave., Riverhead, NY 11901; information line 631-727-4126 

& 

Bayard Cutting Arboretum, Great River, NY; information line 631-727-4126.

Soil Testing

Homeowners as well as commercial growers and ornamental horticulture professionals alike may have soil tested for pH and conductivity (soluble salts).Results of soil tests are sent to individuals via regular mail or email if you choose. Each report indicates the soil pH, the conductivity reading as well as a rate of limestone (if needed) to raise the soil pH into the correct range for the plants/crops being grown in the sampled soil.

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Submission Forms

Please fill out the appropriate form and include it with your submitted samples. All forms include instructions for submitting samples. Prices updated 2022.

Ordering Commercial Horticulture publications: Commercial Horticulture Publications Order Form

Soil pH Testing Submission Forms

Plant Problem Diagnosis

Insect, Spider & Plant Identification


Tick Identification

Homeowner/Homegardener

Herbaceous Plants (Flowers) & Ornamental Grass Problem

Insect Identification

Tick Identification

Commercial Horticulture Professional (landscaper, arborist, garden center, etc.)

Indoor Plant Problem

Plant Identification

Commercial Agriculture Grower (vegetables, fruits, nursery stock, sod, greenhouse/container grower)

Lawn Problem

Spider Identification

Tree, Shrub, Vine, Groundcover Problem

Tree Fruit & Small Fruit Problem

Vegetable Problem

Contact

Alice Raimondo
Horticulture Consultant
aw242@cornell.edu
631-727-4126

Last updated November 25, 2025

Horticulture Diagnostic Labs

Additional Soil Testing Services Provided by Other Labs

Soil Nutrient Testing at the Cornell Nutrient Analysis Laboratories (CNAL), Ithaca, NY.

All grower and home gardener soil samples for the standard fertility test package using the Modified Morgan method and recommendations are now being processed at Agro-One as are the payments, fees, and questions pertaining to your routine soil fertility analysis. When submitting samples directly to Agro-One, please request theCornell recommendation; otherwise, you may receive no recommendation - just results.

All questions pertaining to the soil nutrient testing servicesshould be directed to Agro-One Services. Calls can be made to Agro-One at 1.800.496.3344 or 607.257.1272. Instructions for taking samples and submitting samples along with costs and submission forms are available at the following Agro-One web site:https://dairyone.com/services/soil-laboratory/soil...

Cornell Soil Health Testing

Soil health describes the capacity of a soil to be used productively without adversely affecting its future productivity, the ecosystem or the environment. Soil health emphasizes the integration of biological with chemical and physical measures of soil quality that affect farmers' profits and the environment.

The Cornell Soil Health Program Work Team has developed soil measurements to help monitor the state of soil health both in space and time. These indicators can measure soil improvement or degradation resulting from different management practices and also the long term changes in soil health under given management practices.

For more information on the Cornell Soil Health Testing program including all costs, sampling instructions, submission forms, etc. visit their web site at (http://soilhealth.cals.cornell.edu/testing-services/comprehensive-soil-health-assessment/)

Cornell Waste Management Institute - Soil Quality and Testing

The information on theCornell Waste Management Institute - Soil Quality and Testingwebsite is intended to help people who are interested in learning about soil contamination, soil testing, interpreting test results, and best practices for healthy soils. Among other subjects a list of laboratories certified by the NYS Department of Health Environmental Laboratory Approval Program (ELAP) to conduct lead analyses is available at this web site. Many laboratories on this list also test for other hazardous materials, air emissions, etc.

Support the efforts of the Horticulture Diagnostic Lab

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Open to the Public

See us in person with your horticulture questions, or deliver us your soil, plant or insect samples. Samples may be also be left in a dropbox at the front door of the Horticulture Diagnostic Labs at 423 Griffing Avenue in Riverhead. Our Bayard Cutting Arboretum, Great River location is open on Thursdays  and Fridays only through October; closing October 31, 2025 until April 2026.

Please be assured staff are working to continue to support all of our residents and businesses.

Horticulture Hotline: 631-727-4126
Monday-Friday 9am-12noon

Contact sib7@cornell.edu or aw242@cornell.edu for further information.

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