With over 200,000 acres sampled, I understand what it takes to make a quality lab sample. A common error is the compression of soil by the sample probe while the sample is being taken. Care is taken to ensure the probe is cutting the soil and resulting in a good soil core to the proper depth. Each core is visibly inspected. Soil cores with debris, rock or compression are disregarded. Only quality cores are kept for the lab sample.
Multi-layer approach combines areas of similar soil and yield potential into management zones. Organic matter, clay content and water flow impact both the soils and plants response to nutrient applications. Elevation data, water flow analysis, soil surveys, previous organic matter reading, and true color images provide data layers to group similar areas. Yield data and historical images provide data layers to group areas of similar removal rates and past management.
Organic matter, exchange capacity and soil structure impacts a plants ability to uptake nutrients and ultimately build yield. Thru multi-year aggregate yield data analysis each zone is given a target soil test value. Yield potential for each zone is established based on historic yield data. The end goal of any nutrient management program is to provide positive returns on investment over time.
Each management zone is sampled with GPS recorded sub-sample sites. This provides the benefits of point sampling year-to year repeatability.