Habitat improvement, if there was a fancy way of describing the common food plot, this would be it. But food plots are never truly common to outdoor enthusiasts. They are carefully planned, thoughtfully planted, and cared for with the best seed varieties and soil amendments available. When done right, a food plot becomes more than a patch of green; it becomes a system that fuels wildlife health, growth and overall biodiversity.
So, how can the Dairy One Soil Laboratory help create an amazingly uncommon food plot? The answer lies beneath the surface. The most productive food plots start with healthy, balanced soils. Soil testing takes the guesswork out of habitat improvement by identifying nutrient deficiencies, pH imbalances, and organic matter levels that directly affect plant growth and forage quality.
This is the science that helps a trophy buck produce larger antlers through consistent access to high-quality nutrition. It’s the same science that creates insect-rich forage and seed-producing plants that spring turkeys, songbirds, and other wildlife naturally flock to. When the soil is right, the plants thrive. When the plants thrive, wildlife follows.
By understanding what your soil truly needs, you can grow stronger crops, improve forage diversity, and build a habitat that supports wildlife year-round. Habitat improvement isn’t about chance. It’s about informed decisions that turn good ground into exceptional habitat.
Food plots managed with soil science in mind also promote long-term sustainability. Proper nutrient management prevents over-application of fertilizers, protects surrounding waterways, and improves soil health for future seasons. The result is a food plot that not only looks better above ground but continues to improve beneath the surface season after season and year after year.
How to Collect Soil Samples from a Food Plot
How do we go about collecting and sending a soil sample to Dairy One for analysis? The first step is to decide where to plant your food plot. Try to find a place that has a good amount of sunlight, good drainage, and available cover. Stay away from overly rocky areas, wetlands, or wide-open spaces. Wildlife is not going to travel too far from cover where they feel safe, at least to start. Position your food plot near fence rows, natural edges, or woods. If you know where the wildlife travels already, try to place your food plot in these areas, ideally between bedding and food or water sources.
After choosing the perfect spot, get a nice clean bucket and a shovel, trowel, or a core sampler. Try not to collect samples during extremely wet periods. Avoid brass or galvanized tools that can contaminate samples with zinc or copper. Generally, stainless steel is the best material for collecting samples. Collect 10–20 subsamples in a random pattern. This can be a zig-zag pattern or a grid pattern. Each of these subsamples should be collected from 3-6” deep and placed in the clean bucket. Remove any grass, organic material, rocks, or other debris from the bucket and mix the subsamples together until they are thoroughly combined. Subsampling in this manner will get you the best possible representative sample of your growing area. This process should be repeated for each food plot. Between 10 and 20 subsamples is generally the rule of thumb for an area less than 5 acres.
From that bucket, pull out a sample and place it in an official Dairy One Soil Sample container, which can be purchased on the Dairy One website. The container has a Sample Fill Line that indicates how far to fill the bag. A sample containing about one cup or 200 grams of soil is generally enough to analyze the key nutrients and properties you will need to plan your wildlife garden. The soil container should be labeled with your name and sample identification. This can be whatever you would like to name your sample, so you recognize it when results are returned. If you have more than one sample to send, use unique identifiers for each one to differentiate between them. If you do not purchase a soil sample kit from Dairy One, a quart-sized bag also works for the sample submission.
Next, you will need to fill out the sample submission form to send along with your samples. You can find these on our website (www.dairyone.com) under Soil Analysis. We usually suggest using a Form D for food plots because the results can be used to provide nutrient and liming recommendations for many of the different food plot plant species, such as turnip, radish, clover, or alfalfa. When filling out the soil sample submission form, be sure to include all of your contact information in the ‘Grower’ section. If you are working with a consultant or have someone you would like to share results with, include their information in the ‘Consultant’ section.
Results are generally emailed and can be mailed if desired. When filling out the sample information, provide the sample identification information under the ‘Field Identification’ column. This was the unique identifier you assigned to your soil sample. ‘Soil Name’ is the next column and can be found through your County Soil Survey map or at www.WebSoilSurvey.com. This is important as it is used to determine your soil characteristics and is accounted for when we develop recommendations. Under the ‘Cropping Program’ columns, enter the crop codes for the plant species you are using. There is a key containing all the crop code abbreviations provided with the submission form. If there are any special management factors, list those on the submission form. All of the information provided is included in creating the best recommendations for nutrient and lime applications.
Finally, the last step is to package up your sample, making sure to double-bag soil samples and keep them separate from the submission form within the same box. This helps to keep samples from breaking open and keeps the submission form clean and dry. Samples can be mailed directly to Dairy One with a carrier of your choice.
What Happens to Soil in the Lab
Once your samples arrive in the lab, they go through the sample intake process, where the paperwork and samples are carefully examined by our professional soils laboratory team. All of the grower, consultant, and soil information provided on the submission form is entered into our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). Samples are analyzed for pH, organic matter, and nutrient content. There are other supplemental services that can be requested as well. These include things like soluble salts, boron, nitrate, and the Solvita Soil Health analysis that provide a more in-depth view of the soil.
After all analyses are complete, the sample information and data are uploaded to a nutrient guideline program. Reports are generated using these nutrient guidelines and sent to our customers. These reports include results for all analyses conducted, along with recommendations on how to amend the soil if needed. Recommendations for the appropriate amount of lime, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to apply are given, as well as guidance on best application practices. After receiving the report, customers should carefully read and follow these recommendations for the best possible outcome for the growing area.
In summary, the science of habitat improvement is an investment in the future of your land and the wildlife that call it home. Effective habitat improvement depends on moving from guesswork to a data-driven approach. By partnering with the Dairy One Soil Laboratory and following this disciplined approach to testing and analysis, you move beyond the trial-and-error of traditional planting to ensure that every seed and fertilizer application is used efficiently. You transform a simple patch of dirt into a high-performance ecosystem where balanced pH and optimized nutrients translate directly into healthier herds and more resilient biodiversity. As you apply your custom recommendations and watch your food plots thrive season after season, you can take pride in knowing that your success wasn’t left to chance—it was built from the ground up on a foundation of proven science. By following these steps for proper soil collection and analysis, you can maximize your land’s potential and achieve consistent, measurable results for years to come. For questions, feel free to email the Dairy One Soil Laboratory team at [email protected].