Soil Fertility

The potential yield of a forage crop, be it pasture or hay, is based on the soil the crop is growing in and the fertility of that soil. The following set of fact sheets and accompanying spreadsheets provide fertility recommendations using current soil test results from any of a number of soil testing labs used throughout the Mid-Atlantic area. Also included is information on comparing the value of different sources of agricultural limestone.

The fertility recommend tool provides recommendations based on the productivity potential of the dominant soil in a field. Another resource to become familiar with is the USDA Web Soil Survey. The Web Soil Survey allows you to determine the soils in a hay field or pasture and provides a description of the characteristics of those soils and has links to a number of other fact sheets dealing with soils and soil health.

Grow your knowledge

• How to and the importance of soil sampling and testing
• Lime and liming management
• How to measure the quality of agricultural limestone
• A calculator to simplify the blending of basic fertilizers
• Taylor forage fertilization based on harvested forage yield

Master the subject

• WVU Extension fertility recommendation tool for small farms
• The value and how to use precision agriculture for nutrient management and yield estimates

Helpful Tools

• WVU-ES Fertility Recommend Tool
• Value of Ag Limestone
• Blended Fertilizer Calculator
• Forage Fertilization Based on Yield and Management Goals - Work Sheet