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Soil Sample

In late August I took some soil samples but never took them in to get tested. They got shoved under the back seat of my truck. I put them in plastic ziploc bags but did not seal them and put those in a paper bag. Do you think these samples will still be good to test, or should I get new ones? Thanks!

Get new ones

Ph , and N can change with out H2o . u need to do it again. YOU ever check the PH on dry dirt ? you cant and u cant add water because that will change it

R-man..... Are you saying that your soil samples should be taken from soil that has at least some moisture in it?

do u want an accurate one ? Ask are Nutrient guy , I don't have a degree in shit I am just smart or used to be . But I did stay at a HowardJohnsons before so who knows

I guess if you leave them in the rain they would be accurate again ?

Wasn't trying to be a smarta$$! Legitimate question.

Pat, I should have explained better but typing on my phone is a pain. I am in the environmental field and I collect a lot of soil samples (although I tend to analyze for things more like VOCs, petroleum, metals, PCBs, etc.). Hold times for pH in my field are 24 hours and nitrogen compounds are 28 days or I cannot legally rely on the data. That is a bit extreme for simple soil analysis and data needed for food plots I know, but Konk1 posted that they got shoved under his seat in August in ziplock bags. So between losing moisture like r-man said and the constant heating and cooling (heating is the worst), its best to collect new ones to get more accurate data. Soil samples should be put on ice (or ice packs) and sent to the lab shortly after collection.

there is some good info here, and some "almost" good.... yes, take new samples, and yes nitrogen AND pH can change. And yes adding tap water, bottled water, or surface water can change pH, but you CAN re-hydrate a sample with distilled, pH-neutral water, and get an accurate pH... the point is moot though, as a sample pH will "drift" over time, due to on going chemical and biological processes, so, a nitpicky post, from old Fuzzy, surprise-surprise!

Thanks for the replies. I will discard the current samples and get new ones this weekend and get them tested pronto this time.

Currently the ground is cold, but amazingly for this time of year here in Wisconsin is not frozen. Will cold or frozen ground make a difference. If not I can get new samples this weekend and get them tested right away.

Good questions and thread konk!

I need to redo all my soil samples as it's has been about 4 years. What triggered this for me was I spread Pel lime in about 1 1/2 acres of a food plot I did late August and they took off unbelievably well!!! Duh!

Mark

The nutrient amounts may have changed since the samples were collected, based on rainfall leaching the nutrients through the soil column. If it is not too much trouble, recollect. If recollecting is not a good option, then send in what you've got and you should at least be in the ball park.

Why would anyone need to get new one's? Moisture isnt a consideration in soil testing. Now if it was a forage test where we need to know how much dry matter is in the sample, that is a different story.

Btw people, i offer soil testing for $10 a sample I have a form and all you need to do is send me the soil.

nutritionist, I will "bow" to your expertise, but, don't you think nitrate levels would drift in a warm, anaerobic environment, over time?

Why would anyone want to use an old soil sample placed in an opened ziplock bag that was shoved under the back seat of a truck since August not knowing what else it was exposed to....if you can easily collect new ones?

I took new samples on Saturday and will forward them on to Nutritionist for testing since I will be joining his nutrition program and purchasing seed from him anyway.

good choice ^

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