Soil Samples, Who, How and How often?

[buckeyefarmer]

Being a dirt poor farmer growing up, we never did soil samples. How do you test and who normally does it?

 

[RobertN]

Check first with your local University Ag extension office.
Check second with your local Master Gardeners office. Maryland Master Gardeners - Maryland Cooperative Extension

 

[MarkV]

As Robert said the ag extension service is what we use here. We get a little bag from the extension office for the soil, specify what we want to grow on the land and it is sent to the University of Georgia for testing. They send back a detailed report with recommendation on the type of fertilizer mix needed. Our cost here is $7.

In some areas fertilizer companies also offer the testing service through private labs.

MarkV

 

[piller]

Soil test annually if possible, keep records.

My local soil conservation office has a soil probe that can be checked out to take soil samples.

One soil test should be performed for an area of 10 acres or less, so if you have a larger field you should subdivide the field for your soil test.

I take a 5 gallon bucket and a soil probe. For field A I will go out and take several samples, up to 6" deep, from different locations in field A. I then mix up all of the field A soil samples in the bucket and use that dirt to fill a soil sample box I get locally from our co-op/extension office. Fill out the paperwork, mail the sample to our state testing lab, get the results back.

Repeat the process for your other fields.

 

[whistlepig]

Soil test annually if possible, keep records.

My local soil conservation office has a soil probe that can be checked out to take soil samples.

One soil test should be performed for an area of 10 acres or less, so if you have a larger field you should subdivide the field for your soil test.

I take a 5 gallon bucket and a soil probe. For field A I will go out and take several samples, up to 6" deep, from different locations in field A. I then mix up all of the field A soil samples in the bucket and use that dirt to fill a soil sample box I get locally from our co-op/extension office. Fill out the paperwork, mail the sample to our state testing lab, get the results back.

Repeat the process for your other fields.

This is the same way I do it. The local CO-OP should be able to set you up with everything you need. They recommend to soil test every year.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

thanks

 

[warhammer]

I went to an A&M ag extension course a year or so back and they covered this in detail.
http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/files/soilwebform.pdf
Above is a link to their form and directions on how to take the sample with a bucket and spade.

Warhammer

Being a dirt poor farmer growing up, we never did soil samples. How do you test and who normally does it?

 

[Kfbeal]

If you just want to know what rate of fertilizer to apply for hay, which test would you select? The Routine Analysis?

I plan to use the A&M center for testing. Thanks for posting that, I was looking for it a few weeks ago.

 

[Mike120]

Depending on how many soil samples you take, sending it off to A&M or any other University can get a bit expensive. You can buy test kits a lot cheaper. I use a LaMott model AST-5 (code 5410) that is good for 100 soil tests. It gets the price down to about 1/3 of what A&M charges.