Do THIS Soil Test Before Buying Land

Are you thinking about buying a farmland? Whether you're a farmer or a home gardener, before you buy that property, there's one essential task you must undertake, and that's conducting a soil analysis. In this blog, we'll take you through how to do your soil analysis and test so that you can make an informed decision about your land purchase.

There are different types of soil, and knowing about them will come in handy in your soil analysis. The three main types of soil are sandy, silt, and clay. Sandy soils drain water well, but they require more frequent watering and fertilization. Silty soils hold more moisture than sandy soils, and clay soils are great at retaining both moisture and nutrients. However, clay soils are harder to cultivate.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has conducted soil surveys and made all that information available online for free. So, before you purchase a property, you can access this information to learn about the soil profile of the area you're interested in. The USDA's web soil survey is an excellent tool for finding out about the different soil series and their soil components. You can type in the address of your property, and the tool will provide you with the soil series in that area.

One crucial aspect of a soil analysis is the presence of hard pans. Hard pans are naturally occurring hardness or are formed by constant tractor activity. Shallow hard pans can be broken up by planting different types of cover crops, while deeper hard pans might require deep ripping. Deep ripping involves softening the soil to enable deeper root growth and water penetration. A physical test can be conducted by collecting soil samples at different depths, usually one foot, two feet, and three feet. You can rent an auger to drill holes and collect your samples.

In conclusion, conducting a soil analysis is vital when purchasing farmland. The information gathered from the analysis will help you make informed decisions about soil management, crop selection, and fertilization, among other things. So, before you buy that farmland, take the time to conduct a soil analysis and know what you're getting into.