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Little River, TX | I personally feel each farmer should personally run some equipment over every acre some time during the season. Just to have a look at what is there.
The same goes with pulling samples. If the farmer does not personally pull each sample he should be there watching so he can have a feel for what, when, where.
Hands on management is a good title.
Soil testing is sampling for a needle in a hay stack when it comes to minor elements. Even phosphate & sulfur is in such small quanites in the soil that your are really betting on the laws of averages to give useful information. When you are getting down to a very small amounts like with zinc the odds are against an accurate report, using the sampling and testing methods in use.
Many of our academic friends become all misty eyed over fertilizer recommendations. It is not uncommon to have a 30% variability in soil test results for something big like calcium or potassium.
If you have the time, money & inclination consider doing this. Do a tripple sampling of a field. At every magic spot that you pull a probe of soil, also pull 2 other seperate probes of soil one 10 feet left and right of where the primary probe is pulled. It is an interesting exercise. Do not waste the extra sampling, just average the three and use them as one.
If you are interested in your sulfur and micronutrient availability use plant analysis. The roots can get out and look for the few and far between minor elements, better than your probe.
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Soil Testing
