7.1: How to Submit Soil Samples for Testing
- Page ID
- 34627
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Steps for Submitting Soil Samples
- Find the name of your soil
- Write down the crop rotation.
- Indicate the tests you want done.
Here is a picture of a typical soil sample submission form from the University of Wisconsin.
One important piece of information you will need to complete the form is the name of the soil in your fields. This will ensure that the best recommendations can be made. The university results rely heavily on soil types, so it’s important to figure out the soil name.
What Is the Name of My Soil?
In order to get the most accurate information out of a farm or field soil test you need to know what kind of soil you are working with. This is where soil maps come in handy. Or call your USDA NRCS office to get help. List that soil name on your soil test submission form.
For example, our farm is predominantly Onaway sandy loam. It has a corn yield potential code of 3 and an alfalfa yield potential code of 2. On this scale, 1 = very high, 2 = high, 3= medium and 4 = low.
Web Soil Survey - USDA
If you don’t know your soil type or name you can go online and discover your soil name by bringing up USDA Natural Resources Conservation soils maps and locating your property. To find a soil name anywhere in the country, click on this link: Web Soil Survey
Read the page then click on the green “Start WSS” button. The next page that opens has a listing of “navigate by” bars on the left. Click the “State and County” bar and then type in the location by state and county that you want to visit. Once you have done that, a map will appear on the right. Place the cursor over the location you want to explore more closely and click. This tool works like Google Maps; click to keep zooming in until you have found the farm or plat of land you are looking for.
Once you have zoomed in on the acreage you want to view, click on the little AOI (Area Of Interest) button. Use it to draw a rectangle over the acreage you want to more closely examine. Once the rectangle is drawn, go back to the top set of tabs and click on “soil map.” Soon, a new map will be drawn with the soil abbreviations overlaying the entire acreage you have highlighted as an AOI. The left-hand side of the page will give a little description of the soils that appear on your map. You can then click on the “printable version” tab. (If the map will not print, you may have to disable the “cookie protection” in your browser.)
Now that you know your soil's name, you can enter it on the soil sample submission form to get the most accurate fertilizer recommendations possible.
Cropping History and Intentions
One other thing you will have to indicate on the soil submission form is the cropping history and the crop you intend to plant. That is because recommendations are based on crop expectations and how much of each nutrient each crop needs.
Many people make the mistake of submitting a lawn & garden form rather than a field crop form. The tests are the same, but farmers get a cheaper rate, so submit a field crop form to save money. Also, lawn & garden recommendations are based on your county, not the name of the soil itself. Lawn & garden recommendations are less precise than farm & field. I suggest submitting a garden soil on a farm “field” sheet rather than a lawn & garden sheet. It is less expensive ($8.00 vs. $15.00).
Once you’ve submitted a sample you will get results and a recommendation of whether to take corrective actions.