Soil test

[S.T.Fanatic]

I have been planting food plots for a number of years. I have never done a soil test or put down any lime. I know that is the first thing that should be done for optimal nutrient transfer/usage. Some years my turnips/radish/rape plots get hammered other years they receive little use. I took the year off from them this past season because i started a new rotation program. I will be planting some this august into a current clover, chicory plot. As a note I also have a much lower deer density than many of you have.

So my question is, will my plots (no mater the species planted) receive more use with limed plots or will they just need less fertilizer to produce a good crop?

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Plots with the correct pH will produce more food, which will bring in more deer (or keep the same number of deer there longer). Bulk lime is pretty cheap, so correcting the pH is usually a good first step if your soil test shows the soil is acidic. I get my soil tests done for around $15 from the u of mn. Here's a link to their testing lab. http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/

What area of SE MN are you from? I live in Olmsted County.

 

[tooln]

You can never go wrong doing a soil test. It will tell you exactly what you need for fertilizer and save you $$$$ in the long run.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Plots with the correct pH will produce more food, which will bring in more deer (or keep the same number of deer there longer). Bulk lime is pretty cheap, so correcting the pH is usually a good first step if your soil test shows the soil is acidic. I get my soil tests done for around $15 from the u of mn. Here's a link to their testing lab. http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/

What area of SE MN are you from? I live in Olmsted County.

The greater Rollingstone area.

 

[ruskbuckss]

I have been planting food plots for a number of years. I have never done a soil test or put down any lime. I know that is the first thing that should be done for optimal nutrient transfer/usage. Some years my turnips/radish/rape plots get hammered other years they receive little use. I took the year off from them this past season because i started a new rotation program. I will be planting some this august into a current clover, chicory plot. As a note I also have a much lower deer density than many of you have.

So my question is, will my plots (no mater the species planted) receive more use with limed plots or will they just need less fertilizer to produce a good crop?

Yes, they will.Depending on your PH the plants won't be able to even use a lot of the fertilizer you are putting down. I have seen it many times. The deer know what fields have been fertilized/limed. The deer will use the plots with the healthier better plants. I'm not saying that they wont hit the plots that are not fertilized, but side by side, they will pick the limed/fertilized plot.

 

[SD51555]

The way I look at it, you got however many thousands of dollars into your property. Why stop $30 short of bringing out it's max potential?

 

[Tap]

You'll tend to have less weed issues if your soil is amended for optimal growing of the crop you're planting, too.
A crop that struggles doesn't compete with weeds as well as a crop grown with the right pH.

 

[Someday isle]

I planted for the first time last year with no soil test. I was very pleased with my results but also felt they could be better. This year I did a soil test and the results showing how poor my soil really is are very informative. Here is a copy of one of mine just to show you how detailed it will be For me is was worth it and amending my soil is tied with adding better cover for my top priority this year. Post your results and some of the knowledgeable guys on this site will give you their advice.

 

[MRBB]

here, $ 7.50 for a GOOD honest soil test
why gamble
its silly IMO to not do this simple test
http://www.plantbiologic.com/t-soil.aspx


one bag of fertilizer is more, and if your not where you need to be, you can easy waste a bag of fertilizer, or a few lbs of seeds<
penny smart dollar dumb?
and NOT trying to bash, but ??