Soil tests are a good investment, agronomist says
Regardless of whether it is for a row crop, pasture or cover crop, one expert agrees that a soil test is a must. Fred Vocasek Dodge City, Kansas-based ServiTech Senior Laboratory Agronomist Fred Vocasek, says that field and pasture conditions can change in a short amount of time and producers need to take that into account. Consistency in samples and depth allows growers to compare “apples to apples.” “This year it has been so dry that depending on the soil sample depth they have been using, it has been hard to get to that same depth by hand probing,” Vocasek said. “If you are used to taking an 8-inch sample and you can only pull a 6-inch sample that’s going to skew your historical average results.” Tools that can help Some producers are using cordless drills to ensure they are reaching the right depth, he said. Oklahoma State University developed a “Sweatless Soil Sampler” that a grower can build for himself and has been endorsed by Clemson University. The developers of the tool said