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Tag Archives soil testing

Soil testing and fertilizer recommendations on the Prairies
Columns, Crops

Soil testing and fertilizer recommendations on the Prairies

Are you getting the best 4R recommendations for your farm?

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I have been retired for almost 10 years, but farmers still contact me occasionally with questions about their soil test reports and for assistance with interpretation. I am a big fan of soil testing but soil sampling, soil analyses and interpretation all must be done correctly. If not, results can be very misleading and costly […] Read more
Figure 5. A crop of Herta, an old two-row barley variety, in northeastern Saskatchewan’s Carrot River valley, with potassium added at left.
Columns

Potash fertilizer: Time for another look

Expect consequences if we keep hauling away more K than we apply

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When the three Prairie provinces established provincial soil test laboratories in the 1960s, that was the start of a real advance in learning about potassium (K) as an essential plant nutrient. Until then it was not much of an issue, as many experiments showed no field crop response. With many thousands of farm field soil […] Read more
These barley plants show signs of the damage potassium deficiency can cause.
Crops, Features

Are your fields potassium deficient?

Cases of potassium-deficient soils are on the rise. It could mean a hit to your bottom line

By
Most farmers know the importance of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil and the vital role their presence plays in crop development. But what about potassium? Potassium (K) is critically important in helping provide water balance within a plant. The only way a plant can move sugar and nutrients is by moving […] Read more
Here is a soil core laid out for sampling. Soil samples collected for soil nutrient analyses should be placed in breathable bags. In this picture, soil moisture samples were being collected and placed in stainless steel containers to precisely determine soil moisture content.
Columns, Crops

The importance of soil testing after a season of drought

Develop sound, economical fertilizer plans for each crop and field

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In my last article, I discussed concerns of herbicide residue carry-over after a season of drought. In this article, I will discuss the importance of soil testing for plant-available nutrients after a drier-than-normal growing season. Many farmers in the southern Prairies had below normal growing season rainfall, while some had almost no rain. The result […] Read more
Larry Luba (left) and Paul Bullock with the Mobile drill. At the start, 45 feet was all of the augers we had, but before long a 75-foot hole was the first order of business at a new site.
Columns, Crops

Les Henry: The soil salinity story

How it all happened

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Over the years, I have found readers like to hear about “how it all happened.” Sure, the results and how the results can direct crop practices is important. For soil salinity, our results have been communicated broadly for decades and practices have changed, but, in this piece, I will let you know how it all […] Read more
Five questions to ask your soil sampler
Crops, Wheat & Chaff

Five questions to ask your soil sampler

Q & A with an expert

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Q: What should I ask my custom soil sampler?A. If you missed out on fall soil sampling, you might be looking at hiring a soil sampler this spring. Soil sampling may be offered by retailers, independent agronomists or dedicated soil sampling companies.  The process seems straightforward — go to the field, collect soil in a […] Read more
A good method for supplying corn with nitrogen in-season is to apply anhydrous ammonia as a banded side dressing between the rows.
Corn, Features, Practical Tips

Fertility tips for corn

How to get the most out of your fertilizer dollars

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Corn is a crop that needs a lot of nitrogen to grow properly and produce the best yields. With today’s high prices for fertilizer and high crop prices, it’s more important than ever to strike the right balance that optimizes yields and profits while keeping fertility costs under control. “There’s a lot of money at […] Read more
Some fungal diseases of crops are more prevalent in acidic soils. A good example is clubroot in canola in central Alberta.
Columns, Crops

Acid soil management in your fields

How to prevent, manage and remediate acid soils

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Soil acidity is determined by measuring soil pH. The “H” refers to hydrogen and the “p” refers to hydrogen concentration on a negative logarithm scale (soil pH is -log [H+]). A soil pH of 7.0 is neutral, meaning the hydrogen (H+) ion concentration in soil equals the hydroxyl (OH-) ion concentration. A soil pH less […] Read more
An autosampler is one of the devices used to analyze soils.
Crops, News

Soil tests more valuable than ever

This is the year you might see a big payback from spring soil sampling

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Oftentimes, finding the right formula for applying fertilizer can be a delicate balancing act for farmers. Apply too much or in the wrong place, you’ve wasted some money. Apply too little or not where it’ll benefit most, and you can lose money by failing to maximize your yield potential. And as soil fertility expert Don […] Read more
Most Prairie farmers are well aware of the potential advantages of soil testing but lack confidence in the interpretation.
Columns, Crops

Soil analysis reports: get what you need

Seek out trained agronomists, reputable labs and wise interpretation of soil test results

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In the early 1980s, we used a commonly seen bumper sticker in southern Alberta that stated, “Don’t Guess — Soil Test!” to promote the importance of soil testing. However, 40 years later, less than 20 per cent of Prairie farmers soil test their fields on a regular basis. Why is this? For many farmers it […] Read more

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