N RANCHING
atural Resources Keys to Accurate Soil Testing
Gathering accurate soil samples to determine fertilizer needs for pastures
W
ITH THE RISING COST OF FERTILIZER AND OTHER INPUTS, KNOWING exactly what a fi eld needs in terms of nutrients is im-
portant to keep expenses in check. That begins with know- ing what is already in the soil to maximize plant growth and health with soil testing. Taking a soil test is essential to determine the correct type
and rate of fertilizer to apply, says Mark McFarland, soil fertility specialist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The key to soil testing is a taking a good sample for accurate, high- quality test results, he says. Here are some key steps to follow:
Use clean sampling equipment To achieve accurate results, you need the right equipment
like a sharpshooter or soil probe, plastic buckets and sample bags that will hold at least one pint of soil. The shovel and other equipment should be free of debris and potential con- taminants, particularly animal manure or other residues that might contain nutrients.
Sample to the correct depth Six inches is the ideal depth for most samples. McFarland says
to mark the shovel for a 6-inch depth, then dig a v-shaped hole. “You want the sample to be a core from the surface to 6
inches deep. So, once you have dug the v-shaped hole, back the shovel blade up 1 or 2 inches from the edge and take a thin slice down to 6 inches. You can use a pocket knife or putty knife to trim the sides of the sample so you have a fairly uni- form core about 2-3 inches wide and thick, and 6 inches deep.” Most soil probes are pre-marked to 6 inches. Place the sample in the clean plastic bucket and remove any roots or rocks. If you have major soil variation with depth, for example a
sand overlying a clay soil, then it may be wise to take a second sample from 6 to 12 inches deep. When this is done, separate buckets are needed for the 0- to 6- and the 6- to 12-inch samples.
Get a composite sample Composite sampling means that multiple individual soil
cores are collected and mixed together. This is essential to obtain a good soil sample and reduces potential error caused by unusual spots in a fi eld that you may not be able to see. “For instance, if fertilizer was accidently spilled or there was overlap at a certain spot during a previous application,” ex- plains McFarland. The additional samples used to produce
28 The Cattleman January 2014
Take a core sample from the surface to 6 inches deep.
Use clean plastic buckets and sample bags that will hold at least a pint of soil.
The fi rst tool needed for soil testing is a clean sharpshooter or soil probe.
By Kim Potts
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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