Plant Analysis
BASIC TEST
Includes:
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Sulfur, Boron, Zinc, Manganese, Iron & Copper
INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS:
- Any Element Above, Sodium, Aluminum, and Molybdenum
- Nitrate Nitrogen
- Chloride
- Silicon
- Heavy Metals-See Heavy Metal Section
PLANT/SOIL COMBINATION ANALYSIS:
Analyzing soil nutrient concentration along side a plant tissue sample is an essential tool for making accurate fertilizer application recommendations.
- Basic Plant Test PLUS Basic Soil Test #4.
Choose your lab for sample submittal forms:
Vegetable Leaf Analysis
Don’t overlook the importance of leaf analysis for vegetables. Plant tissue analysis is the most accurate way to monitor plant nutrient uptake. Knowing the effectiveness of your current program can allow fine tuning for maximum results.
Special Programs:
We have several programs specifically designed for various industries. They include (but are not limited to):
- Citrus Nutrient Program
- Peach Nutrient Program
- Pecan Nutrient Program
- Pine Foliage Analysis
- Hardwood Foliage Analysis
How To Take A Plant Sample…
Follow these basic guidelines to ensure a good plant sample is taken and received by the lab. Pull portion of plant needed using the chart below and place leaves in a Plant Sample bag or paper bag. Do not use a plastic bag. Wash contaminated samples gently with water if needed. When possible, collect a soil sample from the same location the plant sample was taken. Fill out the information sheet as completely as possible, including crop, stage of growth, and sample number. Be sure the sample numbers of the information sheet correspond with the numbers on the sample bags. The following chart shows field crops and the proper part of each plant to sample and send in.
Plant Sampling Chart for Field Crops
Field and Forage Crops
| CROP | GROWTH STAGE | PLANT PART TO SAMPLE | QUANTITY |
| Alfalfa | At or prior 1/10 bloom stage (5%) | Entire above ground portion or top 6″ | 45-55 |
| Bermuda & Bahia | 4 to 5 week old plants | Upper 1/2 of plant | 2 cups |
| Cereal Grains-Wheat, Oats, Rye | Seedling to tillering (F1-F3) | All the above ground portion | 50-75 |
| Jointing to flag leaf -(F4-F10) | Flag Leaves- 1st 4 blades 1/3 way down plt | 30-40 | |
| Flag leaf to Maturity | Flag Leaves | 30-40 | |
| Clover | Prior to bloom | Mature Leaf Blades 1/3 of way down plant | 50-60 |
| Canola | Seeding to Vegetative | All the above ground portion | 20-30 |
| Prior to flowering | Fully developed leaves at the top of the plant | 20-30 | |
| Corn | Seeding Stage-(V1-V6) | All the above ground portion | 25-30 |
| Prior to tasselling-(V7-VT) | The fully developed leaf below whorl | 15-20 | |
| Tasseling to silking-(above R1) | The leaf opposite and below the ear | 15-20 | |
| Cotton | Seedling (up to 1ft) | All the above ground portion | 30-35 |
| Prior to or at 1st bloom /Pin head Square | Youngest fully mature leaves | 30-35 | |
| Cotton Petiole | Wk1 (45-50days)-Wk 9 | 4th leaf and petiole form top of plant | 20-25 |
| Hay, Forage, or Pasture | Before seed head emergence | All the above ground portion | 50-60 |
| Milo, Grain Sorghum | Seedling stage | All the above ground portion | |
| Prior to flowering – bloom stage | 2nd leaf below head | 20-25 | |
| Peanuts | Seedling stage- | All the above ground portion | 20-30 |
| Vegetative to Pegging | Youngest fully mature leaves | 20-30 | |
| Rice | Seedling stage | All the above ground portion | 15-20 |
| Mid-tillering (V6-V13) | Y-leaf or Flag Leaf | 20-30 | |
| Panicle initiation (R0-R5) | Y-leaf or Flag Leaf | 20-30 | |
| Ryegrass | 4 to 5 week old plants | whole tops | 2 cups |
| Soybeans | Prior to flowering (V1-V6) | Fully developed leafs at the top of plant | 20-30 |
| Flowering-Pod fill (R1-R5) | Fully developed leafs at the top of plant | 30-35 | |
| Sugar Beets | Mid Season | Fully mature leaves midway b/w younger center leaves and the oldest leaf whorl on the outside | 30-35 |
| Sugar Cane | Vegetative to 4 months old | 4th fully developed leaf from the top | 25-30 |
| Tobacco | Vegetative – prior to bloom | Most Recent fully developed leaf | 5-8 |
Bedding Plants
Fruit, Nut and Berry Crops
| CROP | GROWTH STAGE | PLANT PART TO SAMPLE | QUANTITY |
| Pansy, snapdragons, petunia, marigold, impatiens | New growth | Mature leaf from new growth | 15-20 |
| Apples | Mid Season (4-8 wk after bloom) | Youngest fully mature leaves near base of current year’s growth | 40-50 |
| Apricots | Mid Season( 4-8wks after bloom) | Youngest fully mature leaves near base of current year’s growth | 40-50 |
| Blackberry & Raspberry | Mid Season( 2-8wks after bloom) | Youngest fully mature leaves from mid section on non-fruiting | 20-30 |
| Blueberry | Mid Season (4-6 wk after bloom) | Youngest fully mature leaves, Non fruiting branches | 30-40 |
| Post Harvest | Mature leaves on current growth | 30-40 | |
| Cherry | Mid Season (4-8 wk after bloom) | Youngest fully mature leaves on non bearing sput | 20-30 |
| Citrus (Oranges, Lemons, and Limes) | Growing season 5-7 months | Youngest fully mature leaf – spring cycle growth | 20-30 |
| Between growth flushes | Spring Cycle leaves from non fruiting terminals | 20-30 | |
| Fig | Mid summer | Mature leaves from current year growth | 10-15 |
| Grape | Vegetative | Youngest fully mature leaf | 40-50 |
| Fuiting | Leaf opposite basal fruiting cluster | 15-20 | |
| Grape Petioles | Full Bloom | Petiole opposite basal flower | |
| Peaches | Mid Season (4-8 wk after bloom) | Mature leaves near base of current year’s growth | 20-30 |
| Pecans | Mid Season (6-8 wk after bloom) | Middle leaflet pairs from the terminal shoots | 30-40 |
| Plums | Mid Season (6-8 wk after bloom) | Youngest fully mature leaves near base of current year’s growth | 40-50 |
| Strawberry, Plastic | Transplant, flower, mid – season, harvest | Most recently mature fully expanded leaf | 15-20 |
| Strawberry | Vegetative | All the above ground portion | 30-40 |
| Fruiting Stage | Youngest fully mature tri-foliate leaves | 20-25 | |
| Walnuts | Mid Season (6-8 wk after bloom) | Middle leaflet pairs from the terminal shoots | 25-30 |
Vegetable Crops
| CROP | GROWTH STAGE | PLANT PART TO SAMPLE | QUANTITY |
| Beans | Seedling stage | All of the above ground portion | 20-30 |
| Prior to or during initial Flowering | Youngest fully mature leaves at the top of plant | 20-30 | |
| Cucumbers & melons | Vegetative | All of the above ground portion | 20-25 |
| Before fruit set | mature leave near base of the main stem | 20-25 | |
| Carrots | Seedling | All of the above ground portion | 20-25 |
| Vegetative | 1st mature leaves from center of whorl | 20-25 | |
| Head Crops (Cabbage, Cauliflower Broccoli) | Before heading | 1st mature leaves from center of whorl | 20-25 |
| Eggplant | Prior to full bloom | Youngest fully mature leaf on the main stem | 20-25 |
| Leaf Crops ( collards, turnips, kale, mustard) | mid growth | Youngest mature leaf | 30-40 |
| Onions, garlic, shallots | vegetative | All of the above ground portion | 20-25 |
| prior to bulb enlargement | Center mature leaves | 20-25 | |
| Peas | Seedling stage | All of the above ground portion | 20-30 |
| Prior to or during initial Flowering | Youngest fully mature leaves at the top of plant | 20-30 | |
| Peppers | Vegetative to fruit set | Youngest fully mature leaves at the top of plant | 20-30 |
| Potato | Seedling stage | All of the above ground portion | 20-30 |
| Before or during full bloom | 3re to 6th leaf from the growing tip | 20-30 | |
| Pumpkin, Squash | Vegetative – fruit set | Youngest mature leaf | 20-25 |
| Radish | Seedling | All of the above ground portion | 20-25 |
| Vegetative | 1st mature leaves from center of whorl | 20-25 | |
| Sweet Corn | Seeding Stage-(V1-V6) | All of the above ground portion | 25-30 |
| Prior to tasselling-(V7-VT) | The fully developed leaf below whorl | 15-20 | |
| Tasseling to silking-(above R1) | The leaf at the ear node (below of above) | 15-20 | |
| Tomato | Seedling Stages | All of the above ground portion | 20-25 |
| Prior or at fruiting | 3rd or 4th leaf from growing tip | 20-25 | |
| Tomato (Greenhouse) | Early Flowering | Leaf tip | 20-25 |
| 1st to 6th cluster | Terminal leaf/leaflet at the most recent fruiting cluster | 20-25 |
Ornamentals, Flowers and Trees
| CROP | GROWTH STAGE | PLANT PART TO SAMPLE | QUANTITY |
| Flowering Annuals | Vegetative to Early bloom | Top leaves on the flowering stem | 15-20 |
| Perennials | Current year’s vegetative growth | Youngest mature leaves | 15-20 |
| Ornamental Trees & Shrubs | Current year’s vegetative growth | Fully mature leaves | 15-20 |
| Roses | During flowering | Upper leaves on the flowering stem | 15-20 |
| Poinsettias | Before or during early flowering | Most recently mature fully expanded leaf | 15-20 |
Conifers
| CROP | GROWTH STAGE | PLANT PART TO SAMPLE | QUANTITY |
| Pines | Dormant ( Dec-Feb) | Current years 1st flush; primary lateral branch in the upper 1/3 of live crown; collect entire fascicles with the bunch sheath. | 100 fascicles |
| Cypress | Mid-Season | Terminal cutting (2″) | 50 |
| Spruce | Mid-Season | Terminal cutting (2″) | 50 |
Turf
| CROP | GROWTH STAGE | PLANT PART TO SAMPLE | QUANTITY |
| Turf | During growing season | Leaf blades;*** avoid soil contamination | 2 cups |
Memberships & Affiliations:
- North American Proficiency Testing Program (NAPT)
- Soil & Plant Analysis Council
- Georgia Plant Food Association
- Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Association