Weslaco, TX (KRGV) — Texas A&M AgriLife will hold a free soil testing event for growers along the Arroyo Colorado watershed to help them find out if they are using too much fertilizer on their land.

The event starts at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office in Weslaco. People can also get advice on handling pests and soil nutrients.

“Fertilizer costs have gone up in recent years. Providing this insight to the soil test can hopefully reduce the amount of nutrients they apply and also save them money because they're not adding as much,” Samantha Colunga with the Texas Water Resources Institute at Texas A&M AgriLife in Weslaco said.

Texas A&M AgriLife says using too much fertilizer leads to high nitrogen levels in the Arroyo Colorado. When oxygen levels drop, it causes algae blooms and fish die.