If you want to be successful in farming, the first step is providing our plants with healthy and nutritious soils. Since it provides your crops with water, nutrients, and support, the soil is one of the most important assets in plant farming. Therefore, it is paramount to have the soil analyzed in an accredited laboratory to determine the quantities of different components.
In this post, we will dig deeper into soil testing to establish associated benefits and answer the question, “How do you identify the best soil testing company?
Why is Soil Testing Important?
If your soil does not have the right nutrients in ample quantities, the production of your crops and profits will take a downtrend. The good thing is that you can rectify the problem through a soil testing company. Here are the primary benefits of soil analysis.
- Helps You Know the Condition of Your Soil and How to Improve It
When you do soil analysis, it helps you to determine the fertility levels of the farm. More importantly, you will be able to craft the right fertility management strategies to increase nutrients to the right levels.
- It is the First Step in Optimizing Productivity
In addition to using the right fertilizer to enhance the fertility of the land, soil testing will also help you determine the soil’s pH. Then, you can adjust it appropriately to optimize nutrients uptake and increase productivity. For example, hemp farmers with alkaline farms should increase the acidity to around 6.5 for maximum production.
- Keeping Cost of Fertilizing Your Land Low
Some farmers believe that increasing fertility of their land is equal to using more fertilizers, but this is not correct. If you use high quantities of the wrong fertilizers, the expenses will be high and yield minimal. Instead, you should have your soil tested in a laboratory to determine the actual deficiencies and determine the right fertilizer to use.
- Avoid Over–Fertilization
If you simply apply a lot of fertilizer on the field, the chances are that you will cause over-fertilization. The excess fertilizer is likely to leach while some will find its way into the neighboring water bodies, resulting in serious pollution. However, you can avoid this through soil testing to determine the exact amount of fertilizer to use on your fields.
Soil Testing Companies: How Do You Identify the Best?
If you have plants in the field, it is paramount to understand their nutritional needs at different stages and cater for them to achieve maximum output. The best way to do this is by analyzing the soil regularly. While the recommended period is 4-5 years, you can get more from your land by having the soil’s fertility and health checked regularly by an accredited third-party laboratory. Here are some tips to help you identify the best lab.
- Look for the company with a simplified method of collecting samples.
- Go for the company that can complete the testing fast.
- The company should have the latest technologies and experienced scientists to do soil analysis.
- Only work with the laboratory that is licensed to offer soil testing services in your area.
- The best company should be affordable and committed to helping farmers become successful.
One of the companies that tick right in all the above considerations is Sante Laboratories. The organization has partnered with Lone Star Overnight (LSO) to promptly collect samples from Texas farmers and deliver them to Sante Lab. Therefore, you should partner with Sante to help steer your hemp farming to success.
