Best time of year for a soil test?

[Someday isle]

What time of year do you guys do your soil test? My December plan is to really clean up my campground area and get some wood split. We had a bunch of downed trees both from years past and from this year that we cut up. My campground was pretty overgrown when I bought the property. I expect to spend most of December working on that. In January I plan to start some hinge cutting and begin clearing a new area for a food plot. In other words I'm going to be there a lot. I still have my existing logging roads as well as the new area to test the soil in. What time of year should I do that to get results back in time for spring planting?

 

[j-bird]

I'm not sure it matters from the test data stand point. As far as getting it back for spring - it's going to depend on the turn around of the lab you use. The place you plan on taking the samples to should be able to tell you what the average turn-around time is. Obviously the sooner the better. If your ground isn't frozen you could do it now even if you wanted. Otherwise anytime after the ground thaws is fine as well. Just keep in mind you need to get 6" to 12" or so into the ground......a soil probe works real well if you have access to one. Lots of places will let you borrow one for pulling your samples. A probe helps get an even distribution of the soil column vs just digging a hole.

 

[WTNUT]

I don't know if there is a best time, but I generally take my samples in January so I have them back in plenty of time before planting. I focus on fertilizer at this time, because our lime is always stored outside and always wet in the winter. If I am focusing on applying lime in the fall, I would take it in the summer when the lime is dry and you are not paying for moisture.


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[MoBuckChaser]

Best time to test is after your current crop is done growing!

 

[Someday isle]

Thanks for the replies. I did a little research today and found that the University of Missouri extension has an office in St. Louis County. It's $22 for a soil test and they have an estimated 2 week turnaround time. They gave some great info on their website including a phone contact. They request a cup and a half of soil mixed from each area. They also recommend a soil test probe for best results. We have mild enough weather predicted the next few weeks so I'll get some samples and get it to them before the end of the month. That way even with the Holidays I should have results in January. That'll go a long way towards planning appropriate amendments this winter and early spring. I see no reason I can't lime this winter provided I can find it available and then fertilize as suggested. Thanks again for the replies! I'm sure I'll have more questions when I get results back. Maybe I'll even share the results just for fun and a little advice.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

For $22 you should be getting a good soil test. Make sure it includes not only what your PH is, but your Organic Matter and the micro nutrients. I see so many guys getting short changed on their soil test info. We use Agvise for our customers, $18 gets us what we need! Good luck and post the results.

PS: if you have more than one field, give them a name or field number so you know what test is for what plot. Because they can and do very from time to time quite a bit.

PS-PS: I have tested all 5 farms here in NW MO, every farm was low on Phosphorus, PH and had a OM of less that 2.5! So I hope yours are better!

 

[wiscwhip]

Keep in mind that this timing can be somewhat dependent on soil type. In soils that are highly prone to leaching nutrients(i.e. sandy), it may be better to wait until early spring to test. If you have a soil type that readily leaches nutrients and you test in the fall, do you really have an accurate test for next summer's plots? How much leached away during the excessively moist(or excessively dry) winter you just had? Are you sure that many of the nutrients you had this fall have not left the "effective root zone" of the plants and is now possibly deeper than most plants can use?

 

[broom_JM]

The one piece of advice that really stuck with me is to take your soil samples at the same time each year, whenever that may be. Each result is a snapshot of the conditions in your soil, so when you capture that information should be consistent, year to year. PH and macro nutrients are important to know, but make sure you get a measurement of your CEC, and learn how that number is so important to growing things in your soil.

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[TreeDaddy]

22$ for soil test seems high

Mossy oak charges 7.50$ and turnaround is 48-72 hours by email

I have been happy with them


bill

 

[MoBuckChaser]

$7.50? bet thats a good test......

 

[Someday isle]

Agreed - while I wouldn't necessarily call myself frugal I am measured in what I spend and how I spend it. In the grand scheme of things spending a little more for a more complete test is well worth it to me. While very new to this I am in it for the long haul. In order to get a good foundation started I'm more than willing to pay a little extra. Including what I've spent on hunting gear, toys and tools for habitat development, not to mention the land itself, I don't want to skimp on a soil test. From my understanding the MU extension does a thorough job. I spent twenty plus years as a mechanic in a car dealer and am a firm believer in the right tool for the job. Today I ordered a soil probe from Ben Meadows. My six individual trails are really divided into two separate areas. When the test probe arrives my plan is to take two samples from each trail, which is six samples mixed together from each area. I'll then take four or five samples from my planned new plot and mix those together.

This year my cereal grains (rye and oats) responded quite satisfactorily and the clover seems to have gotten a good start too. My results from the radishes were mixed to be sure. Knowing that, I can probably continue to rely on cereal grains over the next few years while I get my soil amended properly. Ultimately I'd like to be able to add some brassicas because the radishes were very popular where they grew well. Without a proper soil test I'd just be guessing. Even if the MU extension charges me for three tests I think it's worth it to establish a good baseline foundation for my soil moving forward. That kind of rambled a little bit so I hope it makes sense. If all goes according to plan I should get results sometime in January. I'll post those when I get them.

Thanks again for all the responses. They all helped lead me in this direction.

 

[wiscwhip]

Great plan!!!! ^^^^