Don’t guess — soil tests save time and money

From the Bates County Extension office

Soil testing is the best guide to the wise and efficient use of fertilizer and soil amendments, says Manjula Nathan, director of the MU Extension Soil Testing and Plant Diagnostic Services.
Whether you grow acres of row crops or have a vegetable patch in the backyard, a soil test will provide you with an analysis of nutrients and a set of recommendations for any improvements.

“We frequently get questions from customers like, ‘I apply fertilizer every year. How come my plants are not doing well?’” Nathan says.

“Most of the time the problem is they never have done a soil test, but have been guessing on fertilizer requirements,” she says. “They do not realize that by guessing they are wasting money by over- or underapplication, and the excess fertilizer can end up in streams, ponds and underground water, polluting the environment.”

Soil testing can be done through the extension office. The cost is $15 per sample. For more information, see these soil testing publications.