News for soil testing
Now is a great time to send in soil samples for testing - it is the only way to know what nutrients are actually needed - and just as importantly, which are not. This is the pillar of sustainable farming and healthy soils. Excess nutrients in soil lead to environmental pollution, as well as elevated soil salinity that reduces yield. We have several fact sheets to tailor soil management for urban and small farms, including one that’s brand new!
Below is a list of fact sheets on how to zone + sample, sustainable compost and manure use, and considering tests for contaminants, especially if growing in urban soils:
1) Small farms soil testing - ins and outs
3) Trace elements (aka heavy metals) - assessing risk and testing