Have you tested your soil yet?

SoilKit and Elberta Farmers CoOp have you covered

By Jessica Vaughn
Posted 3/4/21

ELBERTA - Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted six more weeks of winter in 2021, but spring will be here before you know it. Those warm, sunny days will offer the perfect opportunity to get outside …

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Have you tested your soil yet?

SoilKit and Elberta Farmers CoOp have you covered

Posted

ELBERTA - Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted six more weeks of winter in 2021, but spring will be here before you know it. Those warm, sunny days will offer the perfect opportunity to get outside and garden. While you’re ready to plant some crops and flowers, is your soil? If you’re unsure, then SoilKit, a Woerner Family Partner, has you covered.

The kit provides an easy way to get your soil tested. The lab-based results will tell you the soil’s nutrient levels to determine the exact amount of each your specific crop needs for optimal growth. The size of your growing area will determine the total amount of each nutrient you need.

Performing the test is simple. All you have to do is purchase a SoilKit which includes a soil sample bag and a postage paid envelope. Get your soil sample bagged and sealed tightly, send it off in the pre-paid envelope, and you’ll receive your results and recommendations via email within 48-hours of your sample arriving at the lab.

One local business that has partnered with SoilKit is the Elberta Farmers CoOp, where you can drop by and purchase your testing kit from Garden Center Manager Deena McMullen. Customers of Elberta CoOp can have their soil test results emailed to themselves as well as McMullen, allowing her to further help customers find the products they need to care for their lawn or garden.

“These soil test kits have been very beneficial to my customers, not only with their turfs but also their gardens and pastures,” she said. “I like the fact that I am in the system and I’m receiving their results the same time they’re receiving their results. On most occasions I have the opportunity to go through those lab-tested results before they even call me or come in with their results.”

This way, she says, she is ready to help them with the proper care for their lawn the moment they walk into the store.

“Not only am I able to read those results with the customers and give them recommendations, I also have everything they need to fix whatever issues that we discover through those lab-results,” McMullen said. “We’re able to go above and beyond just what you’re seeing on those results and those recommendations from the results, we’re able to do diagnostics on bugs, diseases and fungal diseases, and give recommendations on irrigation. So we’re kind of a full-service operation here.”

SoilKit tests for PH, Buffer PH, Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Boron (B), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Organic Matter, and CEC. These results, along with recommendations for lime, sulfur, fertilizer and other nutrients, will put you on your way to a healthy lawn. One kit can test up to 10,000 square feet. Larger areas may require additional kits, and problem areas should be tested separately.

Planting is more important than ever in 2021, and SoilKit can help you prepare. Those looking to begin planting can find many vegetable plants and seeds, young fruit trees, and more at the CoOp, McMullen said.

“The grass seeds that we carry and the plants that we have are very important this year, especially after the hurricane and the devastation of the trees lost and the land washed out,” she said.

To learn more about the Elberta Farmers CoOp, visit www.elbertacoop.com and follow them on Facebook. To learn more about SoilKit or to purchase your own, visit https://soilkit.com/ and follow them on Facebook.