- 1). Dig a hole 12 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep. Measure both the depth and diameter with a measuring tape. With a trowel, smooth the edges so they are straight and smooth.
- 2). Pour water into the hole or fill it up with a gardening hose. Allow for the water to absorb into the hole overnight. Saturated soil will give you a more accurate reading than dry soil.
- 3). Fill the hole back up with water the next day. Make sure you fill the hole to the top. Insert a yard stick into the hole and measure the water line. Write down the results.
- 4). Measure the water line each hour until the water has been absorbed into the soil.
- 5). Read the results of the soil saturation test. Water absorbed at a rate between 1 to 3 inches an hour as adequate saturation. If it is more than 4 inches of water, your soil drains too fast for plant roots to absorb the water. You can fix this by adding a layer of peat moss to your lawn and tilling. Water absorbed at less than 1 inch indicates poor drainage that must be amended with an equal amount of compost and sand.
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