Soil Testing Sample &
Shipping Instructions
How to take a good soil testing sample
#1 Identify Sample Area
There may be multiple samples to take for soil testing if there are several different conditions on your land, or various areas of interest
For instance, if part of your crop is healthy and another part is diseased, those would be two separate sample areas. If you have several compost piles, each pile would also be its own individual sample.
If conditions within each pile are not homogeneous, then you can separate the different areas of each pile into two different samples.
#2 Collect Sample
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For each compost sample, reach 6-12 inches into your compost pile, or halfway between top and bottom to take one handful of compost. Repeat 3-5 times, taking each teaspoon from different locations in the pile.
Place ALL samples in one bag.
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For each compost sample, reach 6-12 inches into your compost pile, or halfway between top and bottom to take one handful of compost. Repeat ~20 times, along and or around the pile at random points making sure to take each teaspoon from different locations in the pile. It may be important to separate larger piles into a distinct “samples” that may have different timing and materials.
Place ALL 20 samples into one bag.
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Before taking a soil core, remove any debris or organic matter sitting on top of the soil. Using an apple corer, take soil cores from 5-10 locations within your identified sample area. When making your selection, consider the following:
• If your analysis is related to a particular plant/crop of interest, take soil cores from the root zone of the plant. Plants should be selected at random throughout the sample area. Ex: To test the soil ecology of a corn crop, pull soil cores from areas where the roots of the corn are present.
• If you are sampling soil around trees, take samples from midway between the edge of the canopy and the tree trunk, at the appropriate root zone depth. If the root zone is located in the first 3-4” of soil, start sample from the top of the soil (insert corer into soil, take soil from the top 1-4”.) If the root zone is deeper, insert corer to the appropriate level and take 4” at that level (so if the root zone starts at 4” deep, take a soil core from 4-8” of depth.)
• If you want soil testing for the general state of microbial health within a sample area, but with no particular plant of interest in mind, select 5-10 random locations across the area.
#3 Compile Samples
Compile 5-10 soil cores or 3-5 compost handfuls (or 20 handfuls from larger compost piles) taken from a single sample area into one bag, creating a composite sample. Leave air space in the bag to allow oxygen for soil organisms. The minimum amount of sample material we require is 500g (~2 cups)
#4 Label Sample
Once the sample is taken, please write the following information on the outside of the sample bag. Do not place a note inside the sample bag as this may affect results:
A sample number (simply: #1, #2, #3 etc)
Sample type: compost, soil, or other
The date and time the sample was taken
Be sure to print and complete the Sample Form when ready to send your samples
#5 Mail Samples
Send soil testing samples to be delivered in 1-2 business days to the following address. Please send by courier or U.S Postal Service and choose “Signature Not Required” delivery. Our address is:
CVRFS
17434 Cty Rd. 37
Altura MN 55910
Once samples are sent, please email the package tracking number to erik@cvrfs.com. This ensures that we will pick up your package upon its arrival.
Important Tips for Accurate Soil Testing Results:
Take the samples when it is possible to ship them immediately, the same day.
Shipping should have a target delivery timeframe of 1-2 business days.
Wash your hands well or put on clean gloves before handling the sample material, and between handling different samples.
Keep the samples out of extreme heat or cold as this risks killing the organisms we seek to measure. Aim to keep samples as close to the temperature during the time of sampling. If shipping during the height of summer heat, a cooler pack may be added to your box with padding so that it is not in direct contact with samples.
Tools required for sampling: unused large zipper-type plastic bags or a clean container, a shovel and/or soil core, a permanent marker.
Please ensure to place samples in a box or padded bag where they will not be compacted along the way.