Precision Soil Consulting

01/17/2022

If there was ever a year to control costs by only applying exactly what is needed this is the year. If you are not soil sampling, consider starting on a small scale.

If you already have someone sample for you, consider this: Are they also selling you fertilizer? If they are, do you think they are selling you what your soil test report shows you need or are they selling you what they need to sell to hit their numbers?

We have updated our pricing at $35/point for all 5 and 2.5 acre grids. Utilizing a per point basis allows us the flexibility to collect additional good/bad locations at you request. If you are interested in 1 acre grids, please give us a call.

12/05/2021

A success story from one of our clients in North Central Iowa.

2021 was sure a challenging year from a moisture standpoint as this area stayed in a D2 severe drought until late October. This farmer gave us a try and it paid off for him in a big way. The corn field we consulted on was noticeably greener and healthier all through the growing season than other fields in the area, he even received comments from a regional technical agronomist on the health of his corn.

Running the numbers from the slips at the elevator he saw a 44 bushel/acre increase over his 5 year average, a positive ROI, and he is building his soil for future crops in the process.

10/15/2021

Knowledge is power and the best way to gain knowledge is through data. How do you think planting insurance dates are set? They have the data and on that particular date they are willing to put their money on the line. Now data can be expensive to get at times (ex. yield monitor) but the cheapest data to get on any farm is soil testing. I would also argue soil testing provides the greatest ROI on your farm operation. If you aren’t soil testing I strongly encourage you to start and with fertilizer prices being significantly higher than last year I can’t think of a better time to start. If we can help in anyway please give us a call and have a safe harvest.

09/26/2021

Potassium has a lot to do with stalk size and far more to do with yield than most people think hence the reason it’s called the mother of all nutrients. The images below show the stalk size differences between two different fields with very different potassium levels. They are both the same hybrid and were planted on the same day. In fact they are only a few hundred yards apart.

We all have to deal with what Mother Nature throws at us but it’s a no brainer which one I would prefer when severe weather rolls around.

09/02/2021

Just a friendly reminder if you need soil testing done this fall please give us a call.

We have a team in north central Iowa near the Mason City area and we also have a team in south central Iowa close to the Des Moines area. We are able to accommodate farmers anywhere in the state.

09/01/2021

The great folks at Ag PhD put together a fantastic website that has a ton of good resources. I highly recommend you check it out.

Ag PhD Insider magazine is a NEW bi-monthly publication continuing Ag PhD’s mission of providing valuable information to improve your production and bottom line. With regular features on farmers pushing the envelope of innovation, as well as informational columns covering agronomic best practices,...

07/27/2021

Fall will be here before you know it and it never hurts to have a plan in place before things get busy. Here are a few tips on your post harvest soil sampling. As always if we can help out in any way feel free to reach out.

1. Ensure soil probe is perpendicular to the ground to make sure you are pulling samples from the same depth every time

2. I prefer you test before tillage if possible to again ensure samples are all from a consistent depth.

3. Pull 6-12 plugs from each point and mix in gallon freezer bag. Once plugs are mixed they than can be put in lab testing bag.

4. Last but not least remember to take a GPS point for each sample so farm specific data can be generated.

07/05/2021

Happy 4th of July everyone! In honor of the 4th we are doing free trials for all new customers. Let us analyze your soil tests along with tissue samples and/or yield data on a small field or section (25 acres or less) for free. Please email or call us if you have any questions.

06/26/2021

Make sure to get out there and scout your fields.

https://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2021/06/scouting-for-nutrient-deficiencies-in.html?fbclid=IwAR2EdR5jFEEFomw6xaCokLEyJFxNyzfBeTX_9pjBrUDAb1AhC_usrZ1qS1A&m=1

By: Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist, and Paul McDivitt, Extension communications specialist Knowing how to identify com...

06/17/2021

For those of you a bit dry so far this year having the proper levels of potassium will pay dividends.

From photosynthesis, to protein synthesis and more, Potassium is absolutely vital to the success of your crops. Discover why K earns its place in the “holy trinity” of Macronutrients (NPK) in our Nutrient Knowledge breakdown.