SOIL SAMPLING & ANALYSIS
Soil sampling is the starting point for informed crop nutrition planning.
Accurate soil analysis helps farmers, growers and agronomists understand nutrient availability, soil balance, pH, organic matter and other factors that can influence crop establishment, rooting, nutrient uptake, resilience, yield and quality.
The Emerald Research soil sampling and analysis service is designed to provide a more detailed picture than a standard soil test alone. By looking beyond basic nutrient levels, it helps identify potential limitations before decisions are made on fertiliser, foliar nutrition and crop inputs.
Order an Emerald Research Soil Sampling Kit
We offer a complimentary soil sample analysis when growers proceed with full crop recommendations. If recommendations are not implemented, soil analysis is charged at £100 per sample.
To order an Emerald Research soil sampling kit, please complete the form below and we will post a kit out to you.
Order an OptiYield Soil Sampling Kit
The kit includes:
- 1 x freepost bag for 4 soil samples
- 4 x soil sampling bags – 1 bag per field/block
- 1 x two-part carbon copy sampling form
- 1 x instruction leaflet
Please ensure you complete the address so we can send the kit to you, along with phone number and e-mail so we can get back in touch with your leaf tissue analysis results.
Why carry out soil sampling and analysis?
Soil sampling helps growers make decisions based on measured data rather than assumptions. A well-taken soil sample can highlight nutrient availability, pH, organic matter, soil balance and potential restrictions that may affect crop establishment, rooting and nutrient uptake.
This is important across all crops because nutrient demand changes through the season. Understanding the soil before the crop is under pressure gives growers and agronomists a stronger basis for planning fertiliser, foliar nutrition and wider crop inputs.
More than a standard soil test
Standard soil analysis is useful, but it does not always show the full picture of what a crop can access during the growing season. OptiYield uses soil analysis as part of a wider decision-support approach, combining soil data, crop requirements, nutrient availability and field experience to support practical crop recommendations.
This helps farmers, growers and agronomists move from “what is in the soil?” to “what can the crop use, when will it need it, and what should we do next?”
Benefits for farmers, growers and agronomists
Soil sampling and analysis can help to:
- Identify nutrient availability before crop nutrition plans are finalised
- Support more accurate fertiliser and foliar nutrition decisions
- Highlight soil factors that may limit establishment, rooting or nutrient uptake
- Improve input efficiency by targeting nutrients where they are needed
- Support crop planning before planting and through the season
- Provide a foundation for in-season leaf tissue or petiole analysis
- Help protect yield potential, crop quality and marketable output
OptiYield soil sampling and analysis can help to:
- Identify nutrient availability before crop nutrition plans are finalised
- Support more accurate fertiliser and foliar nutrition decisions
- Highlight soil factors that may limit establishment, rooting or nutrient uptake
- Improve input efficiency by targeting nutrients where they are needed
- Support stronger crop planning before planting and through the season
- Provide a foundation for in-season leaf tissue and petiole analysis
- Help protect yield potential, tuber quality and marketable output
When to take soil samples
Soil samples should ideally be taken early enough to allow results to inform crop planning before key input decisions are made. For potato crops, sampling ahead of planting gives growers and agronomists time to assess nutrient availability, identify potential limitations and plan a more targeted nutrition programme.
Avoid sampling immediately after fertiliser, lime, manure or slurry applications, as this can distort the results. Try to sample under consistent field conditions and keep sampling depth and method consistent across fields.
How to take a soil sample
To help us process your soil sample efficiently, please include the following information on both the sampling form and the sample bag:
- Sample ID, for example “Bloggs 1”
- Field name
- Grid location, GPS, What3Words or map reference
- Customer contact details
Soil sampling tools
A good soil sampling tool should:
- Take a uniform slice or core from the soil surface to the required depth
- Collect the same volume of soil from each sampling point
A soil auger is the preferred tool for obtaining soil samples. However, a clean spade, trowel or small shovel can also be used if the method is consistent.
You need a total bulked sample of around 400g per field to send to the laboratory for full soil analysis.
Using a spade to take a soil sample
Step 1: Dig a spadeful of soil to a depth of 15–20cm and smooth off one vertical side of the hole.
Step 2: Take a slice of soil around 1cm thick from the smooth side. Using a trowel, cut the slice in half lengthways and discard one half.
Step 3: Remove obvious contaminants such as straw, trash, stones or plant residues. Place the remaining soil core into a clean bucket and mix it with the other cores taken from the same field or sampling area.
Collecting a representative soil sample
A soil analysis result is only useful if the sample represents the field accurately. Follow a consistent sampling pattern across the field, avoid unusual areas and collect enough cores to create a well-mixed bulk sample.
Avoid sampling from gateways, headlands, wet patches, manure heaps, tramlines, old fertiliser spills or visibly unusual areas unless these are being sampled separately to investigate a specific problem.
Use the sampling grid guide below to help collect a balanced sample from each field.
Sending your sample
Place the soil sample bags in the freepost bag with the top copy of the soil sampling form. Keep the blue copy for your own records.
Please photograph, scan or copy the completed sampling form and email it to Emerald Research so we know to expect your samples and can follow up if there are postal delays.
Turning soil analysis results into action
A soil analysis report is most valuable when it is interpreted in context. The OptiYield approach uses soil analysis alongside crop type, variety, growth stage, nutrient demand and field history to support practical crop recommendations.
This allows growers and agronomists to make better-informed decisions on base fertiliser, starter nutrition, foliar applications and in-season monitoring. The aim is not simply to measure the soil, but to use the results to build a more accurate and efficient crop nutrition plan.
Frequently Asked Questions – Soil Sampling & Analysis
What is soil sampling?
Soil sampling is the process of collecting soil from a field so it can be analysed for nutrient availability, pH, organic matter and other soil factors that may influence crop growth.
Why is soil analysis important for potato crops?
Potatoes are high-demand crops and rely on good nutrient availability, strong rooting and balanced soil conditions. Soil analysis helps growers and agronomists plan nutrition more accurately before problems affect establishment, yield or quality.
When should I take soil samples?
Soil samples should ideally be taken before major crop nutrition decisions are made. For potatoes, sampling ahead of planting gives time to interpret the results and build them into a crop nutrition plan.
How much soil do I need to send?
You need a bulked sample of approximately 400g per field. This should be made up of several soil cores or slices collected from representative points across the field.
How many fields can I sample with one kit?
The OptiYield soil sampling kit contains four soil sampling bags, with one bag used per field or block.
What should I avoid when taking a soil sample?
Avoid gateways, headlands, tramlines, manure heaps, fertiliser spills, wet patches and visibly unusual areas unless you are sampling them separately to investigate a specific issue.
Is OptiYield soil analysis free?
OptiYield offers complimentary soil sample analysis when growers proceed with full crop recommendations. If the recommendations are not implemented, soil analysis is charged at £100 per sample.
How does soil analysis link with leaf tissue or petiole analysis?
Soil analysis shows what may be available in the soil. Leaf tissue or petiole analysis shows what the crop is actually taking up during the season. Used together, they provide a stronger basis for crop nutrition decisions.