Crop production · 4 November 2026 · 1 min read · AgriLink team
Read a soil test before buying fertiliser
Separate fields with different soil or management histories.
Take a representative sample
Separate fields with different soil or management histories. Follow the laboratory’s sampling instructions, avoid fertiliser bands and unusual patches, and label the field and sampling date. A sample without a location cannot support a useful comparison next season.
Understand the recommendation
Soil pH, texture and nutrient availability affect how a crop responds to fertiliser. Ask the laboratory or a local agronomist to explain the recommendation in relation to your crop, target yield and rainfall outlook. Do not turn a general recommendation into a chemical application instruction.
Compare the decision with the result
Keep the report with the field, record applications and costs, and compare harvested yield with the target. Changes in weather and management also affect yield; a better result does not prove fertiliser alone caused it.