By Zoey Dudte
Are you struggling to produce the best crops in your fields, the best vegetables in your garden or even the nicest yard in the neighborhood? Maybe you are just curious about the nutrients that are in your soil.
Soil testing is a great tool to have available to you. This test will tell you the levels of nutrients in your soil and what you can do to improve your soil.
Soil testing may seem like another added cost or pointless to some folks, but it is really important. You don’t want to apply too much fertilizer that will harm the soil. Plus, buying fertilizer you don’t need is a lot more expensive than a soil test.
If you’re struggling with plant growth, a soil test is the quickest and easiest way to find out what nutrients are deficient and what the issue is. Ensuring that your soil is nutritious and is the highest quality it can be can lead to tremendous crop growth and/or a better-looking lawn.
Soil testing packages
Here at Ashland Soil and Water, we offer six different types of soil testing. All six soil tests include a complete test which tests the rates of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and nitrogen. The test also analyzes the pH, cation exchange capacity and organic matter.
There are three types of soil testing that we do that are targeted mainly for your turf and three types that are geared toward agricultural lands. The list of soil tests and prices are as follows:
• Ag S1: Basic Soil Test Package $10
• Ag S2: Basic Plus Soil Test Package $15
• Ag S3: Complete Soil Test $20
• Turf T1: Basic Turf & Ornamental Soil Test Package $15
• Turf T2: Basic Plus Turf & Ornamental Soil Test Package $20
• Turf T3: Complete Tuf & Ornamental Soil Test Package $45
With our agriculture testing, we produce a voluntary nutrient management plan for our customers. For reference, we use Tri-State Fertilizer guides. We can take the results from the soil test and the goals of the farm to create a plan that they can use for the next couple of years.
For garden and lawn soil testing, we will recommend a fertilizer that would address the nutrients the lawn is lacking.
Tips on tests
Now that you know how important soil testing can be and the pricing packages, I will give you a few tips on taking your soil test. When taking a soil test, you want to ensure you are getting at least 6 to 8 inches of soil. We have probes and “collect-n-go” buckets that you may borrow. Depending on how large an area you are testing, you will want to take multiple samples.
Mix the soil samples in a bucket and take at least a cup of soil out of that mixture to put in a bag. Ensure that you have all debris, like grass, sticks, and plant matter, taken out so that just the soil remains. Also, try to make sure the soil isn’t wet — this can alter the results of your test.
Now that you have all the information you need for a soil test, what are you waiting for? Ensure that this year your lawn will be better than your neighbors, your garden will be growing large, delicious vegetables and fruit and your yield goals will be soaring through the sky.
Our office is located at 110 Cottage St. in Ashland. You can find more information on our website at www.ashlandswcd.com, call into our office at 419-281-7645, or just stop by and say hello! We look forward to working with you and your soil needs!
(Zoey Dudte is the water quality specialist at Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District. She can be reached at 419-281-7645 or zoeydudte@ashlandswcd.com. )
