Seedbed: 10 reasons to start soil testing - if you're not doing it

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Nearly half of Ontario's soils are not sampled regularly. Here's why you should take the time to evaluate yours

by KEITH REID

Soil testing is identified as the basis for any rational plan for managing fertilizer or manure, and yet the Census of Agriculture shows that nearly half of the soils in Ontario are not sampled regularly.

Obviously, the conventional arguments about saving money or improving profitability don't provide enough impetus to these non-samplers, so we need to try a different approach.

This column is intended for those readers who do not sample their fields regularly. If you already know the value of a soil test, perhaps this will confirm you in your habits. So here is my list of the 10 top, non-conventional reasons for soil testing.

10.   Soil sampling is a good excuse to drive around out in the fields with the ATV, and you don't have to worry about driving in a straight line. The best sampling pattern is a random zig-zag up and down the field.

9.  A day of soil sampling is as good as a day of lifting weights, exercising the arms, shoulders, mid-section and legs.

8.  Soil sampling is a job you can train the kids to do, so they will feel involved in the farming operation.

7.  Travelling over the fields to collect soil samples means that you also
scout the entire field for weed escapes or other problems.

6.  You can also scout out signs of deer or wild turkey traffic, so you are ready for hunting season.

5.  Soil analysis is one input that has not shown double-digit inflation in the past year.

4. When you pay for the analysis, you are also buying into significant expertise in interpreting the results and providing advice on how to manage any problems that the soil tests uncover.

3.  You will have more leverage in negotiating a lease agreement if you know ahead of time how much fertilizer it will take to produce a crop on that field. This goes for either the landlord or the tenant!

2.  When the fertilizer salesman comes around, you have more bargaining power because you know what you need instead of what he wants to sell you.

And the top reason for soil testing is…

1.  You have the peace of mind of knowing you haven't missed something important in your cropping system, and that you are doing all you can to ensure a prosperous future for you and your family. BF

Keith Reid is soil fertility specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs based in Stratford. keith.reid@ontario.ca