What is a soil test extractant?
A soil test utilizes an extractant to determine the amount of plant nutrients in the soil. A soil extractant is a solution made up of water and a certain concentration of chemicals. The extractant is added to a fixed amount of soil and the two are sh aken together for a prescribed length of time. The mixture is then poured through a filter paper. The soil is retained on the filter paper and the extractant, now containing the dissolved plant nutrients, is caught in a vial. The plant nutrients in the extractant are then analyzed using the appropriate laboratory instruments to see how much was removed from the soil. The amount of the nutrients extracted will represent a fraction of the total nutrients available to the plants throughout the growing se ason. Calibration data from previous field experiments serve as a guide in rating the amount of extractable nutrients as low, medium or high. These ratings are then used to determine the amount and type of fertilizer, e.g., phosphorus (P2O5)
An extractant is a mixture of various chemical reagents dissolved in water. It removes plant-available nutrients from the soil and dissolves them in a liquid phase. Most extractants can remove phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and copper from a sample. How often should a soil be tested? As a rule, test sandy-textured soils every 2 to 3 years and clay soils every 3 to 4 years. However, if any problems occur at any time contact, TopNotch Inspections or visit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture website. What does the pH measure? Soil pH indicates how acid or basic a soil is. It is a logarithmic function of the hydrogen ion concentration. A pH of 6.0 is ten times more acid than a pH of 7.0; a pH of 5.0 is 100 times more acid than a pH of 7.0, and so on. A pH of 7.0 is neutral; below 7.0, the soil is acid; above 7.0, the soil is basic. For example, battery acid has a very low pH (<3.0); household ammonia is basic and has a high pH (>10.0). What is the most desi
