Is Your Soil Ready for 2018?
Before you know it, you’ll be done with harvest. As you prepare for this fast-paced time of year, make sure your soil is at its best, too.
"A soil test is a road map to success," says Bobby Golden, Ph.D., Mississippi State University Extension Soil Fertility and Research Specialist. "Without a soil test, you don't know what you're starting with or where you're going to end up."
Why
Don’t miss out on yield potential. Soil test reports give you important information about the acidity and nutrient levels in your fields and fertilizer recommendations to correct deficiencies.
Soil testing can also reveal potential issues with soybean cyst nematode (SCN), which causes an estimated $1.5 billion in annual yield loss across the United States.
Sampling for SCN is the only way to detect if your fields are infested, giving you ample time to select SCN-resistant varieties and select and apply seed treatments for the next growing season.
How
- Use a soil probe to take cores at recommended depths.
- 6-inch depth in tilled fields
- 4-inch depth in minimum- or no-till fields
- Get at least 15 to 20 cores per sample location.
- Gather cores in a random zigzag pattern for accurate representation of the sample area.
- Take soil samples at least once every three years.
- Apply soil test recommendation every year until the next soil test is taken.
- Take soil samples at the same time of year to maintain consistent results over time.
- Sampling in the fall gives you time to apply fertilizer for spring-planted crops.
“Soil testing is the first step in maintaining a high-yield environment,” says Golden. “Without adequate soil nutrients, high-yielding soybeans are unachievable.”