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Martinsville, Ohio | It was just the opposite for me. The zones came out close enough the cost of small grids couldn't be justified to me. On the soil test, I use it to make my fertility plans but it is ADJUSTED on economics and availability of product. I have to stay within my budget so I will put several nutrients on at a rate I can afford instead of laoding up on just P and K.
If you don't do some tissue sampling, I think you are shooting in the dark on micro's and ratios.
CEC, saturation ratios and pH dictate how I will apply the recommendations in conference with the lab agronomist and others if possible but I pretty much know what to do after 40 years of working with these things.
I had a lot of interest again this year just how my crop looked. If I didn't do it myself I don't think I personally would be as effective.
The main thing is to sample each rotation, build a history, keep economic records and compare and adjust that pH first if it needs it. The young man is on the right path, he just wants to get the most bang for his buck. Zones work just fine for a lot of us.
Ed
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grid sampleing
