Soil Sampling Tips

Timing

Like everything else in life, timing is everything

• Collect samples three to six months before planting time
• Do not sample shortly after a lime, fertilizer or manure application
• Do not sample if the soil is excessively wet. If it's too wet to till, it is too wet to sample.
• If possible, try to collect your samples at the same time every year

Grid-Sampling

• Choose a grid spacing that best represents your field. You may have to try several to find the best one.
• 8-10 samples in an area of about 3 feet from each grid point

Equipment

• Use clean equipment to avoid contamination
• Use a soil probe, spade, hand garden trowel, or shovel to collect samples. Do not use brass, bronze, or galvanized tools because they will contaminate samples with copper and/or zinc.

Consistency

• Be consistent on depth across all samples
• Recommended sample depth for no-till is 4 inches and conventional till is 6 inches.