Consistency in Sampling Depth is Key

It is important to maintain a consistent sampling depth when collecting soil samples for many reasons including:

Nutrient and pH levels vary with depth: Soil pH, organic matter, and nutrient levels (like phosphorus and potassium) can fluctuate significantly at different soil depths. The top layers generally have more root activity, organic matter, and applied nutrients, while the concentrations tend to decrease with depth.

Fertilizer recommendations are based on calibrated depth: Soil tests used to determine fertilizer and lime requirements are calibrated to specific sampling depths, often six or eight inches. Inconsistent sampling depths can lead to inaccurate recommendations and potentially over or under-application of nutrients.

Shallow sampling can overestimate nutrient levels: Sampling only the very surface layers can lead to artificially high readings, especially for immobile nutrients like phosphorus, which tend to accumulate near the surface in no-till or reduced-tillage systems.

Consistency over time is crucial for trend analysis: Using the same sampling depth year after year allows for accurate comparisons of soil test results and helps in tracking changes in soil health and nutrient levels over time, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This information can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of management practices and refine fertility programs.

In essence, maintaining a consistent and appropriate sampling depth is fundamental for obtaining reliable soil test results, making sound fertilizer decisions, and effectively monitoring changes in soil health over the long term.

SoilView sets the standard for quality sampling. The SoilView System uses a combination of extensive sampler training, custom-fit equipment, and robust verification and monitoring processes to ensure every soil sample taken is using the same process: 10 to 12 perfect cores taken at the exact depth required, no exceptions. Anything less in your valuable soil becomes just dirt.

Custom Fit Sampling Equipment: You’ll see many recommendations to take soil cores straight up and down, which is great advice for someone taking a few samples in a day but what about when you’re taking 200 samples or more? At 10 cores per sample, that’s 2,000 + pokes in the ground every day! We custom-build sampling probes fit to each sampler and teach them how to correctly sample with them, which enables them to be safe, efficient, and consistent. With our swappable depth-stop inserts, our samplers can sample to any depth required, eliminating any guesswork and concern about depth control.

Capturing Loose or Sandy Soil: The angle of our sampling helps contain the entire soil core when sampling loose or very sandy soils. It is critical that the entire depth of the core makes it into the sample bag, and The SoilView System ensures that is exactly what happens every time. We also take a larger cross-section of the soil versus straight up and down, giving you an even more representative sample of that area in the field.

Proper Sample Volume: Laboratories require a minimum amount of soil to be able to properly run their analysis. Our method guarantees that every sample bag has the optimum amount of soil. It’s so consistent that we can even weigh the samples as an additional quality check!

Go ahead. Ask your lab. They love the consistency of a SoilView sample!

Don’t underestimate the power of a quality soil sample. Our soil sampling system is accurate, reliable, and ergonomic so that our samplers can take quality samples all day every day. SoilView will ensure you get a reliable sample every time, and that is a valuable truth you can confidently take to your growers.