Getting a head start on the 2026 season begins now! As the year winds down, it’s the perfect time to start planning for next year. One of the best ways to set yourself up for success is planning ahead with fall soil testing.
Fall is an ideal time to get a good read on your soil’s health. By the end of the season, your soil has been through a lot of changes. The crops have been taking up nutrients, and you’ve applied various inputs. A fall soil test gives you a post-harvest idea of what nutrients are left and what your soil’s pH is like after a full season of activity. This information helps you see how your nutrient management program performed and helps identify any potential issues that developed over the summer.
The value of knowing your soil
Knowing your soil’s nutrient levels is the first step in building a fertility program. A soil test provides information on:
- pH: This is a big one. Soil pH affects nutrient availability more than almost any other factor. If your pH is outside of optimal range, many of the nutrients you apply won’t be available to your crops, no matter how much you put down.
- Macronutrients: We’re talking about the big three: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). These are the nutrients your plants need in the largest quantities. A soil test tells us what’s there so you can make a plan to apply what’s needed for the 2026 season.
- Micronutrients: Don’t forget the little ones! Nutrients like zinc, manganese, and iron are needed for healthy plant growth and can have a big impact on final yield. We can’t manage what we don’t measure, and a soil test helps identify deficiencies before they become a problem.
At AgroLiquid, our goal is to help you grow the most profitable crops possible, and it all starts with the soil. By having a complete picture of your soil’s needs, we can create a custom fertility plan that works for you. We want your crops to get exactly what they need, when they need it.
Making a plan
How to get started? Here are the steps:
- Map out your fields: Decide which fields you’re going to test and where. If you’re new to testing, start with a few fields. Over time, you can expand to your entire operation.
- Contact your AgroLiquid representative: Your local AgroLiquid representative is your partner in this process. We can help you with everything from sampling tips to interpreting the results.
- Take your samples: Collect soil samples from representative areas of each field. Consistency in sampling depth and location is helpful for getting an accurate read.
- Send to the lab: Once your samples are collected, they’re sent to a professional lab for analysis.
- Review the results: Once the results are back, you and your AgroLiquid rep will sit down and go over them. We’ll look at the data and start building a plan for your 2026 fertility program.
Resources
The AgroLiquid site is full of resources to help:
- Soil Testing and Tissue Sampling
- How to Develop a Fertilizer Plan to Maximize Returns
- Fall Soil Testing
- Thinking About Post-Harvest Fertility
Don’t wait until spring. By making a plan for fall soil testing now, you’ll be one step ahead. You’ll be ready to apply the right nutrients at the right time, setting your crops up for a healthy and profitable growing season. Contact your AgroLiquid representative today to get started.