soil testing Archives | Alberta Farmer Express

Agronomist Matt Gosling is a big-time advocate of soil testing but doing it right isn’t as straightforward as you might think.

Soil testing should be a cornerstone of your farm, says agronomist

Develop management zones, consider mobile nutrients, and don’t neglect phosphorus, says Matt Gosling

By Jeff Melchior September 14, 2020

Reading Time: 4 minutes When you talk to Matt Gosling about soil — even if it’s over the phone — you can picture his eyes getting wider as his voice becomes more animated. He considers soil the cornerstone of crop agriculture: A living organism that is constantly shifting, changing and moving. By that logic, then, soil testing must be […] Read more

Soil testing will give you a plan for getting the biggest bang for your fertilizer buck, says provincial research scientist Doon Pauly.

Crops, News

How much fertilizer do you need to apply?

Agronomy research scientist offers his tips for planning your applications this spring 

By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry March 27, 2019

Reading Time: 2 minutes Soil tests are still the best way to determine your fertilizer requirements for spring. “We can determine where we’re starting from as far as the nitrate that is present in the soil and what’s there for the plant at the start of the year,” said agronomy research scientist Doon Pauly. “Phosphorus, potassium, and salinity don’t […] Read more

There are a variety of soil sampling methods. Core or tube sampling is recommended as augurs and corkscrew devices tend to mix soils  from different depths.

Crops, News

Here’s how to take control of the soil sampling process

Much can go wrong when soil sampling — here are the key things to keep in mind when getting the dirt on nutrients levels

By Jeff Melchior September 17, 2018

Reading Time: 5 minutes Soil testing has long been a recommended practice before applying nutrients, and variable-rate fertilizing has made it more essential than ever. But the difficulty with soil testing is that so much can go wrong. Everything from how a sample is handled to the choice of a lab can impact results and recommendations. However, producers have […] Read more

Crops

Interest in soil health is growing, but testing still lags

It’s only a minority of producers who are soil sampling and that mystifies a provincial crop specialist

By Alexis Kienlen April 2, 2018

Reading Time: < 1 minute Some producers may be looking at soil health a little differently, but there are still not a lot of them taking soil samples, says a provincial crop specialist. “Soil sampling gives you an evaluation of the nutrient levels in your soil,” said Mark Cutts of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s Stettler office. “If you know that […] Read more

News

Global giant buys Alberta company

By SGS November 28, 2017

Reading Time: < 1 minute Global seed-testing company SGS has purchased BioVision Seed Research of Sherwood Park. BioVision, which also has additional facilities in Winnipeg and Grande Prairie, is a leading seed, grain, and soil-testing laboratory in Western Canada. Founded in 1996 and privately owned, BioVision has 20 employees and revenues of more than $3.4 million. SGS is the world’s […] Read more

Crops

Five Q and As on soil testing

Here’s what you need to know to make sure your plants have all the right nutrients

By Lisa Guenther May 25, 2016

Soil testing will help you give your crop the best possible start. Dr. Jeff Schoenau, soil fertility expert at the University of Saskatchewan, delivered a free webinar on soil earlier this winter. Schoenau had answers to five common questions about soil testing and fertility.

Though there are several ways to test soil, the most common is the zero- to six-inch representative sample.

Crops

Choosing the best procedures for soil testing

An Alberta Agriculture and Forestry specialist outlines the basics of the important annual procedure

By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry March 22, 2016

Reading Time: 3 minutes There are ways to maximize your investment in soil testing, says Harry Brook, crop specialist at Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “Most producers test their soils routinely every fall, after harvest or early in the spring. Information from these tests gives you the knowledge to plan the following crop’s fertilizer plan,” he says. Though there are[...]
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Crops

Skipping soil tests could cost you big time

You have to know how to interpret it, but not soil sampling and using 'the usual retail blends' can be a costly mistake

By Jennifer Blair March 31, 2015

Reading Time: 5 minutes Not very many hands go up when Mark Cutts asks a room full of producers how many of them test their soil every year. “I don’t think the majority is doing soil testing,” said the crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “If a producer is happy with his yields and he’s not soil[...]
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U.S. grains: Corn, soy drop; soyoil limit-down

U.S. livestock: Cattle gain on strong packer margins

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GFM Network News

U.S. grains: Corn, soy drop; soyoil limit-down

U.S. livestock: Cattle gain on strong packer margins

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Tag Archives soil testing

Soil testing should be a cornerstone of your farm, says agronomist

How much fertilizer do you need to apply?

Here’s how to take control of the soil sampling process

Interest in soil health is growing, but testing still lags

Global giant buys Alberta company

Five Q and As on soil testing

Choosing the best procedures for soil testing

Skipping soil tests could cost you big time

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