Are your plants hungry?
Plant analysis at Ward Laboratories reveals nutritional deficiencies that negatively impact crop yields.
Why do we recommend testing plant tissue? Testing is recommended for two primary reasons:
- to diagnose visible symptoms of poor plant health.
- to monitor the plant’s nutrient content and adjust management techniques accordingly.
Not sure where to start with plant tissue testing?
Here are three popular options:
P-2. Routine Plant Tissue Testing
This is a great entry point for plant testing! Send us a sample, following directions for your individual crop. We’ll test your sample for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, boron and molybdenum. You’ll receive a complete report of your results, allowing you to adjust management techniques accordingly.
P-4. Stalk Nitrate
Highly recommended for our corn growers, this test measures nitrogen present in corn stalks at the end of the growing season. Stalk nitrate testing provides vital data on the effectiveness of your nitrogen fertilizer application, allowing you to adjust as necessary and potentially save money on expensive inputs.
P-419. Cover Crop Routine
How effective is your cover crop at adding nutrient value to your soil? This test is designed to answer that question. We measure the levels of key nutrients present in your cover crop, providing you with the data you need to build the healthiest soil possible.
Frequently Asked Questions about Plant Analysis
How does plant analysis help with effective fertilization?
Plant analysis provides two approaches to enhancing fertilizer effectiveness. One is the diagnostic approach where plant analysis is made when there is an obvious growth problem in the field. A sample is taken from the poor growing area and compared to a sample from an adjacent normal growing area.
Ward Laboratories, Inc. suggests using this diagnostic approach for researching production problems. The comparative samples are very important for proper interpretation of the analysis. The testing fee for the normal comparative sample is one-half the regular fee.
The second approach, the monitoring approach, is used to confirm that the plant has proper nutrition. Plant samples should be taken while the crops are at the bloom (reproductive) stage of growth. Samples taken earlier than bloom stage contain higher levels of nutrients. For this reason, it is very important to identify the growth stage for proper interpretation.
What can I do if the crop in one area of my field looks green and healthy, but another area does not?
We recommend sampling both areas of the field for a comparative analysis. It is helpful to include information in the comments of the submittal sheet about management practices in both areas.