Soil testing a good investment

It’s that special time of year when the Oklahoma weather gets people excited to get a garden growing.
While we have had an unseasonably warm spring, our average last frost isn’t until mid-April, so it’s best to wait a bit longer before planting.
However, if you are itching to get started, now is a great time to get a soil test. Whether it is your lawn, garden or pasture, soil testing is a great tool to help you make informed decisions.
We tend to have low nutrient and pH soils here in Haskell County which often makes amendments necessary. Having low available nutrients can cause plants to not grow properly leading to lower yields. Applying excessive fertilizer is not economical and can cause negative environmental impacts, particularly in water sources.  
Soil pH also needs to be in the correct range for nutrients to be absorbed properly.
Even if your N, P, and K levels are adequate, a pH that is too high or low can make those nutrients unavailable.
A routine soil test costs only costs $10 and will tell you what your pH level is, in addition to the current macronutrient load.
Getting a soil sample is easy as long as the soil has enough moisture. You can either use a small shovel or come by the extension office and check out a soil probe. Your sample should be taken at a depth of six inches from all across the area. Grab a clean, plastic bucket and your soil probe and zig zag across the area to be tested, taking random samples. For the sample to be most accurate, 15-20 cores should betaken, mixed in the bucket, then put into a quart-sized ziplock bag and brought back to the Haskell County Extension Office located at 105 S.E. 3rd St. in Stigler.
It typically takes between 10 days and two weeks to get results, so it’s best to not wait until the last minute to test.
Areas managed differently need a separate test for us to give you the best recommendation.
Contact the Haskell County OSU Extension Office for more information.
Happy planting.

By Crystal Ashalintubbi-Shipman
Agriculture/4-H Extension Agent