Auburn University Soil testing Soil Groups Used by Auburn University Soil testing

Soil Groups 1-Sandy Soils 2-Loams and light clays 3-Heavy clays 4-Heavy clays of the Blackbelt

Soils Areas Alabama has seven major soil areas.

Soil Areas Most were formed from materials with similar characteristics. A soil series is a part of the landscape with similarities among its properties such as color, texture, arrangement of soil horizons, and depth to bedrock.

Upper and Lower Coastal Plains. Made from marine sediments eroded from the Appalachian and Piedmont plateaus. Upper and Lower Coastal Plains.

Smithdale, Luverne, Savannah Found in the Upper Coastal Plains. Loamy or clayey subsoils Sandy loam or loam surface layers Savannah soils have fragipans. Topography is level to very steep. Most of the area is in forest.

Dothan, Orangeburg extensive in the eastern part of the Lower Coastal Plains. loamy subsoils sandy loam or loamy sand surface layers.

Smithdale and Troup soils are very extensive in the western part. loamy subsoils loamy sand or sand surface layers. slopes are less than 10 percent.

Soil Testing Recommendations based on a soil test can be no better than the soil sample from which they are made. Take great care to be sure that the sample submitted represents as accurately the area from which it is taken.

Soil Testing -Step 1 10 to 20 mini samples are taken

Samples from plowed fields should be taken to plow depth 6-8 inches

Sod (grass) areas should be taken to a depth of “2” inches.

Step 2-analyzing the sample Chemical extraction and testing procedure The procedures used must be correlated to plant growth and nutrient uptake in Alabama.

Step 4-Using The Results When growers receive a soil test report, they must make decisions about how to Using readily available fertilizers or ordering custom blended fertilizer.

Using the results Continued Using premium fertilizers which contain secondary and micronutrients or Applying only those micronutrients specifically recommended for the crop. Splitting fertilizer and/or lime applications. Other considerations affect how the soil test results are used.