Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory
573-882-0623

Commercial fruit and vegetable plant testing

Commercial fruit and vegetable soil testing

Procedure for sampling vegetables, fruits and trees

Crop	Stage of growth sampled	Plant part or leaves to sample	Approximate number
Apples	July 15 to Aug. 15	Leaf from middle of current terminal shoot	60
Asparagus	Mature fern (August)	Fern from 17 to 35 inches up	20
Beans, snap	Initial flowering	Young mature trifoliate	50
Beans, table	Mature	Young mature leaf	20
Blueberries	First week of harvest	Young mature leaf	50
Broccoli	Heading	Young mature leaf	15
Cabbage	Heads, 1/2 grown	Young wrapper leaf	15
Cantaloupe	Early fruiting	Fifth leaf from tip	25
Carrots	Midgrowth	Young mature leaf	25
Cauliflower	Buttoning	Young mature leaf	15
Celery	Half-grown	Young mature leaf	20
Cherry	Summer	Mature leaves from new growth	50
Cucumbers	Early fruiting	Fifth leaf from tip	20
Grapes	Flowering	Petiole from young mature leaf	75
Lettuce	Heads, 1/2 size	Wrapper leaf	20
Onions	Midgrowth	Top, no white portions	25
Peaches and nectarines	Spring at fruit set	Midshoot leaf	20
Peas	First bloom	Recently matured leaflet	50
Pecan	56-84 days after terminal bud set	leaflet pairs from new growth	25
Peppers	Early fruiting	Young mature leaf	20
Plum	Summer	Whole leaf from midshoot growth	25
Potatoes	40 to 50 days after emergence	Young mature leaf	20
Pumpkin and squash	Early fruiting	Young mature leaf	15
Radishes	Midgrowth to harvest	Young mature leaf	40
Raspberries	First week in August	Leaf 18'' from tip	50
Spinach	30 to 50 days old	Young mature leaf	35
Strawberries	At flowering	Young mature leaf	20
Sweet corn	Tasseling to silk	Ear leaf	10
Tomatoes	First mature fruit	Young mature leaf	20
Walnut, black	Summer	Mature leaf from new growth	5
Walnut, English	Summer	Center leaflet from mature leaf	25
Watermelons	Midgrowth	Young mature leaf	15

Submitting plant samples

The when and how of plant sampling is very dependent on the crop sampled.

Instructions for sampling and submitting samples as specified by the Columbia lab should be followed. See specific instructions on selected field crops, vegetables, and fruit crops. The recommended time to sample is just prior to the beginning of the reproductive stage for many plants. Please check the listings under the selected crops first.

Paired samples
Where a deficiency is suspected, take samples from normal plants in an adjacent area as well as from the affected area. You will be charged the price of only one sample when an abnormal sample is accompanied by a normal sample. Take a soil sample from each area also.
Dusty plants should be avoided
If dust is present, brushing or wiping with a clean damp cloth may be sufficient. If not, rinse briefly with water while the material is still fresh.
Care and handling of sample
Air dry the sample and put in a clean paper bag or envelop and take it to the county extension Center or mail it to the lab located in Columbia.
Sample 25 to 30 plants throughout the area.
Fresh plant tissue should be air dried before sending. After air drying put the sample in a clean paper bag or envelop.
When no specific sampling instructions are give
The general rule of thumb is to sample upper, recently mature leaves. The recommended time to sample is just prior to the beginning of the reproductive stage for many plants.
Completion of the information form
It is essential for the lab to properly interpret the plant analysis.

Where to submit plant samples

Soil samples may be submitted to

County extension centers
(recommended method)
MU Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory

Note
Sample submitted directly to the lab should be accompanied by the sample information form and a check for the amount due payable to MU Soil Testing, unless you have an account with us. If you have an account with us fill in the firm and outlet number and we will bill you at the end of the month.

Only the lab in Columbia performs plant analysis. When submitting a sample to the lab the sample information form should be filled out accurately for the lab to properly interpret the plant analysis. Send the original form with the plant sample(s) and retain a copy for your records.

Plant analysis sample information forms can be picked up at the county extension centers or at the MU Soil and Plant Testing Laboratory free of charge or printed from the Web.
Plant analysis sample information form, RTF

Plant analyses fees

Routine analysis and sample preparation Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium and drying and grinding	$17
Micro elements with routine analysis Including iron, copper, zinc, and manganese requested with routine analysis	$6 ($1.50 per micro-nutrient)
Analysis package (Routine analysis and sample preparation + micro elements + boron) N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and B	$25
Nitrogen (TKN)	$10
Phosphorus (P)	$5
Potassium (K)	$5
Calcium (Ca)	$4
Magnesium (Mg)	$4
Iron (Fe)	$4
Copper (Cu)	$4
Manganese (Mn)	$4
Zinc (Zn)	$4
Sulfate-S	$6.50
Nitrate-N	$8
Boron (B)	$5
Chloride	$6.50
Sample grinding	$2

10 percent discount on 30 or more samples
A sample preparation fee of $2 per sample will be added to all plant tissues that need to be dried and ground.
Testing fee for a good sample accompanying an abnormal sample will be one-half the regular price.

Turnaround time

Soil sample analysis
1.5 working days after samples are received in the lab
Plant, compost, greenhouse media and water analysis
4 to 5 working days after samples are received in the lab

If samples are mailed allow time to and from the lab. Results of samples submitted through county extension offices are mailed first to the county agronomist or horticulturalist for comments or individualized recommendations. The county then mails the recommendations to the person submitting the sample.

Soil test reports can be e-mailed on request at no charge or faxed for a nominal fee.

Plant test results and interpretations

We use the sufficiency and survey ranges as reported in the Plant Analysis Handbook II by Harry A. Mills and J. Benton Jones, Jr. 1996. MicroMacro Publishing, Athens, Ga.

Updated 2/24/06