Perfect time of the year to get soil samples from your plots and get them sent in. I just put 8 samples in the mail this morning. Within a week I should have results and can start planning for next years plots.
Where do you send yours, Sticker? Cost? Do they provide sample containers and instructions?
Grouse
I send them to Biologic for $7.50 a sample. No container I just put each sample in a labeled zip lock and ship them together in a box. Here is a link to the instructions and form.
Sticker-I’ve heard that some of the co-ops in ottertail county will do a soil sample for you. Not sure the cost or how long it takes.
I need to get some of my plots sampled for next spring as well.
How long does it take to get the results back?
Hey guys, not sure what the U-M system does, but the UW soils lab offers great rates on very detailed soil sampling with recommendations not just on pH and NPK, but lots of micronutrients as well. Could try calling your nearest extension office and see what they offer. I sent samples in last year for my turfgrass, veggie garden, and an area that I wanted to restore to a native prairie. Had great results, too. Usually depending on the season, it’ll take a week or two…with spring frost-out being the busiest time of year.
I looked into a couple co-ops in OTC and one wanted $35 for a sample the other I think was $25. This one is $7.50 plus shipping, but I sent 8 or 9 samples in one $10 box.
They say they will have the results in 36 hours and they do. I have them email the results to me. I wouldn’t be surprised if I have the results by Friday and I shipped them ground Monday.
I tried the UofM one year and wasn’t happy with the results. It was all there, but exremely tough to read. I am not a scientist or a farmer, I just want PH NPK and OM.
U of MN (where the local MN coops send theirs to) – http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/
Their samples include recommendations for MN soils specifically as it relates to fertilizer (and not over-fertilizing).
Joel
I just looked up my soil samples form the U of M and Biologic from the same field different years. The U of M gave me no recommendation for lime even though my plot was a PH of 6.0. Also no listing of what the PH should be at for what I was planting. The next sample came from Biologic with a PH of 5.8. So I added no lime per the U of M sample and my PH went down even further and it was already low. If I keep throwing fertilizer on a field with poor PH I might as well throw money out the window. It’s not doing the soil or the plants any good.
The Biologic sample results recommend how much lime to put on to get the correct PH for what I am planting and they tell me the PH that I should be trying to hit as well as the PH that the plot is currently at. For the average food plotter this makes things much easier.
Sticker-I’m definitely going to go the biologic route! Seems pretty easy.
Thanks for the details!!
I got my sample results last night 
Now time to start planning for next spring. Already have lime being delivered next week. 
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