I am currently working with someone in Canada that is starting a 10-acre hemp farm in Canada. We had the soil tested earlier in the year and have a full soil analysis. What we need now to finish the project is for a reputable lab/company to look at this analysis and determine what inputs still need to be added to create the ideal environment in media for CBD Hemp growing.
Funding cannot be complete until we get a lab to certify what needs to be added to the soil for the perfect conditions. Has anyone out their used a lab or company that can read the soil analysis and determine what inputs are still needed to create the ideal environment.
Any help would be greatly appericiated. Happy New Years to Everyone out there in the community. @labs
Hey Chris. I would be interested to know why you chose to do 10 acres.My group have a farm that we’re dedicating to Hemp. I have been in agriculture for decades. Please message me if you’re in Ontario. I have a sol consultant that I can refer you to or I can pass you on to the lab.
How exciting - starting up some growing. I’ve used plenty of labs in the US to test soil - but they were always general labs for soil testing which it sounds like you already have done. Did the soil analysis not come with an interpretation? I assume it gave you things like potassium, nitrogen, calcium, plus heavy metals? All the soil analysis I have received came back with information like you would get from a doctors office - with normal amounts to be seen and highlights where things might need to be improved. Sometimes its even specific to the crop type (for instance, once I had one for apple and pear trees that was specific, and another time I had it for tomatoes and legumes) so the lab should probably be able to provide that interpretation as well. When in doubt you can probably ask about hops - it is a sister/family plant after all and there’s all kinds of published knowledge about hops out there.
Only once did I get an interpretation that said - hey now there’s too many heavy metals to grow food there yet, you’ll need to treat the soil first. Which of course we did - and 2 years later we could start growing things again - mostly because I had other things I wanted to spend my money on. Probably could have been done faster. Almost always I had very small plots - 5 acres, 10 acres, 13 acres - and of course my families orchard in Missouri…which really should have more soil testing done!
That being said - there are awesome Soil groups up in Canada - you probably have one near you as they are all over the place. Here is a link to their website. In the Midwest US - almost always you can get a soil interpretation from the local county office or land-grant university extension - usually for just around $30.
I do hope that someone with a lab steps up to help you - but if not, reach out to your local government auxiliary. They are all about making sure the soil is good up there in Canada (two different government organizations and the societies I linked you to…) and letting people know if the conditions are right or not for growing things.
This is not my farm. I am working with a friend to assist him in getting his farm locked and loaded, so that he can get started come early spring. I am always open to passing lab information on.
Thanks for this information. Yes the soil analysis was completed, and I know exactly what we need to place in the soil to make it “rich” the challenge my friend is having is that the investors want a lab to basically certify my recommendations before he can get his grant.
That’s why I am looking for a lab to look at his soil analysis and say you need to add X-Y-Z to make the soil perfect and conditioned for growing. Thank you for that link and I will check that out.
Edit: looks like this was stated, but I’ll leave it up anyway. @Cassin
I’m surprised that your soil test didn’t come with recommendations. Usually, there are several crop specific recommendations, though I doubt cannabis is one. Still there should be levels of several components given, and basic inputs to brings micros up as to not being limiting, how much lime you need to reach various pH levels, starting levels of NPK, soil meq/100g (CEC and an idea of soil texture), with that last two and knowledge of you clinate who can figure out how much fertilizer to apply initially to reduce leeching chances, and fertigate the rest of the crop needs as it is needed to limit waste and leeching.
It sounds like you need something with a seal on it for investors, so it isn’t like my input would matter. Maybe you can find an agronomist familiar with cannabis?
I continually monitor macros throughout the season, interpreting test results is something you should learn, or maybe hire someone on staff who knows enough to continually monitor your soil for fertigation needs. Tissues samples also help here. This is pretty easy to do with numerous free guides to help understand these analyses
Personally, I split apply NPK and monitor it until it has depleted and then fertigated as needed. My field is right near my pond, and I haven’t had an algae bloom and maintain high yields, so that is good.
Additionally, I purchase LaMotte soil testing kits (NPK and pH) for field analysis, about $1 per test in a 60 test kit pack (refillable for slightly cheaper). Sea-90 (pesticide free, low heavy metal, proofed by lab analysis) is a cheap trace amendment that can be broadcast, fertigated or foliar applied. I also ammend with Azomite to rebuild total soil mineral content, slow release. All soil use to be ocean floor, soil is leeched of trace at roughly the same proportion as found in sea water, which is why I use a raw sea salt (Sea-90). The only issue would be using it in sodic soils (high sodium content). With our abundant rainfall in western Oregon we lose a lot of minerals. For example, our farm animals need selenium replacement due to the depleted levels in soil, among others.
In the states your extention agent does the interpretation for free. The last soil test I did was 1997 at my new home. My soil test was $25 dollars. I ignored the labs interpretation and design my amendment schedule, just using my state university website.
Most traditional field crop suppliers will take a standard soil test result and design a schedule for what you should buy. They are generally spot on. Just pick one of the big four and tell them you are growing corn or beans. What ever is most common row crop. The only thing in cannabis field production is calcium. NPK is just like corn.
Check with Growcentia (MammothMicrobes) in Fort Collins, CO - while they don’t have a lab themselves, the company was founded by 3 CSU soil scientists. They may be able to refer you to a lab that can provide the type of analysis that you need.
