HOW TO APPLY SOIL TESTING BEFORE PLANTING

Don’t ever attempt to plant your crop without having your soil tested. Soil testing determines what kind of soil you have. This is vital if you want your gardening to succeed.

Acidic soil  can be neutralize by applying lime three weeks to one month before planting, while in alkaline soil apply basally Ammonium Sulfate ( NH4SO4).

How to Apply Soil Testing

Soil testing is vital in vegetable growing. It’s used to find out how much nutrients are available in the soil and how much is to be added or applied in the form of mineral fertilizer to reach an expected crop yield.

To do soil testing, you should provide before hand the following tools for soil sampling…

Spade or soil borer (auger)  or sampling tool Knife Clean bucket Container Sheet of paper Clean paper bag or small box

Steps in soil sampling

1)  Clear the area where you’ll get the samples (a maximum of 1 hectare or a minimum of .5 ha).

2)  Put 20 stakes randomly scattered in the field where you’ll get your soil samples.

3)  Using a spade, dig a V-shaped cut to a depth of 15 – 20 cm.

4)  With the use of your knife, trim off both edges of the slice leaving a strip (core) of the soil on the spade 2 cm wide.

5) Take about 20 strips from the 20 stakes you’ve planted at random in the field.

6)  Place the soil strips/ cores in the clean bucket or container and mix them thoroughly.

7)  Spread the mixture in a clean sheet of paper and air dry in a shaded place until totally dried.

8)  Take a small sample of 0.5 – 1 kg of the mixed soil and place in a clean paper bag or small box.

9)  Record, label and put a date on the sample properly and make a diagram of the area for a particular sample. This is to relate the soil test results correctly to the field.

10) Test your soil using a Soil Testing Kit (available in some agriculture stores). If you don’t have the expertise in soil testing, the best way is submit it to the reliable soil testing laboratory in your area.

Your soil test result will be reliable once tested in a trusted and reliable soil experts.

_____________________

Cris Ramasasa, Freelance writer, writes about home gardening and Internet marketing tips. You can get a copy of his latest ebook “How to get started in Flower Gardening”and  “Vegetable Gardening made Easy” and lots of tips, Free articles, and bonuses at: www.crisramasasa.com