Soil samples

[Dukslayr]

Quick question on soil samples. Is there any reason to wait until closer to “planting season” to pull my samples or am I okay to pull them now? I haven’t ever taken samples during winter and wanted to make sure there’s not something I’m missing. I’m hoping to take my samples mid February so I can start getting things in order for the spring planting.

 

[seadonist]

I take my samples as soon as the season is over and start putting down lime as soon as my results are back but I don’t fertilize until time to plant.


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[Dukslayr]

I take my samples as soon as the season is over and start putting down lime as soon as my results are back but I don’t fertilize until time to plant.


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Yeah that was my thought on trying to get my samples ASAP...would like to get the lime down sooner rather than later.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Soil test kits come with directions. The kits I've seen & used tell you how to take samples from various spots in a field, how deep to dig, dry your sample(s), etc. Follow those and you should be fine.

 

[yoderjac]

Quick question on soil samples. Is there any reason to wait until closer to “planting season” to pull my samples or am I okay to pull them now? I haven’t ever taken samples during winter and wanted to make sure there’s not something I’m missing. I’m hoping to take my samples mid February so I can start getting things in order for the spring planting.

As long as you can take samples at the depth you want, there should be no problem. Fertilizer recommendations are aimed at farmers. Most soil tests don't measure N at all. P&K recommendations come from a combination of what your soil has and what the crop you plan to plant requires. Most N recommendations only rely on the needs of the plant. If you get more comprehensive test, they will ask about previous legume crops and yield. This is to provide a rough estimate of banked N.

Keep in mind that fertilizer recommendations are for farmers who are generally planting monocultures and you want to maximize yield per acre and who harvest a crop removing a lot of nutrients from the soil. Fertilizer recommendations are as much an art as a science. If you don't specify the crop they generally won't provide a recommendation. If you take the results to 3 different agronomists and ask for a recommendation, you will get a somewhat different one from each.

I'm not suggesting that soil testing is not valuable. I personally avoid monocultures and always include legumes in a mix or rotation. I completely ignore N recommendations. The only added N my crops get are the small amount in the MAP I use to achieve my P requirements. Ball park levels are plenty good enough for food plots.

I would say the most important thing most folks get out of a soil test is a lime recommendation. Avoiding tillage that can consume OM and disturb the soil tilth will get you a long way in the right direction. A surface application of lime when needed will help plants utilize the nutrients much better.

I started out by following fertilizer recommendations (at least for P and K). Over time, with experience, I've learned to let the crops tell me if they are doing ok. My long term objective is to build healthy enough soil and use a smart mix of complementary deer crops with smart weed tolerance so that I don't need to fertilize at all. Right now, I'm still adding P&K every few years but levels are dipping less and less.

Just some food for though as you move through the process...

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Bill]

I’m going to bet where you are located the ph levels are pretty decent. You’re not all that far from me. I’m actually going to do my first soil testing ever this year. Yep, first time ever...

Clover grows like weeds around my place never fed it a thing. I’ve never amended anything for beans but have added some N P K to corn and brassicas. Just based on what the guy at the coop said would be fine for food plots. So far I have had some good corn based on just that.

Really only testing out of curiosity at this point.

 

[swat1018]

I'd get it tested by MFA or F/S, or send a kit off somewhere. Sooner the better, if you have big fields, and want the COOP to do it, winter is about the only time they have time to. Before the ground thaws too much.

 

[Dukslayr]

I’m going to bet where you are located the ph levels are pretty decent. You’re not all that far from me. I’m actually going to do my first soil testing ever this year. Yep, first time ever...

Clover grows like weeds around my place never fed it a thing. I’ve never amended anything for beans but have added some N P K to corn and brassicas. Just based on what the guy at the coop said would be fine for food plots. So far I have had some good corn based on just that.

Really only testing out of curiosity at this point.

Interesting Bill. I got the kits so I’m going to do it for the hell of it regardless. Mostly planting beans and clover (and probably done brassicas) so hopefully I’ll have similar results as you.

 

[Dukslayr]

I'd get it tested by MFA or F/S, or send a kit off somewhere. Sooner the better, if you have big fields, and want the COOP to do it, winter is about the only time they have time to. Before the ground thaws too much.

I’ve got the kits...just need to pull the samples and send off. Curious to see what these old crop fields that have been in CRP for 20+ years come back at.

 

[FarmerDan]

I’m going to bet where you are located the ph levels are pretty decent. You’re not all that far from me. I’m actually going to do my first soil testing ever this year. Yep, first time ever...

Clover grows like weeds around my place never fed it a thing. I’ve never amended anything for beans but have added some N P K to corn and brassicas. Just based on what the guy at the coop said would be fine for food plots. So far I have had some good corn based on just that.

Really only testing out of curiosity at this point.

Bill,
I'm just curious to know if your soil pH is close to the 'natural' pH depicted on this map:
http://www.bonap.org/2008_Soil/pH20110321.png

Find you home spot and click it to zoom in.

I love this map! If you can do a little twisting and diving it will tell you most everything you need to know! But, by all means, do some occasional soil testing just to confirm you assumptions and beliefs!

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Bill,
I'm just curious to know if your soil pH is close to the 'natural' pH depicted on this map:
http://www.bonap.org/2008_Soil/pH20110321.png

Find you home spot and click it to zoom in.

I love this map! If you can do a little twisting and diving it will tell you most everything you need to know! But, by all means, do some occasional soil testing just to confirm you assumptions and beliefs!

That is pretty much spot on for both my places. At least within .1

 

[Bill]

Bill,
I'm just curious to know if your soil pH is close to the 'natural' pH depicted on this map:
http://www.bonap.org/2008_Soil/pH20110321.png

Find you home spot and click it to zoom in.

I love this map! If you can do a little twisting and diving it will tell you most everything you need to know! But, by all means, do some occasional soil testing just to confirm you assumptions and beliefs!

Cool map!
Based on that I’m in the 6.1 to 6.9 range. Probably why clover flourishes. Now I have to do some tests just to see how much I’ve sucked out of the ground over the years.

 

[Mortenson]

One point with the soil sampling is that it's preferred to take them at the same time from 1 yr to the next. It's easier to keep track that way of changes that should be happening. Maybe this goes w/o saying.

 

[Dukslayr]

Cool map!
Based on that I’m in the 6.1 to 6.9 range. Probably why clover flourishes. Now I have to do some tests just to see how much I’ve sucked out of the ground over the years.

Yeah looking like I’m 6.2-6.9 if I’m reading that map correctly. Cool map.

 

[yoderjac]

Yeah looking like I’m 6.2-6.9 if I’m reading that map correctly. Cool map.

You can't beat that! You're making me jealous...

 

[swat1018]

It shows a little high, compared to my actual in NEMO.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Shows 6.5 for me but my last test was 7.6 Im sure there are some variations and the county I'm in there is some "swirling" so I just might not be reading it accurately.

 

[FarmerDan]

Shows 6.5 for me but my last test was 7.6 Im sure there are some variations and the county I'm in there is some "swirling" so I just might not be reading it accurately.

The map is intended to depict the natural pH of the soil. Adding lime to a soil with a tendency for a neutral pH will only push it into alkaline territory. Conversely, applying acid forming fertilizers can only push down the natural pH.

The map is a good place to start understanding the basic material you might be working with, but one needs some knowledge of what has or hasn't been done to amend the soil in the recent past.

And, in any instance, the local (micro) parent material from which soil is derived can be much different than can be accounted for on a map (macro) of the United States.

 

[davidhelmly]

I just found the map link and that is very cool! I'm in the 5.2 range on the map and that's pretty close, we usually run 4.9-5.2 before lime.

 

[H20fwler]

Very nice map link, matches what we have seen 7-7.2