Now is a good time to start planning for next year, and a good first step is soil sampling those fields that haven’t been tested in a couple of years.

To properly test, samples should be limited to 25 acres or less and consist of the same field or planned crops.

For most row crops, you’ll want to sample about 4 to 6 inches below the surface and over a large area to give yourself a well- mixed sample to test.

At a minimum, the test should cover your macro nutrients and pH, but if these are in good balance a step up to checking micros and organic matter might improve yields even more.

If your test results indicate the application of lime, care should be taken to ensure a quality product is being applied. In Pennsylvania, companies that sell products as ag lime must meet specific requirements on passive screen size and calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE) values as well.

While some lime products might be cheap, they may not be the best bang for your buck due to their low neutralizing value or course size.

A good ag lime is one whose CCE is about 85 or higher.

Just be aware that soil test recommendations are assuming a CCE of 100, so you’ll need to adjust accordingly if you are above or below that mark.

Good calcium to magnesium ratio is key to crop production, so care must be taken when applying lime products not to have this ratio become out of balance.

To do this you should note the recommended lime type from the soil test and compare that to available sources. In our area a high-calcium lime is typically needed due to the high magnesium content of our soils.

It takes time for lime to neutralize soil, so a general recommendation of applying it six months before crops are planted is a good time period to help those soils that are on the lower pH end.

For those who no-till, care needs to be taken not to over apply lime on fields that are low on pH. Since this material isn’t worked into the soil, you can actually have a basic soil condition near the root zone of seedlings that can bind otherwise available nutrients due to an overapplication of liming material.

Building organic matter is the best way to take your soil testing to the next level.

Raising organic matter 1 percent increases water and air infiltration tenfold, which in turn makes available otherwise bound nutrients. This reduces soil inputs, reducing costs and improving production.

For those applying manure, proper credit should be given for those nutrients applied and a manure sample is key in making sure you are calculating the right nutrient values.

I’ve seen numerous manure samples that vary greatly from book values, especially from those with stored manure. These values typically double from book values or from previously collected unstored manure.

If you are applying manure based on a manure management plan or nutrient management plan, you’ll need to make sure the values listed in the plan account for your current manure handling operation.

For those interested in taking soil testing and nutrient management to the next level with precision agricultural practices, there are some funding opportunities under EQIP to offset these costs.

If you’d like to learn more about soil testing or our funding opportunities, feel free to contact our office at 724-482-4800, Ext. 3.

Andy Gaver is a conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Butler County.