Why take soil samples?

In autumn or very early in the year, soil samples are usually taken, and various play areas are sampled. This is a very important procedure to identify and assess problems and an important tool for determining the nutritional requirements for the following season.

The soil sample is usually preceded by a regular inspection of the greens with a visual assessment of the turf quality. Unfortunately, our ability to recognise nutrient deficiencies is very limited. It may perhaps be possible to diagnose a nitrogen deficiency and an insufficiency of phosphorus with the naked eye, especially in spring.

Other parameters such as the stress level of the grasses, the density of the sward or the quality of the soil profile can be evaluated by experienced turf managers and provide us with extremely important information for the ongoing planning of maintenance.

In the profile picture of a football pitch shown, the very clear break between the turf sod and the turf base layer can be seen, with the resulting conclusions about the requirements for mechanical maintenance.