Teaching Organic Farming and Gardening

Soil Tests and Amendments

Demonstration 1 Unit 1.11 | 25
Students’ Step-by-Step Instructions

Demonstration 1: Taking A Representative Soil

Sample For Laboratory Analysis

step-by-step instructions for students

intrOdUctiOn

The key to receiving accurate soil analy-

ses information is to properly collect

and submit a representative sub-sample

of a given soil. Follow the steps outlined

in these instructions when taking a soil

sample for laboratory analysis.

PreParatiOn and MateriaLs

•    Stainless  steel   or  chrome  plated  soil    auger   or  stainless   steel   

trowel

•    Plastic    buckets

•    Sample bags    from    soil    testing laboratory

•    County soil    survey  maps

resOUrces and references

•       For a   review  of  plant   analysis    techniques  see: Agronomy

Handbook: Soil and Plant Analysis. Chapter II. A & L Western

Agricultural Laboratories, Inc. 1311 Woodland Ave., No. 1.

Modesto, California 95351. (209) 529-4736

•    Illustrated    soil    sampling    techniques: www.back-to-basics.

net/efu/pdfs/sampling.pdf

•    Magdoff,   Fred,   and Harold  Van Es.     Building Soils for Better Crops,

Second Edition. Chapter19, getting the Most Out of Soil Tests

stUdent OUtLine

a. sampling Procedures

1. Sample area
   a) County soil maps may help delineate regional variations
   in soil textural classifications and land uses for that soil
   type
   b) Different soil types, including texture, color, distinct
   crop growth response areas and/or soil treatment areas
   should be sampled separately
   c) Sample from areas of 40 acres or less
   d) Avoid: Corners of fields, poorly drained areas and 50 feet
   from structures and roads
   e) Problem areas: Sample “problem” areas (e.g., poor
   drainage or poor plant growth responses) and “good”
   areas for comparison; include surface and subsoil
   sample
   f ) varying terrain: Sample bottom land and hills separately