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Soil testing: your questions answered

One test every two to three years tells you which nutrients your field really needs.

Soil testing: your questions answered
Photo: Illustration: Furrowline Farm (synthetic)

Key points

  • Sample from 8 to 10 spots in a zig-zag.
  • Dig 15 cm deep for most crops.
  • Mix, dry in shade and send about half a kilo.

A soil test shows the main nutrients and the soil's pH, so you buy only the fertiliser your field needs.

What to do

  1. Avoid field corners and manure heaps.
  2. Use a clean bag and write your name and field number.
  3. Ask the lab to explain the report in your language.

Take the sample after harvest and before the next sowing.

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