Soil testing wisdom was found on the walls of my ag classroom

I can still see the signs touting wisdom in short but memorable quotes  that lined the walls in my high school ag classroom. There were classics like, “A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part,” and “There is no I in TEAM.”

A recent discussion in our office made me think of those one-liner quips the other day, and I realized that a lot of the wisdom found on those walls is not only timeless, but that they can be applied almost every area of life—including when it comes to the importance of soil testing.

You know, Mr. Nowels was right: There is no I in team, but there is an I in “soil testing.” That’s because as farmers, each of us is personally responsible for being a good steward of our land and ensuring that we are taking care of that land in the best way possible. And that starts with a good soil test.

Some people will tell you they only test their soil in the spring. Others will tell you fall is the best time for soil testing. Spring or fall doesn’t matter as much to me as the actual act of testing your soil. If you current soil test is more than three years old, it’s time to give you soil a check up. 

Which brings me to another one of those classic ag room signs: “Don’t put off until tomorrow what can be done today.” If your soil test needs updated, go ahead and pull the sample. Yes, for year to year comparisons it’s best to stick with a consistent season for your soil testing. But if your latest soil test results are old enough to head off to school this fall, I promise that a current soil test (even if it’s not the season you normally sample in) will provide you a better look at your soil’s nutrient levels than the soil test you haven’t pulled yet because you’re waiting for the perfect time.

You’ve probably heard this one before, too: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Soil tests can provide insight into what’s happening in your farm fields. Are your yields lower than you think they should be? Are you plants slow to start their growth? Are weeds a constant pressure? From phosphorus and potassium levels to pH levels, you might just find the answers to those nagging problems in your soil test.

One of Mr. Nowels’ favorite quotes to reference was “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” So be sure you are prepared to take a proper soil sample. In Ashland County, our Soil and Water Conservation District offers soil testing services. Stop by our offices at 100 Cottage Street, Ashland to pick up the tools you’ll need to effectively collect a soil sample: a soil probe or Collect-N-Go bucket and soil sample bags.

While you’re there, go ahead and pick up some info sheets about your field and sample. Providing information about your past and future crop rotations can help our staff give you the best nutrient management recommendations possible.

And now for the actual soil sampling itself: take the time to plan our your sampling locations. A lot of Ashland County farmers rely on whole-field composite samples; if that’s the route you’re going, be sure to collect a competitive sample with cores take from multiple locations across the field. Collect samples to a depth of 6-8 inches. If your field is larger than 25 acres, divide it into similar parts and collect separate samples from the different locations.

If you’re not using grid or zone soil sampling already, I know that can seem like a big additional investment, but time and time again farmers tell us that investment has a rapid return when it comes to getting the right nutrients in the right parts of your field.

Once your samples are collected, drop them off to Lynnsey at our SWCD office. She’ll send them off for analysis and help you create a voluntary nutrient management plan for your field. A variety of soil testing packages are available for farm fields, pastures, laws and gardens with a variety of options to choose from, whether you’re looking for a basic test or one that analyzes micronutrients. Questions? Call 419-281-7645. And remember, those words of wisdom on the ag room wall are for more than just students.