Digging the soil for a test sample is a first step toward growing healthy crops.
Soil testing is becoming an essential part of gardening for both the hobbyist and the professional gardener. There are many elements that can influence the need to test the soil, and neglecting this test could result in garden plants not growing into healthy and productive crops or simply dying.
Significance
Plants need to grow in soil that has a congenial balance of calcium and acid, known as the pH balance. Different kinds of plants require different levels of the balance; if a specific plant is going to grow to its potential, it needs to be in soil that is suited to its composition. For example, most turf grasses, flowers and shrubs grow well in soils that are only slightly acidic, whereas rhododendrons, azaleas and some wild flowers prefer a high acid soil. The test will show whether the soil is acidic, alkaline or neutral and will determine how much calcium (lime) is needed to bring the soil into an acceptable balance.
Time Frame
Even though the soil is tested at the onset of a garden, it's important to test it every couple of years after that, as well, because the elements of the soil change after each year's crop. The prior year may have used up much of the available nutrients in the soil; the best way to determine if the soil is able to grow a present crop is to test it for fertility conditions. Some things that cause the nutrients to be removed from the soil are crops that used up the nutrients, harvesting crops and removing the nutrients that are attached to roots, leaching the soil, soil erosion or the addition of fertilizers and manure. The best time to test the soil each year is a few weeks prior to planting new seeds. For perennial crops such as fruit trees, test before the crop shows any new growth.
pH Balances
Healthy soil has a balance of pH components that measure at about 6.5 on the scale. At this level, the nutrients are all at their peak. The higher the number is on the scale, the more acid there is in the soil and fewer necessary trace elements are found. These include iron, manganese, copper and zinc. The tests will show how much the soil needs to decrease in acid so that the trace elements can increase.
Collecting Soil Samples
For a full determination of your soil component levels, take soil samples from different parts of your garden area or lawn. For the garden, clean the areas where you'll gather your samples and collect soil that is about 6 to 8 inches down. For lawns, remove several patches of grass and roots and collect soil that is about 3 inches down. You only need a shovel full for each sample; put the soil into a clean bucket or container. If you're collecting more than one sample, keep them separated and marked clearly, because the areas you're testing could read differently on the scale.
Preparing Soil Samples
Let a garden specialist recommend the best products for your soil.
Let the samples dry out naturally and then break up any lumps with either a trough or your fingers, and then crush the soil into very small pieces. Seal about 2 cups of each sample in a plastic bag and then label each bag clearly. When all of your samples are ready to be tested, take them to a testing lab. If you don't know the location of a testing lab, visit your local garden center; some of them have the facilities right there, and others can give you the name and address of a testing lab. When you get the results from the test, return to the garden center where a specialist can suggest the appropriate products in response to the recommendations from the lab test.
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