Soil Samples For Food Plots
How to Collect Soil Samples for Food Plots: A Step-by-Step Guide
Whether you’re planting food plots for deer, turkeys, or improving soil for wildlife habitat, one of the most important — and most overlooked — steps is proper soil sampling. Collecting a good soil sample is the foundation for success. It helps you know what your soil needs and prevents wasted time, money, and effort.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to collect soil samples for food plots the right way — step by step. We’ll also cover when and where to sample, common mistakes, how to interpret your results, and how soil testing directly impacts food plot performance.
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Why Soil Testing Is Critical for Food Plots
Before you put seed in the ground, your first priority should be understanding your soil.
Soil tests tell you:
• pH levels (which affect nutrient availability)
• Nutrient content (like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium)
• Lime and fertilizer recommendations
• Organic matter levels (in some tests)
Skipping this step is like guessing what your truck needs instead of checking the dipstick or engine codes. A soil test eliminates the guesswork.
Many hunters or land managers blame poor germination, stunted growth, or weed pressure on seed or weather — when the real culprit is bad soil.
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When Should You Take Soil Samples?
You can take soil samples any time the ground isn’t frozen, but here are the best practices:
• 4–6 months before planting: This gives you time to apply lime, which takes months to fully raise pH.
• Annually or every 2–3 years: If you manage the same plot, regular testing helps track changes and improvements.
If you’re doing both fall and spring food plots, test in late winter or early spring so you can plan both seasons with one sample.
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What You Need to Take a Soil Sample
You don’t need fancy equipment. Here’s what you’ll want to have:
• Soil probe or shovel/spade
• Clean plastic bucket
• Zip-top bags or soil sample boxes (from your extension office or soil lab)
• Pen and labels
• Field notebook or phone notes
• Map or GPS (optional)
Avoid using metal buckets or tools that may contaminate the sample with trace minerals — especially if you’re testing for micronutrients. This is a very important step, make sure and use a plastic bucket.
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Step-by-Step: How to Collect Soil Samples for Food Plots
Step 1: Identify Sample Areas
Each different soil type, slope, or vegetation zone should be sampled separately. Don’t mix wooded, sandy, or wet areas with upland fields or established plots.
Tip: Use an aerial map (like OnX, HuntStand, or Google Earth) to plan your sampling zones.
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Step 2: Remove Debris from Surface
Clear away any grass, litter, leaves, or crop residue before digging. You want to sample the true soil, not organic debris that hasn’t broken down yet.
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Step 3: Take 10–15 Cores per Plot
Use a soil probe or shovel to collect cores 6 inches deep (standard for most food plots). Do this from 10 to 15 spots randomly across the plot.
• Mix all cores from the same zone into your clean bucket.
• Avoid field edges, obvious manure piles, burn piles, or areas with tire tracks or heavy machinery ruts.
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Step 4: Mix Thoroughly
Stir the mixed sample in your bucket thoroughly. This creates a composite sample that represents the entire plot. You only need about 1 pint of soil for testing, so once mixed, take that portion out for bagging.
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Step 5: Label & Bag Your Sample
Place the sample in a zip-top plastic bag or the provided soil sample box from your lab or county extension.
Clearly label each sample with:
• Plot name or number
• Date
• Crop you plan to grow (e.g., clover, brassicas, cereal grains, legume mix, etc.)
This helps the lab provide accurate fertilizer and lime recommendations.
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Step 6: Ship or Drop Off Samples
Send your sample to a local agricultural extension office or a private soil testing lab. Some of the most trusted labs for food plot testing include:
• Whitetail Institute
• Biologic / Mossy Oak
• AgSource
• A&L Labs
• Local universities or state extension labs
Make sure to include any required forms and payment. You’ll typically get results in 7–14 days, often with emailed reports.
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How to Read Your Soil Test Results
A standard soil report will give you several key readings. Here’s what they mean:
1. pH
• Ideal for most food plots: 6.0–7.0
• If below 6.0, you’ll likely need ag lime or pelletized lime or even liquid lime for a short term improvement
• pH affects how well plants can absorb nutrients — it’s not optional!
2. Phosphorus (P)
Essential for root development and early growth. Most plots need additional P unless recently fertilized.
3. Potassium (K)
Supports disease resistance and overall plant health. Often under-applied in food plots.
4. Nitrogen (N)
Needed in large amounts, especially for cereal grains and brassicas. But nitrogen doesn’t show up well in soil tests due to how quickly it breaks down.
5. Lime Requirement
This is how much lime (in tons per acre) you’ll need to adjust your pH.
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How to Apply Lime and Fertilizer Based on Results
Lime
Apply lime based on the test’s ton-per-acre recommendation. For example:
• 2 tons/acre of ag lime may be needed for a pH of 5.5 to reach 6.5.
Lime can be spread with:
• ATV spreaders
• Pull-behind lime buggies
• Tractor PTO spreaders
Lime works slowly — apply at least 3–6 months before planting.
Liquid Lime can be used and applied with the Plot Blaster or other ground spray rigs in order to make quick PH adjustments in hard to reach areas and can help keep your PH correct throughout the life of short term plots
Fertilizer
Use the N-P-K numbers (e.g., 13-13-13 or 10-20-20) that match the soil’s needs. Your soil test may say something like:
Apply 300 lbs/acre of 19-19-19 before planting.
Follow this closely, and re-fertilize mid-season for longer-lasting plots, or split the application into two parts and time them throughout the growth stages.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Only sampling once — ever
Soils change over time, especially with fertilizer and lime applications. Sample every 1–3 years.
❌ Sampling too shallow
A 2” sample won’t show what’s going on in your root zone. Stick with 6” depth for food plots.
❌ Sending dirty or mislabeled samples
Unlabeled or contaminated samples won’t give useful results.
❌ Not following recommendations
Testing is pointless if you don’t follow through with the lime and fertilizer. You’ll keep getting poor results.
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Soil Sampling Tips for Different Plot Types
✅ New Food Plots
Sample before you clear, mow, or disk so you know the starting point. This is critical for converting woods or old pasture to productive food plots.
✅ Perennial Plots (like clover)
Test annually to maintain proper pH and avoid over- or under-fertilizing. Perennials need consistent fertility.
✅ Brassica Plots
These are heavy feeders. Apply both nitrogen and sulfur if your lab recommends it, and split fertilizer applications between planting and mid-growth.
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What If You Can’t Do a Test Right Now?
If you’re too late for a test or need to plant immediately:
• Apply 300 lbs/acre of 19-19-19 or similar balanced fertilizer.
• Add 1 ton/acre of lime if you suspect low pH.
• Then take a soil test after planting to prepare for the next cycle.
It’s not ideal, but better than doing nothing.
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Final Thoughts
Collecting soil samples for your food plots is one of the most important — and easiest — steps in setting yourself up for success. It costs little, takes less than an hour per plot, and can make the difference between a plot that thrives and one that fails.
Think of it like tuning an engine before a long drive — without it, you’re running blind.
Get your samples in, follow the recommendations, and you’ll be rewarded with better germination, healthier plants, and more wildlife at your plots.
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