1. Soil Testing
Katy, Tara, &
Heather

2. Soil Testing determines what kind of fertilizer is necessary to produce the best product.

3. There are four major soil groups:
Sandy Soils
Loamy Soils
Fine textured clayey Soils, high in organic matter
Fine textured Clayey soils from the Central Black belt Region

4. Alabama has seven major soil areas:
Limestone valleys and uplands
Appalachian Plateau
Piedmont Plateau
Prairies
Coastal Plains
Major Flood Plains
Coastal Marshes and Beaches

5. Coastal Plains Coffee County is located in the coastal plains.
In this region soil is either loamy or clayey subsoil and sandy loam surface layers.

6. Soil Testing
Soil Testing determines the amount of minerals and the pH level of the soil.

7. Step 1:
Take your sample!

8. Tools needed Soil test probe or shovel Bucket Soil test box
Soil test mailing box

9. Taking the Sample
Take a minimum of 20 mini samples

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

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

13. Step 2:
Analyze your sample!

14. Chemical extraction and testing procedure
The procedures used must be correlated to plant growth and nutrient uptake in Alabama.

15. Step 3:
Use your results!

16. When you receive a soil test report, you must make decisions about how to use readily available fertilizers or ordering custom blended fertilizer.

17. The End
A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often- just to save it from dying out completely.