Soil Sampling

SOIL SAMPLING

Soil is our strength

At Holmes Agro we believe soil is our strength! Everything starts with the soil, so it is crucial that we understand what we are working with in terms of nutrient levels, pH and other factors that impact soil’s ability to support a crop. A good representative soil sample will help you decided whether you need to take actions such as applying lime or fertilizer.

Soil is our strength

SAMPLING RESULTS

At Holmes Agro we are happy to partner with A & L Canada Laboratories Inc. to bring a customized soil test to our growers. Every soil test we submit will show results for the following:

Organic Matter (%)
The following standard nutrients in ppm:
- Phosphorus (as Sodium Bicarb and Bray 1)
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Sodium
Soil pH and buffer pH
Calculated CEC
K/Mg ratio

Saturation of cation elements (%K, %Mg, %Ca, %H and %Na)
Phosphorus saturation (%P)
The following additional micronutrients in ppm:
- Sulphur
- Zinc
- Boron
- Manganese
- Aluminum
Estimated Nitrogen Release- ENR (lbs/ac)

SAMPLING RESULTS

At Holmes Agro we are happy to partner with A & L Canada Laboratories Inc. to bring a customized soil test to our growers. Every soil test we submit will show results for the following:

Organic Matter (%)
The following standard nutrients in ppm:
- Phosphorus (as Sodium Bicarb and Bray 1)
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Sodium
Soil pH and buffer pH
Calculated CEC
K/Mg ratio

Saturation of cation elements (%K, %Mg, %Ca, %H and %Na)
Phosphorus saturation (%P)
The following additional micronutrients in ppm:
- Sulphur
- Zinc
- Boron
- Manganese
- Aluminum
Estimated Nitrogen Release- ENR (lbs/ac)

OUR SOIL SAMPLING

WE OFFER FOUR FORMS

Holmes Agro offers soil sampling services to its customers free of charge, the only fee associated is the lab analysis for each sample taken. Please reach out to your crop advisor for more information about having soil sampling done for your operation.

BULK

Bulk sampling begins with dividing the field into broad regions. Within each region, several soil cores are taken and combined as one sample per region. Regions are a maximum of 25ac as per 4R guidelines.
GRID

Grid sampling uses GPS mapped points to collect multiple soil samples throughout the field. Your field will be divided into a 2.5ac sized grid pattern, and a separate soil sample will be collected from each grid point.
ZONE

Polygons/Zones are created and sampled based on differences you, or your field data, may have picked up on in your field (ex: yield maps, topography differences, soil texture variances etc).
SOIL MAPPING

Want to take your decision-making to the next level? Explore the option of soil mapping with Soil Optix. This form of mapping uses sensor technology and soil cores to offer the most in-depth look at your soil.

How it works

OUR SOIL SAMPLING

WE OFFER FOUR FORMS

BULK

Bulk sampling begins with dividing the field into broad regions. Within each region, several soil cores are taken and combined as one sample per region. Regions are a maximum of 25ac as per 4R guidelines.
GRID

Grid sampling uses GPS mapped points to collect multiple soil samples throughout the field. Your field will be divided into a 2.5ac sized grid pattern, and a separate soil sample will be collected from each grid point.
ZONE

Polygons/Zones are created and sampled based on differences you, or your field data, may have picked up on in your field (ex: yield maps, topography differences, soil texture variances etc).
SOIL MAPPING

Want to take your decision-making to the next level? Explore the option of soil mapping with Soil Optix. This form of mapping uses sensor technology and soil cores to offer the most in-depth look at your soil.

How it works

OUR SOIL SAMPLING

WE OFFER FOUR FORMS

BULK

Bulk sampling begins with dividing the field into broad regions. Within each region, several soil cores are taken and combined as one sample per region. Regions are a maximum of 25ac as per 4R guidelines.
GRID

Grid sampling uses GPS mapped points to collect multiple soil samples throughout the field. Your field will be divided into a 2.5ac sized grid pattern, and a separate soil sample will be collected from each grid point.
ZONE

Polygons/Zones are created and sampled based on differences you, or your field data, may have picked up on in your field (ex: yield maps, topography differences, soil texture variances etc).
SOIL MAPPING

Want to take your decision-making to the next level? Explore the option of soil mapping with Soil Optix. This form of mapping uses sensor technology and soil cores to offer the most in-depth look at your soil.

How it works

WOULD YOU SAY YOUR FIELD HAS VARIABILITY?

Variability Quiz

Would you say your field has variability?

Yes

Bulk Sampling might be right for you.
Contact Holmes Agro

Are there only a few distinctive areas that show variability (ex. some sandy knolls, parts of the field that always yield less/more ect.)

Does your field have variability?

Not sure

Yes

Your field has a level of variability across the entire field.

Soil Sampling or Grid Sampling
might be right for you.

Contact your local Holmes Agro store to learn more about
how Soil Sampling or Grid Sampling can increase your yields.

Grid Sampling
might be right for you.
Let's see how variable your field is.

Contact your local Holmes Agro store to learn more
about how Grid Sampling can increase your yields.

Zone/Polygon Sampling
might be right for you.

Contact your local Holmes Agro store to learn more about
how Zone/Polygon Sampling can increase your yields.

If you are human, leave this field blank.

WOULD YOU SAY YOUR FIELD HAS VARIABILITY?

Variability Quiz Tablet

Would you say your field has variability?

Yes

Bulk Sampling might be right for you.
Contact Holmes Agro

Are there only a few distinctive areas that show variability (ex. some sandy knolls, parts of the field that always yield less/more ect.)

Does your field have variability?

Not sure

Yes

Your field has a level of variability across the entire field.

Soil Sampling or Grid Sampling
might be right for you.

Contact your local Holmes Agro store to learn more about
how Soil Sampling or Grid Sampling can increase your yields.

Grid Sampling
might be right for you.
Let's see how variable your field is.

Contact your local Holmes Agro store to learn more
about how Grid Sampling can increase your yields.

Zone/Polygon Sampling
might be right for you.

Contact your local Holmes Agro store to learn more about
how Zone/Polygon Sampling can increase your yields.

If you are human, leave this field blank.

WOULD YOU SAY YOUR FIELD HAS VARIABILITY?

Variability Quiz Mobile

Would you say your field has variability?

Yes

Bulk Sampling might be right for you.
Contact Holmes Agro

Are there only a few distinctive areas that show variability (ex. some sandy knolls, parts of the field that always yield less/more ect.)

Does your field have variability?

Not sure

Yes

Your field has a level of variability across the entire field.

Soil Sampling or Grid Sampling
might be right for you.

Contact your local Holmes Agro store to learn more about
how Soil Sampling or Grid Sampling can increase your yields.

Grid Sampling
might be right for you.
Let's see how variable your field is.

Contact your local Holmes Agro store to learn more
about how Grid Sampling can increase your yields.

Zone/Polygon Sampling
might be right for you.

Contact your local Holmes Agro store to learn more about
how Zone/Polygon Sampling can increase your yields.

If you are human, leave this field blank.

View Guide

Interested in doing your own soil sampling?

At minimum all you need is a plastic bag and garden trowel. Please read the following reference guide to learn more in-depth of how to do your own soil sampling.

View Reference Guide

Interested in doing your own soil sampling?

At minimum all you need is a plastic bag and garden trowel. Please read the following reference guide to learn more in-depth of how to do your own soil sampling.

View Reference Guide

View Guide

MANURE AND COMPOST TESTING

We also offer manure & compost testing to help growers better understand the nutrient credit their manure or compost offers for crop planning. All analyses are done through our partner A&L Canada Laboratories Inc. Every test we submit will show results for minimum the following (more in-depth tests can be done as well):

Dry matter (%)
Nitrogen (total %)
NH4-N (ppm)
Phosphorus (total %) Phosphate (P as P205- % out of total P)
Potassium (total %) Potash (K as K20- % out of total K)

MANURE AND COMPOST TESTING

Dry matter (%)
Nitrogen (total %)
NH4-N (ppm)
Phosphorus (total %) Phosphate (P as P205- % out of total P)
Potassium (total %) Potash (K as K20- % out of total K)

MANURE AND COMPOST TESTING

Dry matter (%)
Nitrogen (total %)
NH4-N (ppm)
Phosphorus (total %) Phosphate (P as P205- % out of total P)
Potassium (total %) Potash (K as K20- % out of total K)

MANURE AND COMPOST TESTING

Dry matter (%)
Nitrogen (total %)
NH4-N (ppm)
Phosphorus (total %) Phosphate (P as P205- % out of total P)
Potassium (total %) Potash (K as K20- % out of total K)

CONTACT US

Contact one of our crop advisors to receive a sample container and better understand the best way to take a sample.

Soil is our strength

SAMPLING RESULTS

OUR SOIL SAMPLING

BULK

GRID

ZONE

SOIL MAPPING

WOULD YOU SAY YOUR FIELD HAS VARIABILITY?

Interested in doing your own soil sampling?

MANURE AND COMPOST TESTING

CONTACT US