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In this article:
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| 1. Calendar of Events |
| 2. LSU Soil Testing and Plant Analysis Lab Update |
| 3. Soil Testing Continued |
If you’ve submitted a soil sample in the last month or two to the LSU Soil Testing & Plant Analysis Lab, you may have noticed they’re taking a little longer than usual to process samples and send your results. The lab has been extremely busy with lots of samples coming in (which is a good thing, since it means people are testing their soils), and they are doing their best to process them in a timely manner. It may take up to 3 weeks at this time to get your results, so taking samples a bit earlier than you need them is better when getting those submitted. Make sure to include your email on the submission form so you will get the results faster, and your parish Extension Agent will get the email as well. The form doesn’t have your contact information on it, so be sure to give us a call if you need help interpreting your results.
If you’re used to seeing the USPS Priority Mailboxes that include the submission form and sample bags, those are in the process of being phased out. The lab is now sending out paper bags to collect your samples. You’ll then mail the bag, submission form, and check or money order all together in a box and send to the lab. I’ll have some pictures and explanations on the next page to show you.
After you fill out your contact information at the top of the submission form, you get to the field above. You can send in more than 5 samples by using another sheet if you need to, but you have 5 provided on each form. You can use anything you like as a sample identification, just make sure to keep it below 13 characters. The sample id on the form should also be written in the blank provided on the bag. On the back page of the sheet, a list of crops is provided. Your sample can be tested for up to 3 different crops. Different crops will have different optimum levels, so it’s important you include the crop for the most accurate recommendations based on your results. For bermudagrass for example, make sure to differentiate between where it’s used. Most likely, you would be using it for pasture, so be sure to include that. If you want to use the same pasture to plant ryegrass in the fall, you can write ryegrass, or ryegrass with clover.
| Element (Mehlich3) | Value | Bermuda (pasture) | Ryegrass |
| pH (1:1 Water) | 6.14 | Optimum | Optimum |
| Phosphorus, ppm | 31.70 | Medium | Medium |
| Potassium, ppm | 145.69 | Medium | Medium |
| Calcium, ppm | 1318.39 | Very High | Very High |
| Magnesium, ppm | 398.02 | Very High | Very High |
| Sodium, ppm | 178.57 | Optimum | Optimum |
| Sulfur, ppm | 15.43 | Medium | Medium |
| Copper, ppm | 2.48 | High | High |
| Zinc, ppm | 13.50 | High | High |
Above is an example of what a test result looks like with both Bermuda (pasture) and ryegrass as the selected crops.
Below are the fertilizer recommendations for each crop. If your pH value were to be considered low, you’d also see a recommended lime amount, usually 1 ton per acre, possibly 2 or 3 tons if the pH is extremely low. The recommendations for Bermuda break down each possible use of bermudagrass, both hybrid and seeded varieties, and whether its for establishing, grazing, or hay production. There is also a recommendation sheet linked in the email you receive, or your Extension Agent can provide you with the information sheet if for some reason the link doesn’t work. They are also both linked below. The information sheet will tell you when and how to split up your fertilizer applications and when it’s best to apply fertilizer. If you’re unsure, please reach out to your local Extension Office for help!
Perennial Summer Pasture Grasses
| Crop | Form | Units: lb/Acre | Nitrogen | Phosphate | Potash |
| bermuda (pasture) | establish hyb. ber, | 80-120 | 80 | 80 | |
| bermuda (pasture) | establish comm. | 80-120 | 90 | 90 | |
| bermuda (pasture) | grazing | 100-200 | 60 | 80 | |
| bermuda (pasture) | hay comm. | 200-300 | 60 | 120 | |
| bermuda (pasture) | hay hyb. ber, | 300-400 | 80 | 200 | |
| ryegrass | grazing | 90-200 | 60 | 60 |
Below are pictures of what the new soil bags look like. Be sure to fill it out completely and that the soil is dry. Fill it to the line on the bag and follow the directions on how to collect a good sample. Using low precision and low accuracy gives the most accurate representation of the soil.
You can scan the QR code on the bag to get a copy of the submission form, or your parish office can print one for you.
Most offices have soil probes you can check out for a small deposit as well.
