Why Soil Test In The Fall?

Soil sampling or soil testing in the fall offers distinct advantages and is common practice in large-scale agricultural operations. In large-scale Ag there are additional benefits to Fall sampling, such as potential tax or other financial benefits related to fertilizer and amendment purchases. Here are some Fall soil sampling advantages for DIYers in the lawn and garden: 

• Get guidance for fall-planted crops and gardens: Be sure your fall-planted gardens have the fertility they need to support young plants and nutrient-dense crops.
  
• Report Card for efficient nutrient management: Residual levels of nutrients after cropping or mowing all season are visible, supporting accurate adjustments for fertility in the upcoming season and helping prevent over- or under-fertilization. The test can also serve as a report card to see how your specific soil responded to your fertility program and to guide the last application of the season.
  
• Optimal lime and sulfur application: Fall is ideal for pH adjustment, allowing time for soil pH to begin adjusting and moving towards the optimal soil pH range before spring planting and growth.
  
• Preparation time: Your MySoil results return in 6-8 days, well before the next growing season, giving ample time to plan lime, fertilizer, or other amendment applications and purchase inputs at potentially lower fall prices. 
  
• Ease of sampling: Garden and Flower Beds are accessible after harvest, making sample collection easier without interfering with actively growing standing plants. 
  
• Better soil conditions: Soil after harvest or in the Fall of the year is often moist but not overly wet, ideal for using probes and collecting reliable samples.  

To wrap it up, fall soil testing is chosen for its better logistics, planning, potential for input cost efficiency, and optimal management of nutrients and lime, which helps set up next year’s lawn or garden for success.