What Does Your Basic Soil Test Mean?
Agronomists and farmers have been assigned the challenging task of identifying what factors are limiting crop yield and eliminating them in an economic fashion. One of the best tools at their disposal is a soil test. Soil testing gives growers and agronomists vital information on key soil chemical and physical properties to help guide nutrient management decisions and other management practices.
Soil testing labs analyze your soil samples to provide you with an estimate of how much of each nutrient is available and how much you need to replenish through your nutrient management program. But the reality is, soil test lab reports are not the easiest to understand at first glance. While each lab uses their own reporting style, the infographic below breaks down how most soil test values are determined, what they mean, and how you can use them to your advantage.
You can leverage the insights below to better understand your soil test results and make more informed decisions for your fertilizer and nutrient management programs. The goal is to optimize fertilizer efficiency and fertilizer budgets while ensuring that crops can access the nutrients needed to meet yield and profitability goals. Click through each of the MORE buttons below to learn more about the key components of a soil test including soil pH, buffer pH, cation exchange complex, exchangeable potassium, available phosphorus, and organic matter.
Explore the following resources to learn more about soil testing, interpreting soil test values, and leveraging insights to maintain soil fertility and produce profitable crops:
Soil Tests, Critical Values, High Prices, And What It All Means
The Dirt Season 1, Episode 2: Interpreting Soil Test Results with Nathan Slaton
The Dirt Season 2, Episode 25: A Deep Dive into Deep Soil Testing
The Dirt Season 3, Episode 10: Put Your Soil Test to the Test
