Soil Sample
A soil test provides information on the basic fertility of the soil. It is the starting point for determining how much and which fertilizers to use on a crop. Without a soil test, you are just guessing at your level of soil fertility.
Proper collection of a representative soil sample is important for accuracy and analysis of test results. Follow these steps to obtain a good sample:
You Will Need: Soil Probe, Trowel or Shovel, Clean Plastic Bucket, and Soil Bags
Step 1: Identify uniform areas to be tested.
- Decide if your field can be treated as one sample or needs to be broken down into smaller samples. If you believe the soil type, previous crop, and fertilizer treatments are consistent across the field, treat as one sample. If soil type and topography change across the field, different crops have been planted on different parts of the field, or there are problem spots, break the field down into smaller units to sample
- A separate soil test should be done on a garden or lawn, or between the front lawn and back lawn if there are noticeable differences. Avoid sampling areas that might give misleading results. If information is desired in these unusual areas, obtain a separate sample for these areas.
Step 2: Using a soil probe or shovel, dig vertically to a depth of 6 inches for row crop or garden samples, 4 inches for pasture samples, and 3 inches for lawns. Remove all plants, sod or thatch from the sample. If available nitrogen, chloride, or sulfur test is desired, a subsoil sample to 24 inches is necessary.
Step 3: Take at least 10-15 samples from the field and mix the samples together in a clean, plastic container to create a representative sample. The more sub-samples you take, the more assured you'll be that the soil test results are representative of your field. Bring approximately two cups of mixed soil to one of the Midway Extension District Offices. If subsoil samples are desired, samples from the 0-6" depth should be kept separate from the samples 6-24" depth.
Step 4: Samples should be dry. You can let samples air dry but do not use heat to dry your samples.
Publications & Resources:
Available Forms:
Tissue Sample
Plant analysis is an excellent "quality control" tool for growers interested in high yield crop production. It can be especially valuable for managing secondary and micronutrients which don't have high quality, reliable soil tests available, and providing insight into how efficiently you are using applied nutrients.
There are two basic ways plant analysis can be used by Kansas farmers, monitoring nutrient levels at a common growth stage and for diagnostic purposes. Monitoring is generally done at a common growth stage, the beginning of reproductive growth, while diagnostics can be done any time.
Plant analysis for nutrient monitoring
For general monitoring or quality control purposes, plant leaves should be collected as the plant enters reproductive growth. Sampling under stress conditions for monitoring purposes can give misleading results, and is not recommended.
In the case of corn, 15-20 ear leaves, or first leaf below and opposite the ear should be collected at random from the field at silk emergence, before pollination, and before the silks turning brown.
In sorghum, the first or second leaf below the flag leaf at heading should be collected. Again 15-20 individual leaves should be collected from the field at random.
In soybeans, the top, fully develop trifoliate leaflets should be collected when the first pods are 3/4 to one inch long. The top fully developed trifoliate leaflets are normally the third set of leaves below the terminal bud on the main stem of the plant. They should be a dark green, and will likely be positioned at the top of the canopy, while developing/growing leaves will be a lighter green color and generally be below the fully developed leaves in the canopy. Collect 25-30 sets of leaflets at random, removing the petiole, or stem connecting the leaflets to the stem.
In wheat, the flag leaf is normally collected at heading. Since the flag leaves are small, 40-50 individual leaves will be needed to have enough dry plant material to have adequate plant material for analysis. Again, collect the leaves at random from the field or area which is being monitored.
Diagnostic sampling
A soil test provides information on the basic fertility of the soil. It is the starting point for determining how much and which fertilizers to use on a crop. Without a soil test, you are just guessing at your level of soil fertility.
Proper collection of a representative soil sample is important for accuracy and analysis of test results. Follow these steps to obtain a good sample:
You Will Need: Soil Probe, Trowel or Shovel, Clean Plastic Bucket, and Soil Bags
Step 1: Identify uniform areas to be tested.
- Decide if your field can be treated as one sample or needs to be broken down into smaller samples. If you believe the soil type, previous crop, and fertilizer treatments are consistent across the field, treat as one sample. If soil type and topography change across the field, different crops have been planted on different parts of the field, or there are problem spots, break the field down into smaller units to sample
- A separate soil test should be done on a garden or lawn, or between the front lawn and back lawn if there are noticeable differences. Avoid sampling areas that might give misleading results. If information is desired in these unusual areas, obtain a separate sample for these areas.
Step 2: Using a soil probe or shovel, dig vertically to a depth of 6 inches for row crop or garden samples, 4 inches for pasture samples, and 3 inches for lawns. Remove all plants, sod or thatch from the sample. If available nitrogen, chloride, or sulfur test is desired, a subsoil sample to 24 inches is necessary.
Step 3: Take at least 10-15 samples from the field and mix the samples together in a clean, plastic container to create a representative sample. The more sub-samples you take, the more assured you'll be that the soil test results are representative of your field. Bring approximately two cups of mixed soil to one of the Midway Extension District Offices. If subsoil samples are desired, samples from the 0-6" depth should be kept separate from the samples 6-24" depth.
Step 4: Samples should be dry. You can let samples air dry but do not use heat to dry your samples.
Publications & Resources:
Available Forms:
Shipping and handling plant samples
A soil test provides information on the basic fertility of the soil. It is the starting point for determining how much and which fertilizers to use on a crop. Without a soil test, you are just guessing at your level of soil fertility.
Proper collection of a representative soil sample is important for accuracy and analysis of test results. Follow these steps to obtain a good sample:
You Will Need: Soil Probe, Trowel or Shovel, Clean Plastic Bucket, and Soil Bags
Step 1: Identify uniform areas to be tested.
- Decide if your field can be treated as one sample or needs to be broken down into smaller samples. If you believe the soil type, previous crop, and fertilizer treatments are consistent across the field, treat as one sample. If soil type and topography change across the field, different crops have been planted on different parts of the field, or there are problem spots, break the field down into smaller units to sample
- A separate soil test should be done on a garden or lawn, or between the front lawn and back lawn if there are noticeable differences. Avoid sampling areas that might give misleading results. If information is desired in these unusual areas, obtain a separate sample for these areas.
Step 2: Using a soil probe or shovel, dig vertically to a depth of 6 inches for row crop or garden samples, 4 inches for pasture samples, and 3 inches for lawns. Remove all plants, sod or thatch from the sample. If available nitrogen, chloride, or sulfur test is desired, a subsoil sample to 24 inches is necessary.
Step 3: Take at least 10-15 samples from the field and mix the samples together in a clean, plastic container to create a representative sample. The more sub-samples you take, the more assured you'll be that the soil test results are representative of your field. Bring approximately two cups of mixed soil to one of the Midway Extension District Offices. If subsoil samples are desired, samples from the 0-6" depth should be kept separate from the samples 6-24" depth.
Step 4: Samples should be dry. You can let samples air dry but do not use heat to dry your samples.
Publications & Resources:
Available Forms:
What nutrients should you analyze for?
A soil test provides information on the basic fertility of the soil. It is the starting point for determining how much and which fertilizers to use on a crop. Without a soil test, you are just guessing at your level of soil fertility.
Proper collection of a representative soil sample is important for accuracy and analysis of test results. Follow these steps to obtain a good sample:
You Will Need: Soil Probe, Trowel or Shovel, Clean Plastic Bucket, and Soil Bags
Step 1: Identify uniform areas to be tested.
- Decide if your field can be treated as one sample or needs to be broken down into smaller samples. If you believe the soil type, previous crop, and fertilizer treatments are consistent across the field, treat as one sample. If soil type and topography change across the field, different crops have been planted on different parts of the field, or there are problem spots, break the field down into smaller units to sample
- A separate soil test should be done on a garden or lawn, or between the front lawn and back lawn if there are noticeable differences. Avoid sampling areas that might give misleading results. If information is desired in these unusual areas, obtain a separate sample for these areas.
Step 2: Using a soil probe or shovel, dig vertically to a depth of 6 inches for row crop or garden samples, 4 inches for pasture samples, and 3 inches for lawns. Remove all plants, sod or thatch from the sample. If available nitrogen, chloride, or sulfur test is desired, a subsoil sample to 24 inches is necessary.
Step 3: Take at least 10-15 samples from the field and mix the samples together in a clean, plastic container to create a representative sample. The more sub-samples you take, the more assured you'll be that the soil test results are representative of your field. Bring approximately two cups of mixed soil to one of the Midway Extension District Offices. If subsoil samples are desired, samples from the 0-6" depth should be kept separate from the samples 6-24" depth.
Step 4: Samples should be dry. You can let samples air dry but do not use heat to dry your samples.
Publications & Resources:
Available Forms:
What will I get back from the lab?
A soil test provides information on the basic fertility of the soil. It is the starting point for determining how much and which fertilizers to use on a crop. Without a soil test, you are just guessing at your level of soil fertility.
Proper collection of a representative soil sample is important for accuracy and analysis of test results. Follow these steps to obtain a good sample:
You Will Need: Soil Probe, Trowel or Shovel, Clean Plastic Bucket, and Soil Bags
Step 1: Identify uniform areas to be tested.
- Decide if your field can be treated as one sample or needs to be broken down into smaller samples. If you believe the soil type, previous crop, and fertilizer treatments are consistent across the field, treat as one sample. If soil type and topography change across the field, different crops have been planted on different parts of the field, or there are problem spots, break the field down into smaller units to sample
- A separate soil test should be done on a garden or lawn, or between the front lawn and back lawn if there are noticeable differences. Avoid sampling areas that might give misleading results. If information is desired in these unusual areas, obtain a separate sample for these areas.
Step 2: Using a soil probe or shovel, dig vertically to a depth of 6 inches for row crop or garden samples, 4 inches for pasture samples, and 3 inches for lawns. Remove all plants, sod or thatch from the sample. If available nitrogen, chloride, or sulfur test is desired, a subsoil sample to 24 inches is necessary.
Step 3: Take at least 10-15 samples from the field and mix the samples together in a clean, plastic container to create a representative sample. The more sub-samples you take, the more assured you'll be that the soil test results are representative of your field. Bring approximately two cups of mixed soil to one of the Midway Extension District Offices. If subsoil samples are desired, samples from the 0-6" depth should be kept separate from the samples 6-24" depth.
Step 4: Samples should be dry. You can let samples air dry but do not use heat to dry your samples.
Publications & Resources:
Available Forms:
Available Forms
Craig Dinkel
Crops / Horticulture Agent
210 N. Kansas Suite #1
Ellsworth, KS 67439
785-472-4442
cadinkel@ksu.edu