Having your soil tested by a qualified soil testing laboratory before you buy lime or fertilizer can make the difference between the best food plot you can imagine and total failure.
Yes, it’s that important. To grow and flourish, forage plants must uptake nutrients from the soil. That means two things: The nutrients must be at optimum levels, and plants must be able to access them. In a perfect world, all soils would already have optimum levels of essential nutrients, and their soil would be neutral (6.5 to 7.5), the level at which high-quality forage plants can freely access them. Unfortunately, rarely is that true. Most fallow soils are deficient in one or more of the essential nutrients that high-quality forage plants need to thrive, and they’re also acidic (soil pH less than 6.5), a condition that impedes the ability of the plants to uptake nutrients. That’s why land managers usually have to add lime to a seedbed to correct low soil pH and fertilize it to bring deficient nutrients to optimum levels before planting. You can see how important laboratory soil testing is when you take all that into account and then add one more fact: Soils differ in their ability to hold lime and fertilizer activity. That’s why having a qualified soil testing laboratory scientifically analyze a sample of your soils the only way to determine the exact amount of lime and the exact amount and type of fertilizer needed to bring the soil in your food plot up to optimum soil pH and fertility. The Whitetail Institute’s soil testing service provides full laboratory testing that is second to none in scientific and technical accuracy, and the cost of a Whitetail Institute soil test kit is about the same as other high-quality soil test kits from agricultural universities and most county extension offices. It’s the other benefits Whitetail Institute soil testing offers that puts it at the head of the pack for food plotters. Whitetail Institute laboratory soil testing pays off in two ways: with better-quality food plots and the potential to save you money. That’s much more than the small price of the kit. The kit is easy to use, the lab’s response time is extremely fast and the report you get back is vastly easier to read and follow than soil test reports designed for commercial farmers. And, maybe best of all, if you have questions about your report, the Whitetail Institute’s in-house consultants are extremely knowledgeable and eager to help. But you don’t have to take our word for it. We’ll let our customers do the talking.
Better-Quality Food Plots
Excellent product! Takes the guesswork out of food plotting “I love these soil test kits. They couldn’t be easier to use, and they yield excellent results every time. The results come in quickly and the reports are easy to read, and my plots always look like they’re out of a whitetail magazine. Will continue using forever!”
Totally accurate results “This soil sample test kit was easy, fast and accurate. It told me exactly what I needed to put in the ground in order for my food plot to grow its best. The plot growth results are absolutely amazing.”
Highly recommend! Easy to use “The Whitetail Institute’s soil test kit is so easy to use. Everything is explained thoroughly in the included documents. I had my results back three days after I mailed my sample in. I can see the difference between last year and this year by adding the correct amount of nutrients to the ground.”
Saves You Money by Eliminating Unnecessary Lime and Fertilizer Purchases
Fantastic easy-to-read results “The results opened our eyes on how far off we thought our pH was. The kit just saved us over $900 alone in lime for this year.”
Saved time and money “I had never done a soil test before. I had just been using the default lime/fertilizer noted on the products. The soil test actually came back telling me I needed less lime, less fertilizer. The cost of the soil test was minimal compared to the money I saved on unneeded fertilizer and lime. My plots are all small and secluded, so I have to use bagged pelletized lime and fertilizer, so the savings were well worth the effort. As of now, everything has been planted for two weeks and is looking fantastic! I’m so glad I took the time for this. Well worth the effort.”
Must do “I saved quite a bit of money on fertilizer by doing the soil test and applied exactly what the plants needs are for optimal growth.”
Highly Accurate Recommendations (Only Possible with Laboratory Soil Testing)
Detail “I really appreciate the information specific to each product I plan on using in my plots. This is not a general recommendation test.”
Easy and fast “I had my results in about a week. Results were easy to read and told me exactly what I needed to do in order to have the best soil for the product I was planting.”
A must have “I was unsure of the test kit, so I skipped it and instead went with an at-home kit to test pH. The at-home kit showed me how far I was off on my pH but that was it. It tried to tell me how much, but the scales are tough to understand and very broad. I decided to return and get the test kit from Whitetail Institute. It comes with a bag, instructions and a shipping bag. The instructions were easy to follow, and it is packaged well. The results were amazing. Told me exact numbers and what I needed to do to get my soil ready. I was shocked! I will always use this product when doing future food plots.”
Inexpensive
Great product “Inexpensive, easy-to-follow instructions and quick results.”
No-brainer “Cheap. Quick. Simple. Thorough.”
Fast and easy to use “Inexpensive way to be sure you have the right fertilizer and lime.”
Easy to Use
The kit includes an instruction sheet, a soil sample bag and a pre-addressed envelope for sending the completed kit to the lab.
Simple and fast results “Very pleased with how easy it was to collect, send and get a very easy-to-understand report with recommendations.”
Must have “Great product, easy to use and a must have if you are going to raise the best food plots.”
Easiest soil test ever “This was the easiest soil test ever. Everything you need is mailed right to you. Follow the instructions and send it in. The report you get is easy to read and very informative.”
Quick Turnaround
In most cases, the Whitetail Institute soil testing lab processes a soil sample and sends the report to the customer within 24 to 48 hours after receiving the completed soil test kit. You can elect to have the report mailed or, to get your report even faster, emailed.
Fast and simple “Dropped my samples at the post office at 4 p.m. Monday and received my electronic test results at 8 a.m. Wednesday.”
Quick results “My results on three plots were emailed to me in less than 24 hours from when the samples were delivered to the lab.”
A must have “Lightning-fast results from this simple and easy-to-use soil test kit. Results were in my inbox in exactly four days. Thank you.”
Lab Report That’s Easy to Understand
The report you get from the lab tells you exactly what you need to know, without overcomplicating it and in an easy-to-follow format.
Easy to understand and fast “The report came back with easy-to-understand diagnosis of soil condition as well as amendment recommendations based upon both per acre and per 1,000 square feet sizes, which makes the math easy for those of us with smaller food plots. Results came back within the week. I definitely will be using every year.”
Soil test you can understand “I have been having the Extension Service Lab do my soil test. The only problem was that I could not read them. Whitetail Institute soil tests are written with fertilizer recommendations that you can understand because they are written just like the notations on the fertilizer bag, i.e. 10-10-10 or 0-20-20. In addition, the fertilizers that are recommended are matched to fertilizers that are readily available in your area.” Great for food plotters “I’ve used my local extension office in the past, but their recommendations are for commercial crops, not food plots. I’ll be using these on every farm in the future.”
Personal Assistance from Whitetail Institute In-House Consultants
If you have questions about your soil test report (or a soil test report from any other soil testing laboratory), help is just a phone call away. The Whitetail Institute’s highly trained in-house consultants can answer any questions.
Excellent value “The results came back ahead of my expectation and were extremely detailed yet easy to understand. The response via telephone for questions was well beyond my expectations. I will most definitely use this product service again and again. Well done, folks.”
Amazingly professional feedback “I have taken advantage of using the service of soil testing through Whitetail Institute. I am very pleased and impressed with this service. When calling for guidance on any matter I have always received amazing and professional feedback.”
Easy, quick, worth it “I’m not a farmer and was clueless about how to plant a food plot. This soil test was a fast way to bring me up to speed. I had some follow-up questions and got them answered with a quick phone call to Whitetail Institute. Highly recommend the test kit.” To speak with a consultant, call (800) 688-3030, extension 3. The consultants are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday.
