10 Million euro Soil Sampling Programme.

Dinzee Conlee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118821510#Comment_118821510

Happy - not really, but I suppose I can’t blame the messenger 🙂

In short - for all 5 samples, index 4 for K, index 1-2 for P, pH 6.5-7

We have always had a P issue, so not surprised there. Thought I would have needed lime, so that was good.

The report was good actually - had the maps of where samples were taken.

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118821552#Comment_118821552

What did it say of carbon and ecoli and biology that was mentioned in the press release about the scheme?

Dinzee Conlee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118821825#Comment_118821825

Accompanying email said

“This is an interim report showing your P, K, pH, lime and Mg results.

The remainder of the detailed analysis will be available to you via Agfood.ie in two months time.”

Jb1989

Mine emailed there just now too, tho I cant fully understand it, will have to get it checked out with someone who can understand it.

Jb1989

Gonna throw up my results, not looking explanations of it, just putting up to compare with anyone else who wants to do similar.

clonagh

These are my results. Anyone care to comment? My knowledge is fairly limited so any suggestioins would be appreciated...

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118827429#Comment_118827429

2 nd sample you need lime in it obviously, Although it's not bad.

But its well done with p and k.

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118827429#Comment_118827429

I'll comment.

First thing I see is soil type is mentioned. Mineral or Peat.

Second thing I see is magnesium is mentioned but without calcium status it's useless as you won't know what type lime to apply.

Third thing unless they give all the other micronutrients, sodium, chloride, sulphur, calcium, zinc, copper, etc, etc. then it's a fairly crap type of test.

Everything I'm seeing is just reaffirming that it was a test for the dept not the farmer to see where peat is.

I seriously can't tell much from the tests. Another time I'd say lob on the phosphorus if at index 1 or 2 but I'm at that myself and growing grass. There's a school of thought that too much harms soil life and growth.

Don't mean to rain on anyone's parade but that's my take.

clonagh

Any idea how many bags of CAN/18.6.12 I'd need per acre to improve the results?

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118828516#Comment_118828516

The micronutrients results come separately after about 2 months as stated in Dizees post above. I think full judgement should be reserved until then.

orm0nd

Got my samples taken today. Wasn't with the guy but was moving electric fence. He seemed to be very thorough and taking lots of picks close together.

alps

I just wonder if the results you're getting are the full results?

Though soil organic matter was to be measured and some link to soil Carbon??

I wonder have the dept run other tests?

Must try to fish out the original text of the scheme..

alps

Screenshot_20220325-111258_Chrome.jpg

Something strange here folks..

Can't wait to get mine, ecayse it will be followed by a FOI request..

alps

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/efa7a-mcconalogue-launches-10-million-soil-sampling-and-analysis-programme/

Fair play to Lime Tree Farm for posting this at the beginning of the thread..great to be abke to refer back..

Neddyusa

Ya, I got the same message. Final report to come through Agfood.

Dinzee Conlee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118828516#Comment_118828516

As was said, we have to wait til we get the full report…

Would the PK & ph elements be the standard soil test I imagine the majority of farmers would do when soil testing? I know you might be a level above this - but to dismiss anything below I think is a bit unfair…

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118835258#Comment_118835258

Yeah that's what you'd get with the standard test.

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118835258#Comment_118835258

It was billed as all bells and whistles.

I've gotten soil samples highly detailed taken in January received results in February.

Ye are still waiting end of march for results and some for samples to be taken still. You said yourself it took 5/6 weeks for that meagre report. Now you have to wait another two months according to email for the detailed report for which ye have no clue of what will actually be tested for.

They could have found a new antibiotic in that time in the soil samples and have it in mass production by the time you get your results. No royalties known about neither. 🤨😅

I know it's free. But it's not either.

That is a crap soil report to be giving any farmer though especially in this day and age of information.

I'll hold fire for the rest of the second set of results template. But from me that's a 1 out of 10.

Say my name

There's the template that should be looked for nowadays.

Dinzee Conlee

I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said.

But I don’t know if that’s the report every farmer would order either - I suspect a large number would still request the one posted above? So, I would say the poorer P,K, ph report is probably the standard report.

Do you mind if I ask how much the report you got was?

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836011#Comment_118836011

I haven't a clue of the cost of the test, it was in the bill with the fert.

Millions probably at this stage.😳

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836026#Comment_118836026

But it definitely cost more than free right?🤣

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836473#Comment_118836473

Less than €10 million I think? A bonus.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118836797#Comment_118836797

Indeed, hopefully the test you showed above will be something similar to what we get eventually

Kevhog1988

Had our place sampled today. Fella just landed and knocked on the door. Nice chap but thought they would of given us some sort of notice.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118920808#Comment_118920808

You should definitely be given notice, I've been ringing lads the night before, seems to work fine. Would never land in a place unannounced, plenty of paranoid lads out there! But even the practical side of things, like if you recently spread fert or if you had stock out in a field you wouldn't want disturbed. Bit dodge to be honest, he probably would have worked away without you even knowing if you weren't there to answer the door.

Mooooo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118920808#Comment_118920808

If you have fert or slurry out samples wont be very accurate

wrangler

Got my results today, all 3 of them, was overseeding today so was delighted to see that PH and indexes were alright

Dinzee Conlee

straight

I got sampled over 3 months ago. Got a text about results a couple of weeks ago and no sign of results since. Emailed them during the week. I wouldn't want to be relying on them.

Kevhog1988

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118924283#Comment_118924283

He said they didnt habe my phone number 🙈. He was sound anyway and luckiky we hadnt spread yet. Yer man was the spit of parker schnabel from goldrush

tractorporn

Any else still waiting on soil samples to be taken? I got the text to say I was accepted and it says on agfood RASS selected. I never heard anything since.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960183#Comment_118960183

If you’ve slurry or fertiliser already out then taking soil samples at this stage is a waste of time. You’d be as far on to contact them and ask them to leave it until late Autumn at this stage.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960239#Comment_118960239

Slurry would be ok if it's out more than a month or so, tractorporn is organic I'm pretty sure so fert wouldn't be an issue. With all that being said, the sampling is winding down towards the end of this month due to stock being out, fert on the ground, silage being cut soon etc.. Its a shame too, would be a lovely job to have for the summer 😂.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960183#Comment_118960183

Where in the country are you based? If your not a million miles away from Clare I could get you on my list. PM if you want to discuss further!

tractorporn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960321#Comment_118960321

Midlands, I'll leave it for the advisor at this stage I was just wondering was I missed or something

tellmeabit

Same boat here, accepted and last I heard

White Clover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963912#Comment_118963912

Same here. Some joke in fairness.

endainoz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118965683#Comment_118965683

Like most department schemes it started much too late and they were always going to be up against it. Lab seem keen to finish up now until August/September when it opens again.

straight

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118965683#Comment_118965683

Tested early January. No results. Emailed them but no reply. Joke alright...

tellmeabit

Who would one follow up with this? Is it up to the guys collecting the samples or the dept as to whom was tested?

Applied the day opened and accepted asap.

straight

I take it all back...

I got my results this evening and am very happy with them. When I took over here 5 years ago the whole place was run down and now all the indexes are vastly improved. Great to see all my effort and investment paid off.

farawaygrass

What’s the difference between the two ph results, and which one would one have traditionally been used for soil sampling?

in the ph smp column I have a result of 6.1 but it says lime is still required at 2.5 t /ha

Jb1989

On that chart 6.6 seems to be the sweet spot.

6.5 and under requires various amounts of lime.

patsy_mccabe

Ah lads, something wrong here. I got my soil test results today and one field they tested, just doesn't make sense. It's the only field I haven't spread lime on in the last 20 years. It's away on it's own so some bit neglected. Tested it in 2014 and the PH then was 4.9 with index 1 for P and index 1 for K. Now the results show PH 7.2. P at index 3 and K at index 3.

What the hell? I know it needs loads of lime and P & K are low too.

Jim_11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119049125#Comment_119049125

Get it tested yourself, at least you’ll be sure then

patsy_mccabe

I'm convinced now he mixed up 2 field samples. These would have been the last 2 fields he did too. I spread 3 tonne/acre of lime in the other field 2 years ago, so that would explain the PH of 7.2. The P K indices would tie in with fertiliser spread in recent years too. Just goes to show.

blue5000

Hopefully he hasn’t mixed up another farm with your farm Patsy😏. In with teagasc doing my bps form yesterday and he was saying P&K levels seem to be higher this year as well. I don’t knew do I smell a rat yet or are they genuinely up a bit because of more biological soil activity due to higher soil temperatures last winter?

Still waiting on mine to come back, did anyone get carbon results yet? Advisor was saying carbon was higher than they expected too. I did a field that was in continuous tillage about 10 years ago and it was 9%, it’s been in grass for about 6 years now so I am curious about how much carbon is in it now.

manjou

Got mine back last week and index 3 and 4 for everything and don't have to spread lime either. Got one couple of years ago and values lower so also wondering about is it accurate.

blue5000

Where do you get results? I got a text last week looking for an email address and sent it in. Do they email them or do we log on to agfood?