University of Missouri Extension agronomist Todd Lorenz said a simple soil test helps farmers kick the habit of routine fertilization resulting in wasted money and poor crop performance.
Soil tests remove the guesswork from deciding how much fertilizer to apply by providing an accurate inventory of nutrients available in the soil, Lorenz said.
Applying too much fertilizer results in unnecessary costs and harm to the environment; too little fertilizer results in poor yields, he said. Whether it’s too much or too little, the result is the same – lower profits. Spring and fall are the best times to take soil tests, but samples can be taken any time the soil is workable, he said.
PHOTO: Farmer touching soil on the field. (Photo: iStock – Maksym Belchenko)
