Fall is the ideal time of year to conduct routine soil sampling of your cropland according to Kim Meyer, University of Wisconsin-Madison/Extension's Nutrient & Pest Management (NPM) Program. Not only are weather conditions typically more favorable for soil sampling as compared to the spring season, but you will then have the winter months to think about upcoming management decisions based on the soil analysis.
The NPM Program has a short how-to video on soil sampling basics. The video provides a quick guide on how to prepare for soil sampling, how to soil sample, and how to fill out the soil sample submission sheet to take to the soil testing laboratory. The video Basic Soil Sampling for Wisconsin Agriculture' can be viewed from the Integrated Pest and Crop Management website at http://ipcm.wisc.edu under the video tab, or follow this link directly to YouTube.
When sampling soils for testing and obtaining fertilizer and lime recommendations, it is important to obtain samples that accurately represent the field from which they were taken. Accurate soil sampling will ensure that the estimated amount of nutrients that should be applied to the field provide the greatest economic return to the farmer. They will also provide information on the variation that exists in the field and show how nutrients are distributed across the farm, as well as provide a basis for monitoring the change in farm fertility over time.
Also available from UW-Extension is publication A2100, Sampling Soils for Testing. This publication addresses various soil sampling strategies, sampling procedures, as well as other considerations when practicing no-till or various tillage systems. The publication can be downloaded for free at http://learningstore.uwex.edu. The publication is available in the Farming' category, under Soils', and Soil Fertility'. If you have additional questions about soil sampling or how to obtain a copy of the publication, contact your local county Extension agent at http://counties.uwex.edu/ .
8.27.2014