Q:
I recently purchase a farm I want to rehabilitate for crop product . What is a soil examination , and how can I use it for this use ?
A
1. Research your area.
“ Find out as much as you may through existing information about the soil in your area first , ” advises Jean Eells , Hamilton Soil and Water District Commissioner in Webster City , Iowa . “ The Natural Resources and Conservation Service has a Web Soil Survey that provides grunge data and information specific to your location and helps name what the area soil is capable of grow . ”
2. Acquire a soil test.
While garden center field and farm - supply store often sell basic , do - it - yourself soil test kit , your best wager is to contact your local extension office to see what university - affiliate test options are useable in your domain . Such tests are often quite economic ( less than $ 20 for a basic test in my area of Wisconsin ) and get in touch you to local resources more familiar with soil direction in your area . Additionally , such test will be analyzed by a commercial science lab , often university campaign , give way more accurate results .
3. Take a soil sample.
While you may technically sample soil anytime the ground is not frozen , it is right to sample in former spring or late fall so you have time to uprise and behave on anutrient - management planbefore the growing time of year .
4. Understand your results.
After you find your soil news report , the soil - management process get down . Soil tests typically check for three major nutrient — nitrogen ( N ) , phosphorus ( atomic number 15 ) and K ( K)—as well as soil pH level . Look at each element and interpret what it means and at what level it should be in relation to your garden — extension and other agency resource can be very helpful in making these conclusion . For case , pH levels range from 0 to 14 ; a 7 is see neutral while 0 is totally acidic . While most plants bearing edibles need a pH spirit level of around 6.5 , some works , such as blueberry , necessitate a gamey acidity of 4.5 to 5 to thrive . There are many intellect why soil pH levels might be out of residue , such as app of chemical plant food or disturbance of the surface . Depending on your needs and where your figure amount out , you might take to increase alkaline levels by adding fluxing lime or fall soil acidity with sulfur .
Soil tests in general can be repeated every three to four years as a barometer and planning instrument for long - term soil wellness . Remember , healthy land reflects the central rule of organic gardening : fee your soil well with natural inputs and let that food - heavy soil eat your plants . While larger , commercial cultivator might apply chemic plant food as a quick fix to reach soil balance , taking the meter to understand your filth as the sustenance , natural organism it is and continually adding level-headed stimulus , such as compost , enables your grunge and , after , your crop to fly high naturally and systematically .
A filth test is typically not a contingence for buying a farm , but it ’s not a uncollectible idea to get it on the basic nutrient content , especially the deficiencies of your soil ’s nutritive profile , before buying the land . Depending on what you want to grow and how cursorily you want to harvest and sell your first crop , a ground tryout can help you resolve if the filth ’s current shape meets your needs . That order , remember that soil can slowly be amend over time on most belongings . If everything is perfect about a potential belongings , from the house to the outbuilding to a outstanding view , only terribly problematical soil tests should impact a leverage conclusion . Learn more at theNRCS Soils site .
