Soil sampling for chemical analysis

Summary

This instructional video demonstrates the proper technique for collecting soil samples for nutrient analysis. It covers the use of a soil auger, sample bags, and tags to obtain samples at 10 and 20 centimeters depth. The script emphasizes the importance of sampling at right angles to the land's slope, removing soil from the auger, and ensuring sample integrity. It also explains how to handle potential compaction and the process of creating a composite sample from multiple soil samples, highlighting the need for accuracy and careful handling throughout the sampling process.

Takeaways

• 🧪 Conduct a soil chemistry test to understand nutrient supply.
• 🛠 Use a soil corer for collecting samples, along with a table knife, cloth, sample tags, and bags.
• 📏 Ensure the soil corer is placed at right angles to the land's slope, straight up and down if the land is flat.
• 🔍 Collect a sample down to 10 centimeters for initial chemistry analysis.
• 🕳️ Remove soil from the outside of the core and clean the core if necessary.
• 🔄 If sampling down to 20 centimeters, use the same hole and push the corer down to the marked depth.
• 💪 Use a rubber mat to assist in pushing the corer if the soil is hard.
• 🗑️ Discard samples that are uncertain or contaminated and collect new ones.
• 📦 Secure the sample in a bag and label it with the appropriate depth range.
• 🔬 Collect multiple soil samples to create a composite sample for accurate analysis.
• 📝 After collection, secure the bag, place the tag inside and outside the bag for proper identification.

Q & A

What is the purpose of conducting a soil chemistry test?

The purpose of conducting a soil chemistry test is to understand the nutrient supply of a site, which helps in assessing soil fertility and determining the necessary amendments for optimal plant growth.

What tools are required for collecting a soil sample for chemistry analysis?

The tools required for collecting a soil sample include a soil auger, a club hammer, a table knife, cloth sample tags, bags, and a plastic tray.

How should the soil auger be positioned when collecting a sample on flat land?

When collecting a soil sample on flat land, the soil auger should be positioned straight up and down, perpendicular to the mineral soil surface.

What is the correct way to position the soil auger if the land is sloping?

If the land is sloping, the soil auger should be placed at right angles to the slope of the land to ensure a proper sample is collected.

How deep should the soil auger be pushed into the ground for a standard soil sample?

The soil auger should be pushed down to a depth of 10 centimeters for a standard soil sample.

What should be done if the soil is hard to remove from the auger?

If the soil is hard to remove from the auger, a cloth can be used to gently clean off the soil from the outside of the auger.

Can the same hole be used to collect samples at different depths?

Yes, the same hole can be used to collect samples at different depths, such as 0 to 10 centimeters and then 10 to 20 centimeters, by carefully reinserting the auger.

What should be done if the soil sample is contaminated during extraction?

If the soil sample is contaminated during extraction, the contaminated portion should be removed, and the sample should be collected again to ensure the integrity of the analysis.

How should the soil samples be divided if the auger has compacted the soil?

If the auger has compacted the soil, the sample should be discarded, and new samples should be collected separately for the 0 to 10 centimeter and 10 to 20 centimeter depths.

What is the importance of collecting multiple soil samples to make one composite sample?

Collecting multiple soil samples to make one composite sample helps to ensure that the analysis represents the overall soil conditions of the site, providing a more accurate assessment of the nutrient supply.

How should the composite soil sample be secured and labeled after collection?

After collecting the composite sample, the bag should be secured, and the sample tag should be placed inside the bag and one outside for proper identification and record-keeping.

Outlines

00:00

🧪 Soil Sampling for Nutrient Supply Analysis

This paragraph details the process of collecting a soil sample for chemical analysis to understand nutrient supply. The narrator describes using a soil auger and other tools like a club hammer, a table knife, cloth sample tags, and bags, and a plastic tray. The soil sample is collected down to a depth of 10 centimeters, with the auger placed perpendicular to the land's slope. If the land is flat, the auger is used straight up and down. The soil sample is carefully extracted, ensuring no contamination, and then divided into different depth ranges for analysis. The importance of accurately sampling to represent the site is emphasized.

05:02

📦 Creating a Composite Soil Sample

The second paragraph explains the procedure for creating a composite soil sample after individual samples have been collected. The composite sample is secured in a bag with tags placed both inside and outside the bag. This step is crucial for ensuring the sample's integrity and for proper identification during analysis. The paragraph also mentions the use of music as a background element, indicating a multimedia presentation.

Keywords

💡Soil Chemistry Test

A soil chemistry test is a method used to analyze the chemical composition of soil. It helps in understanding the nutrient availability and potential issues like pH imbalances or contamination. In the video, the test is the central theme as it guides the process of collecting soil samples for analysis. The script mentions the test as one of the simple things we can do to understand nutrient supply.

💡Soil Hopper

A soil hopper is a tool used for collecting soil samples. It is designed to take a core sample from the soil at a specific depth. In the script, the hopper is used to collect samples at 10 centimeters and 20 centimeters depths, demonstrating its importance in soil sampling for the chemistry test.

💡Sample Bag

A sample bag is used to store the collected soil samples. It ensures that the sample remains uncontaminated and intact for laboratory analysis. The script describes the process of placing the soil sample into the bag and tagging it, which is crucial for proper sample identification and record-keeping.

💡Tag

A tag is a label used to identify and provide information about the soil sample. It is placed on the sample bag to record details such as the location, depth, and date of collection. The script mentions tagging the bag both inside and outside, highlighting the importance of accurate labeling for sample traceability.

💡Mineral Soil Surface

The mineral soil surface refers to the exposed layer of soil that is devoid of vegetation and organic matter. It is the starting point for soil sampling. The script describes exposing the mineral soil surface before taking the sample, indicating the initial step in the soil sampling process.

💡Sampling Depth

Sampling depth refers to the specific depth at which soil samples are collected. It is crucial for obtaining samples that represent the conditions of the soil layer of interest. The script discusses collecting samples at 10 centimeters and 20 centimeters depths, emphasizing the precision required in soil sampling.

💡Contamination

Contamination in soil sampling refers to the presence of foreign materials that can affect the accuracy of the test results. It is essential to avoid contamination to ensure the reliability of the soil chemistry test. The script mentions checking for and removing contamination, such as debris on the soil core, before placing it into the sample bag.

💡Composite Sample

A composite sample is created by combining multiple individual soil samples to represent a larger area or to provide a more accurate average of soil conditions. The script talks about collecting several soil samples to make one composite sample, which is important for getting a representative analysis of the site's soil.

💡Soil Compaction

Soil compaction is the process by which soil particles are pressed together, reducing the pore space between them. It can affect the health and structure of the soil. The script mentions checking for compaction when the soil core is extracted, as it can influence the quality of the sample.

💡Plastic Tray

A plastic tray is mentioned in the script as one of the items used in the soil sampling process. Although not explicitly detailed in the transcript, it is likely used for organizing or transporting the soil samples or tools, reflecting the need for proper sample handling and organization.

💡Rubber Mat

A rubber mat is used in the script to assist in pushing the soil hopper down to the desired depth when resistance is encountered. It serves as a practical tool to ensure the sampler reaches the correct depth, illustrating the various methods used to overcome challenges in soil sampling.

Highlights

Introduction to soil chemistry testing as a method for understanding nutrient supply.

Use of a soil hopper for collecting soil samples for chemical analysis.

Preparation of sample bags and tags for soil sampling.

Explanation of the correct angle for inserting the hopper core based on the land's slope.

Procedure for collecting a 10 cm soil sample using the hopper.

Technique for removing excess soil from the hopper core.

Instructions on how to collect a 20 cm soil sample using the same hole.

Use of a rubber mat for assistance when the hopper is hard to push down.

Importance of removing soil contamination from the core before bagging.

Process of dividing the soil sample into 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm sections.

Guidance on discarding and recollecting samples if the 0-10 cm layer is uncertain.

Emphasis on the need for collecting multiple soil samples to form a composite sample.

Instructions for securing the composite sample bag and tagging.

Importance of accurate soil sampling depth for reliable analysis.

Demonstration of how to handle soil core compaction during sampling.

Technique for ensuring the soil core is representative of the site.

Final steps in preparing the soil sample for chemical analysis.

Transcripts

one of the simple things we can do to

understand a site to nutrient supply is

to undertake a soil chemistry test but

this is the soil hopper a club hema a

table knife cloth sample tags and bags

and a plastic tray so we're now going to

collect a soil sample down to 10

centimeters or chemistry analysis using

the hopper first we get our sample bag

and tag ready and this here we've

already exposed the mineral soil surface

ready for sampling we then take the

hopper core and place it at right angles

to the slope of the land in this

situation the land is flat therefore the

hopper is straight up and down if the

land was sloping like this the hopper

core would go right angles to the slope

of the land so now we will take a naught

10 soil sample so push the core down to

10 centimeters which is March this line

here

goes down to the surface we carefully

pull it out

now we will remove the soil that is

stuck to the outside of the course and

that little piece there if it sticks

hard you can use the cloth to get it off

now we put the sample now back we push

the core up and place it in the day

[Music]

if you want to sample down to 20

centimeters you can use the same hole so

if we take the hopper carefully place it

back in and go down to 20 centimeters

marked here push it up if it becomes

hard pushing we can use our rubber mat

down to 20 centimeters and then

carefully removed

so we need to push that little bit up

because it's slightly come out remove

the soil that is that gaps on decor

including that piece there and just

check the top of the core material that

may have four men on top of this soil

call when you were extracting the core

so I'm just going to push that little

bit there back we then get our sample

bag which is down to 20 centimeters

really we push the call up you can see

there there's a little bit of

contamination there so we take that off

it was darker color and then we face

this a new back with the tag

in this example I have pushed the

prophec or down to 20 centimeters depth

and a nice soil core has come out

there's 20 centimeters depth there and

it has not compacted in this example

here the core has compacted as I push

the hopper down here's the 20 centimeter

mark so if we go back to hear when we

are dividing the sample up and to not to

10 and 10 to 20 we are very confident

that we can cut the call here place this

sample into the not to 10 bag and this

sample into the 10 to 20 bag in this

example we are uncertain as to where

nought to 10 as so this sample should be

discarded and you should go back to

taking the two bytes naught to 10 take

out the sample and then back to 10 to 20

and collect that sample to represent a

site that is important to collect a

number of soil samples to make one

composite sample

you

[Music]

after collecting the composite sample

secure the bag and place the tag inside

the bag and one outside the bag