By Kathy J Gosdin, Somervell County Master Gardener
Happy New Year to you all! If you have recently purchased your property, have became interested in tilling some dirt to plant a tree or need to figure out why things just don’t grow or produce the way you would like, you may find it beneficial to have your soil tested. Obtaining a nutrient analysis of your soil helps you to know how to properly amend it.
Testing for nutrients in the soil may be done through Texas AgriLife Extension Service Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory. You may get an analysis from any lab of your choice but know if you send the soil sample to a commercial laboratory instead of the one at Texas AgriLife Extension Service, be sure to use an agronomic soil testing laboratory, not an environmental soil testing laboratory as most environmental laboratories are unfamiliar with agronomic soil testing and therefore may not make nutrient recommendations. Soil bags for sample collection and information sheets are available from your county extension office or line at http://soiltesting.tamu.edu/files/soilwebform.pdf .
There is a cost for the test and you do have to send it to the Lab, but the information you gain could give you the knowledge you need to have the success and enjoyment of watching your plants thrive.
Just know the accuracy of the soil analyses will be a reflection of the quality of the sample you have taken. It is recommended that a good representation of the area be gathered. Here are some steps to follow:
- Use clean tools to retrieve the sample. Chose 10 random areas to a depth of 6 inches. Areas to avoid would be manure or compost piles, under eaves or near gavel roads or brush piles.
- Place the samples into a clean container and thoroughly mix them.
- Retrieve about a pint of the mixed soil placing it into the bag from the county agent or you may use a zipper-lock sandwich bag, just be sure to double-bag that sample if you do.
- Number the samples if you send multiple. Also identify the samples so that you know where you got them from. Two labels per sample is also good in case on gets messed up.
This procedure should be done for each area that you wish to get analysis on and if the area is small you may collect as few as three samples to mix up to obtain the one pint to send in.
As we mention so many time mulch and compost do so much in the way of improving your soil. Whether it be sandy loam or clay. Microorganisms are needed in your soil to help break down the nutrients your plants will feed on.
The nutrient analysis will return to you with results of levels and recommendations of fertilizer to use.
Knowledge is useful, correctly applying knowledge is wisdom
– may you be a Wise Gardener/Yardener.
Sources: Doug Welch’s Texas Garden Almanac
Texas Master Gardener Handbook