The Soil Report

By understanding your soil's unique needs, you can reduce reliance on synthetic inputs, improve resource efficiency, save on costs, and create a resilient ecosystem that supports long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health.

Below, you'll find the key properties and nutrients that we analyze, along with how they can provide you with essential information to maintain healthy soil and run a more productive, sustainable operation.

pH

Soil pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14:

  • Acidic Soil: pH below 7.0.

    • Strongly acidic soils have a pH below 5.5.

    • Moderately acidic soils range from 5.5 to 6.5.

    • Slightly acidic soils are between 6.5 and 7.0.

  • Neutral Soil: pH of 7.0.

  • Alkaline (or Basic) Soil: pH above 7.0.

    • Slightly alkaline soils range from 7.0 to 8.0.

    • Moderately alkaline soils are between 8.0 and 9.0.

    • Strongly alkaline soils have a pH above 9.0.

The optimum pH level in soil depends on the type of plants being grown, but for most crops, a range of 6.0 to 7.5 is ideal. This “near-neutral range” allows for maximum availability of essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, while these nutrients become less accessible in highly acidic or alkaline soils. Additionally, beneficial microbes, which play a critical role in nutrient cycling and soil health, are most active in this pH range.

Soil pH directly impacts how easily plants can access nutrients, making regular monitoring and management essential for healthy plant growth.

Buffer pH is a measurement used to determine the soil's resistance to pH change, often referred to as its buffering capacity. It indicates how much lime or other amendments are needed to adjust the soil pH to the desired level.

For example, soils with a high buffering capacity (typically those with more clay or organic matter) resist changes in pH, requiring larger amounts of lime to adjust acidity. Conversely, sandy soils with low buffering capacity need less lime to achieve the same pH adjustment.

Buffer pH helps tailor soil management practices to the unique characteristics of your soil, ensuring better results and sustainable land use.

Buffer pH AKA Lime Requirement

Knowing the electrical conductivity (EC), or soluble salts, in your soil is essential for managing soil health and plant growth. High EC levels indicate excessive salinity, which can cause salt stress, hinder water uptake, and disrupt nutrient availability, leading to poor plant health. Different crops have varying salinity tolerances, so understanding EC helps determine which plants will thrive and whether management practices are needed to reduce salinity.

EC testing also aids in irrigation management, as salinity can accumulate from water sources over time. Regular monitoring allows for early detection of problems and guides corrective actions, such as leaching salts or improving drainage. By tracking EC, farmers and gardeners can optimize soil conditions, ensuring sustainable crop production and long-term soil health.

Electrical Conductivity (EC) AKA Soluble Salts

Nitrogen

Inorganic Nitrogen: Nitrate (NO3) bound Nitrogen

Nitrate is one of the primary forms of nitrogen that plants can readily absorb and use for growth. It is essential for plant growth, particularly for producing amino acids and proteins. Measuring nitrate levels ensures plants have enough nitrogen for optimal growth without over-application.

Inorganic Nitrogen: Ammonium (NH4+) bound Nitrogen

Ammonium is an important nitrogen source for plants, especially in acidic soils. Monitoring ammonium levels helps ensure plants have access to this essential nutrient for growth without over-application that could lead to toxicity. For example, if ammonium levels are too high, it can lead to excessive soil acidification, which may harm plant roots and reduce nutrient availability. Understanding its concentration helps manage soil health and microbial activity.

Organic nitrogen, found in soil organic matter, is slowly released as it decomposes, providing a steady supply of nitrogen to plants. A slow-release of nitrogen reduces the risk of nutrient leaching and environmental pollution, ensuring consistent plant growth over time. Organic nitrogen also plays a crucial role in improving soil structure, water retention, and microbial activity, which supports overall soil health. By monitoring organic nitrogen, farmers can manage soil fertility and reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers.

Organic Nitrogen

Organic Matter

Knowing the level of organic matter in your soil is important because it plays a vital role in soil health, fertility, and overall agricultural sustainability. Organic matter consists of decomposed plant and animal material that enriches the soil, providing essential nutrients and supporting soil structure.

  1. Soil Fertility: Organic matter is a key source of nutrients for plants, as it releases essential elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as it breaks down. High organic matter improves nutrient retention, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.

  2. Soil Structure and Water Retention: Organic matter helps bind soil particles together, improving soil structure and increasing its ability to retain water. This leads to better aeration and drainage, which supports healthy root growth.

  3. Soil Microbial Activity: Organic matter provides food for soil microbes, which are essential for nutrient cycling and soil health. A healthy population of beneficial microbes promotes a more balanced, thriving ecosystem in the soil.

Texture

Texture is a property of soil which can have a large impact on many aspects of your soil and its health. Texture impacts soil water holding capacity and permeability with sandier soils holding less water but allowing more water to infiltrate through the soil whereas clay dominant soils hold more water resulting in less permeating through the soil horizon.  It affects the ability forsoil to hold nutrients, it impacts aeration, and it is directly linked to cation exchange capacity due to clay and organic matter which both provide negatively charged surfaces for cation adsorption / binding. Soil texture can be broken down into three separate components: 

  • Sand -  1.0 mm to 0.05 mm in diameter 

  • Silt - 0.05 to 0.002 mm

  • Clay - 0.002 and smaller

Soil textural classes are determined by calculating percentages of each of the three components and using a soil triangle to determine the specific class.

Phosphorus

Knowing the level of inorganic phosphorus in your soil is important because it represents the readily available form of phosphorus that plants can absorb for critical functions like root development, energy transfer, and flowering. Phosphorus is often a limiting nutrient in many soils, and low levels can result in stunted growth, poor root development, and reduced crop yields.

Conversely, excessive inorganic phosphorus can lead to nutrient imbalances, reduced availability of other essential nutrients, and environmental issues, particularly water pollution from runoff. By monitoring inorganic phosphorus levels, farmers can optimize fertilization practices.

Inorganic Phosphorous

Total phosphorous, includes organic phosphorus which is bound in organic matter and is slowly made available to plants as soil microorganisms break it down. Organic phosphorus is a key component of soil fertility, especially in soils with low levels of inorganic phosphorus.

Total Phosphorous