Get in touch
Got a question, want to book a soil test or place an order? We’d love to hear from you - there’s nothing we love more than chatting about healthier soil, animals and farms. Call us on 0508 678 464 or drop us a note, and we’ll be in touch in two shakes.
Get in touch
Got a question, want to book a soil test or place an order? We’d love to hear from you - there’s nothing we love more than chatting about healthier soil, animals and farms. Call us on 0508 678 464 or drop us a note, and we’ll be in touch in two shakes.
FIELD NOTE:
DIY Soil Testing Guide
How to test for the best results
Getting your soil sorted doesn’t have to be a mission. A few good samples now saves wasted fertiliser and is the easiest way to make sure your soil gets the right nutrients in the right spots.
Watch the team run through it – step by step.
The Game Plan
1. Get your Optimise DIY soil testing kit
2. Grab the gear: probe, spade or trowel
3. Pick the spots: know where to sample (and where to steer clear of)
4. Do the rounds: aim for 10–15 samples across the paddock for a fair average
5. Bag and tag it: fill in the paperwork, seal it up tight, and get it off to the lab
Top Tips
- Use clean gear – contamination skews results
- Sample to 7.5cm depth – that’s where the nutrients sit
- On hilly land, sample across the slope – not up and down
- Can’t send straight away? Store samples in a cool place – max 3 days
- Test annually – same time each year for consistent tracking
What happens next?
You’ll get a report that actually makes sense. From there, have a good chat with your agronomist or rep to dial in a lime and fert plan that delivers precisely what your soil needs.
Why it matters
Look after the dirt and it’ll look after you. Good data puts you in control:
- Ditch the guesswork and know exactly how your soil is performing.
- Catch nutrient gaps early.
- Avoid over or under-applying fertiliser.
- Maintain healthy soil – keeping your soil structure, biology, and pH in balance to maximising production.
