Soil testing is a management tool that is used to determine pH, nutrient levels, and appropriate fertilizer recommendations. It can give information on the soil’s ability to supply nutrients for best plant growth, thereby providing a basis for deciding what kind of fertilizers and amendments (such as compost or manure) are necessary, or no longer needed. This means a cost savings and avoids needless nutrient applications to the soil.
Soil Testing Basics:
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- What is it? Soil testing a reliable method for assessing plant needs for organic matter, potassium, phosphorous, and pH.
- Common additional tests include lead, soluble salts, or physical analysis for clay, silt, and sand content.
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Other tests for micronutrients are also available, such as calcium, magnesium, or sulfur, boron, manganese, and zinc.
- When? Soil should be sampled once every 3 to 5 years.
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Sample soil anytime it is not frozen, although some times of the year are better than others. Sampling in early spring or late fall assures that you will have recommendations before buying and applying lime, fertilizer, or other amendments.
- Avoid sampling directly after a fertilizer application, as this can cause elevated or incorrect readings.
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Where? For one sample, take at least 10 soil cores from one contiguous area and mix them together thoroughly, it is best to move in a M or W pattern throughout the site.
- Soil cores should be taken to the same depth that plant roots grow. This means 5 to 7 inches for most gardens and turf areas.
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A shovel, trowel, or soil auger can be used to dig out the sample.
- Be sure to break up the soil cores and discard any stones and plant residue.
- Soil samples must represent uniform soil areas with similar past management. In areas that are frequently tilled such as gardens, the visual appearance of the soil is a good indicator of uniformity.
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In turf areas it is important to know where sandy or heavy clay zones are located.
- Soil around homes is often highly variable. Soil is moved around during construction, and some soil is hauled in either as fill dirt or as topsoil. Separate samples by bed if necessary.
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How? Place 1 to 2 cups of the well mixed soil in a clean plastic bag or a soil testing bag, this is the composite sample that will be analyzed. Fill out the provided information sheet from the soil testing lab, this often includes history of the area, plants that are going to be grown, and a name of the sample.
- If several composite samples are taken, label each one differently and keep a record of the areas where you took each sample.
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One information sheet per composite sample is needed.
- The more complete the information you provide, the better the recommendation you will receive.
- Submit the sample by sending via U.S. mail, UPS or other delivery system, or drop the sample off at the provided address of the lab.
- Allow 1-2 weeks for results.
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