Soil Sampling For Home Landscape and Garden

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Soil Sampling For Home Landscape and Garden

• Developed by
• Dr. Teri Hamlin
• Georgia Department of Education

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Purpose

• Determining the fertility level of a soil through
  a soil test is the first step in planning a sound
  lime and fertilization program for the home
  landscape and garden.

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Purpose

• A soil test provides the means of monitoring the
  soil so deficiencies, excesses and imbalances can
  be avoided.
• Many Georgia soils are low in pH and one or more
  of the essential plant nutrients.

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Maintain Soil Fertility

• Soil testing is any chemical or physical
  measurement that is done on soil.
• It is indispensable in establishing and
  maintaining a Soil Fertility Program.

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The Soil Testing Laboratory

• Soil tests such as those conducted by the
  University of Georgia Soil Testing and Plant
  Analysis Laboratory will help you develop and
  maintain a more productive soil by providing
  information about the fertility status of your
  soil.

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Lime Fertilizer Recommendations

• Information from a soil test will help you select
  the proper liming and fertilization program to
  obtain optimal growth of lawn, garden and
  ornamental plants.

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Procedure

• One of the most important steps in soil testing
  is collecting the sample.
• Soil test results can be no better than the
  sample submitted to the laboratory for analysis.
• A soil sample weighing about 1 pound is used to
  represent thousands of pounds of soil in the
  landscape or garden.

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A Good Soil Sample Should Be Representative of
the Area
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Procedure

• Take soil from a minimum of 10 random locations
  (x) in the sampled area and mix together in a
  clean bucket.
• For trees and shrubs, take soil from six to eight
  spots around the drip line of the plants and mix.

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Do Not Contaminate the Sample

• Use clean sampling tools and containers.
• Never use tools or containers that have been used
  for mixing or applying fertilizer or limestone. A
  small amount of residue on containers can cause
  serious contamination of the sample.

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Sample to the Proper Depth

• Remove any surface litter such as turf thatch or
  mulch.
• For lawns, sample to a depth of 4 inches.
• For gardens, ornamentals and fruit trees, sample
  to a depth of 6 inches.

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Tools

• Use a trowel or sampling tube to collect soil
  samples.

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Tools

• To use a trowel or spade, push the tool to the
  desired depth into the soil.
• Then push the handle forward, with the trowel or
  spade still in the soil, to make a wide opening.
• Cut a thin slice from the side of the opening
  that is of uniform thickness -- about ¼ inch
  thick and 2 inches wide, extending from the top
  of the ground to the depth of the cut

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Soil Samples Should Be Carefully Mixed and
Packaged

• All cores taken for a given sample should be
  collected in a clean bucket and thoroughly mixed.

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Soil Sample Bag

• Fill the soil sample bag to the indicated line
  with the mixed soil.
• Supply all the information asked for on the soil
  sample bag.
• List your Name and Address, Plant to Be Grown,
  Sample Number

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Soil Sample Bag

• On the bag, indicate tests desired by checking
  the proper box.
• For lawns, gardens and shrubs, a routine test
  will suffice.

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Laboratory Tests and Fees

• Routine Tests pH, L.R., Soil Test P, K, Ca, Mg,
  Mn and Zn
• Micronutrient Tests Boron (B)
• Other Tests Organic Matter Content, Soluble
  Salts, Nitrate Content
• Commercial Greenhouse or Nursery Soil Test pH,
  Soluble Salts, NH4, NO3, P, K, Ca, Mg

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Routine Test for Lawns Gardens

• Routine Test pH, Lime Requirement (L.R.),
  Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca),
  Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn)
• Routinely recommended for all commercial field
  and vegetable crops as well as home lawns and
  gardens

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County Extension Office

• Samples should be dropped off at your county
  extension office for mailing to the laboratory.

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Soil Analysis Lab

• Sample Receiving
• The soil samples are organized in a set of 100
  and are logged in with lab numbers in the order
  they are received.

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Soil Analysis Lab

• Preparing the Samples for Analysis - A "blank"
  and two "check" samples are placed in each set
  for quality control.

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Soil Analysis Lab

• Drying Racks
• The samples are dried at room temperature with a
  fan or at a low temperature (if they are very
  wet) on drying racks

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Soil Analysis Lab
Grinding the Samples With one pass through a
"grinder" each sample is broken up and sieved
through a 10-mesh screen
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Soil Analysis Lab

• Checking the Forms
• The order of the samples is double checked
  against the sample submission forms in each set.
• The forms are then taken to the data processor
  who enters the name and address information along
  with the lab numbers into the database.
• After the samples are analyzed, the data is
  electronically merged with the other information
  from the forms to generate the final soil test
  report.

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Report

• Report Format
• The report for each sample includes results,
  calculations, and recommendations and comments
  for up to four crops or landscape areas.
• Recommendations can be obtained in lbs/acre or
  lbs/100 or 1000 square feet by using different
  crop codes.

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When and How Often Should Soils Be Tested?

• Soils can be tested any time during the year
  however, be sure to sample well in advance of
  planting or spring green-up.
• Generally, fall is the most desirable time to
  sample soils, because landscapes and gardens are
  usually dry and easily accessible.

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When and How Often Should Soils Be Tested?

• Soils should be dry enough to till when sampling.
  
• Once medium or high fertility levels are
  established
• lawn and ornamental areas only need to be sampled
  every two to three years
• vegetable gardens should be sampled every one to
  two years

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Record Keeping

• Keep previous soil test results for each area and
  refer to them when you plan limestone and
  fertilizer applications.
• Periodic soil sampling of each area will help
  determine whether you are following a soil
  buildup or soil depletion program.
• If a sound soil testing program is not followed,
  a deficiency or an excess in fertilization rates
  can result.

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Final Results

• By sampling and determining the fertility level
  of a soil
• Applying proper amounts of lime and
  fertilization
• Result in a healthy home landscape and garden