Fellas, I went out and tested my soil on the 3 plots I want to put down this year. Here are the results: Food Plot 1: pH Test: 7.0 Phosphorus Test: Sufficient Nitrogen Test:Adequate Potash Test:Surplus Food Plot 2: pH Test: 7.5 Phosphorus Test: Surplus Nitrogen Test:Sufficient Potash Test:Surplus Food Plot 3: pH Test: 6.5 Phosphorus Test: Sufficient Nitrogen Test:Sufficient Potash Test:Sufficient I'm using the Rapitest soil test kit, and I'm attempting to decode what the heck all this means, and what I need to put down. I think from what I've read, these places seem pretty good to plant, I took 3 soil tests at each food plot, at different parts. In regards to fertilizer, I'm thinking adding some lime to increase the overall PH on food plot 3. Outside of that, I'm not too sure what else really needs to be done. The booklet I have that came with the tests says I shouldn't add anything. What do you guys think?
I'd lime plot 3 anyway. Though it is adequate for good growth at 6.5...I prefer to keep plant calcium content as high as possible as I believe it contributes greatly to overall deer and antler development....that's my theory. I'd drop some fertilizer on all three plots anyway as well, you don't want to be mining nutrients from the plots. Something like a quality triple 13 will maintain what you have there already and maybe build some additional nutrients in the plots. Adequate is only so for one crop production, lol. There are charts around over the net that show an estimate nutrient uptake of certain crops. If you fertilize to produce tonnage or grain yield then your plots will never be depleted.
