A soil sample test can be the difference between a quality deer food plot and a failed food plot. This simple test can save you time, energy and of course money by determining your actual fertilizer and lime needs.
Taking a soil sample and submitting it for testing is a very simple process, so don’t make the common mistake of just throwing out some seed and hoping for the best. Instead, follow these simple instructions to help you achieve your optimum forage production for your food plot.
Items Needed
There are only a few items you need to take a soil sample. Round these up before you begin the process:
- Shovel, spade, or a stainless steel or chrome/nickel-plated soil probe.
- Bucket (plastic, not metal)
- Soil sample bag(s) or plastic sandwich bag(s)
- Soil sample bags can be obtained from your county’s extension service.
- Another option is Whitetail Institute’s Soil Test Kit
Soil Sample Instructions
- Insert shovel, spade, probe, or auger into soil approximately 6 inches deep (below the organic duff layer) to take a “slice” or sample of soil. Put the sample in a clean bucket.
- Walk around the entire plot and collect multiple soil samples (at least 10) at evenly scattered points around the plot.
- Thoroughly mix all the soil samples from the plot in the bucket.
- Fill a soil sample bag or plastic sandwich bag with approximately 1-2 cups of soil from the bucket mixture.
- Label the soil sample bag with plot name and information requested by the lab, including desired plant species to be planted in the plot.
- Drop the soil sample bag at the county extension office or mail it off to the lab you are using.
Soil Sample Testing Results
Soil samples will be tested and analyzed in a lab to provide you with recommendations for fertilizer and lime applications to properly amend the soil based on the desired forage to be planted in the plot. Some soil sample test results can be obtained in under a week to help you to interpret your analysis and get to work “fixing” your soil quickly before planting. *REMINDER*: It can take three to six months for a lime application to take effect on soil pH, so test early and apply the lime soon after you receive your test results.
Soil pH is a measure of the soil’s acidity and influences a plant’s ability to use available soil nutrients. An inadequate soil pH value will limit the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients; therefore, any fertilizer application has the potential not to be fully utilized by the plant if the soil pH isn’t balanced. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, values below 7 being more acidic, and values greater than 7 being more alkaline. For most food plot species, the optimal pH range is 6 to 7. Agricultural lime or pelletized lime recommendations from your soil sample analysis will help you reach the desired pH value.
Fertilizer recommendations will be reported as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) on your soil sample analysis sheet. The recommendation will call for pounds per acre or pounds per square feet to be applied. When buying most fertilizer, the three numbers in the analysis are percentages of the total weight in N, P, and K. For example, a 50-lb. bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 5 actual pounds each of N, P and K.
The remaining weight of the bag is filler. So, with your soil sample analysis recommendations in hand, you will have to do a little math to determine the correct amounts of fertilizer needed for your plot. If the analysis calls for 100 lbs./acre of nitrogen, for example, determine how many bags of fertilizer you need to reach that amount per acre based on the weight of actual nitrogen in each bag. If there is a fertilizer supplier near your plot, you may not have to buy individual bags, but you could buy in bulk, which is often a cheaper option, especially for larger plots.
Conclusion
Soil sampling is worth its weight in gold for getting optimum results from your food plot. At only $20 or less per sample, you really can’t afford not to take a soil sample, especially with the cost of seed these days! Early soil sampling can help you obtain your results to determine lime and fertilizer rates needed before planting so you can be well on your way to providing the optimum forage for your deer herd.