| Soils are the source of thirteen of the | | | | Soils usually contain much higher |
| sixteen essential plant nutrients and | | | | amounts of nutrients than what we see in |
| can be viewed as suppliers of nutrients | | | | the reports, because lab results |
| to plants. Plants absorb available | | | | describe only the available nutrients to |
| nutrients, which can be replenished by | | | | plant. To estimate the amounts of |
| adding fertilizers. | | | | nutrients which are actually available |
| To achieve good yield and quality, | | | | to plants, different testing methods |
| nutrient balance has to be maintained. | | | | were developed. Some of these methods |
| Nutrient imbalance may result in | | | | give empirical values or measures. |
| deficiencies, toxicities or interference | | | | 4. Don't look only at the numbers in the |
| of one nutrient with the absorption of | | | | report |
| others. | | | | It's true, lab reports can be confusing: |
| This may result in stress to the crop, | | | | different labs use different testing |
| causing a decrease in quality and/or | | | | methods, resulting in different results |
| yields. Soil analysis is an important | | | | for the same sample! They may even use |
| tool for evaluating or avoiding problems | | | | the same methods, but express the |
| of nutrients balance. | | | | results in different units. |
| Why is soil analysis important? | | | | To correlate the numbers in the soil |
| You can roughly estimate just how much | | | | analysis report with crop response to |
| fertilizers you need to apply according | | | | added nutrients, numerous field |
| to general growing recommendations for | | | | experiments are required. The reason is |
| your crop. But is it too much, or maybe | | | | that the same numbers may lead to |
| too little? This is where soil analysis | | | | different recommendations in different |
| comes in. | | | | soils, different areas and under |
| Soil analysis eliminates at least one | | | | different conditions. The numbers in the |
| unknown from the "equation": when adding | | | | report, coupled by the description of |
| nutrients to the soil, knowing the | | | | the nutrient content in the soil, can |
| starting point is a very valuable piece | | | | indicate if the predicted crop response |
| of information. | | | | to fertilizers will be favorable or not. |
| Here are the basics of how to make sense | | | | 5. Choose the right lab |
| of soil analysis reports. | | | | Good labs, with good experience, use |
| 1. Take the soil sample correctly | | | | their regional database to give a |
| Taking the sample correctly is the | | | | description of each nutrient (indicating |
| number one step for any reliable soil | | | | if its level is too high, too low or |
| analysis result. The soil sampling | | | | adequate) and even fertilization |
| should be well planned and preformed. | | | | recommendations. |
| For example, the sample site should be | | | | Don't take these recommendation as |
| far from roads, fences, tree groups, | | | | "instructions". Remember that no one |
| piles of fertilizers and manure or any | | | | knows your crop better than you do. You |
| other object that can locally affect the | | | | are the best judge of your crop needs |
| soil properties and content. | | | | and specific conditions. |
| The sample should represent the entire | | | | 6. Use your experience |
| field as closely as possible. If the | | | | The soil analysis report, together with |
| field is not uniform, and consists of | | | | your close familiarity with your crop |
| different areas with different | | | | and field conditions, give you the |
| properties, each area should be sampled. | | | | starting-point to tackle the next |
| Compiling results from completely | | | | question: how much fertilizers to apply? |
| different areas and averaging them into | | | | First thing to remember is that |
| one report, will obviously give us a | | | | different crops remove from the soil |
| very misleading result. | | | | different amounts of nutrients. So |
| 2. Consider all growing conditions | | | | knowing your crop needs is essential. |
| Keep in mind that there are many factors | | | | Next is your crop target yield. |
| that affect the plant growth. The soil | | | | Generally speaking, higher |
| analysis will not supply answers to poor | | | | fertilization level gives higher yields, |
| or inadequate conditions, such as | | | | but only up to a certain point. Beyond |
| critically low or high temperatures, | | | | that, adding fertilizers will not |
| inadequate drainage, wrong application | | | | increase yields and may even reduce them |
| of fertilizers, accumulation of salts, | | | | as a result of salts accumulation in the |
| plant diseases, pests damage, | | | | root zone. |
| competition with weeds etc. | | | | Bottom line is that soil analysis lab |
| Assuming you took samples correctly and | | | | reports give us a good starting point |
| you acknowledge the many factors that | | | | for making better |
| may affect you crop, how do you proceed | | | | fertilization-management decisions. They |
| to interpret the numbers in the soil | | | | should be put in context and their |
| analysis lab reports? | | | | interpretation should be adjusted to the |
| 3. What do the numbers in the report | | | | individual crop behavior and specific |
| stand for? | | | | field conditions. |