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 Test Description Management Practice Link
Compaction is the compression of soil Soil compaction can result from
particles into a smaller volume, which reduces repeated or poorly timed use of
the size of pore space available for air and heavy machinery, hoof traffic from
water. Results from a compaction test will tell livestock, or tillage at a constant
COMPACTION
you how easy it is for roots to grow in your soil depth.
and whether or not air and water can
penetrate the soil profile.

Crusting is a thin layer of hard, dense, and Surface crusts develop when soil
tough material that sits on the soil surface. A is left bare, or when a soil is
crusting test assesses the extent to which overworked through tilling.
CRUSTING surface crusts occur on your land and can
inform you about the potential for seedling
emergence and water infiltration.

The numbers and kinds of organisms that can Maintaining plant cover
be found in and around your soil tells you throughout season, adding fresh
something about the ability of the system to organic materials, reducing
DIVERSITY OF
support biodiversity and complex food webs. tillage, and increasing crop
MACRO-LIFE This biodiversity is critical, as it helps to drive rotation diversity all support life in
carbon, nutrient, and water cycling. the soil.

Having your ground covered protects the soil Cover cropping, mulching, or
from eroding, it helps to minimize water loss any other practices that is used
GROUND COVER due to evaporation, and ensures sufficient food to cover bare soil will increase
is supplied to soil organisms and ultimately ground cover.
back to your plants.
 Test Description Management Practice Link
Ponding, or standing water on the surface of Management practices that affect
your land, happens because of poor water surface crusting, soil structure,
infiltration. Poor infiltration, in turn, can result and aggregate stability can lead
PONDING
from inherent soil properties like soil texture or to ponding.
the presence of a hardpan layer.

Soil aggregates are groups of soil particles Incorporating fresh organic

bound together by roots, fungi, and the glue- materials, mulching, composting,
like substances that these organisms produce. using shallow rooted cover crops,
They are important for keeping organic matter and reducing tillage can improve
AGGREGATE in the soil, maintaining good water infiltration, aggregate stability.
STABILITY and providing habitat for plant roots and soil
organisms. Aggregate stability refers to how
well these groups of soil particles stay together
in the face of things like tillage, wind, and rain.

The smell of your soil can tell you if it needs Cover cropping, compost, and
some work. A sour or rotten scent indicates organic material additions can
that a soil has been waterlogged, allowing support life in the soil and add
SOIL SMELL different kinds of bacteria - those that love low organic matter.
oxygen conditions - to thrive.

The color of soil can be an indicator of how Management practices that add
much organic matter is present. Typically, more organic materials (compost,
soil organic matter leads to a darker brown or residues, manure, mulch) and
black color. The color of your soil can also tell build soil carbon leading to a
SOIL COLOR you whether it has been waterlogged for darker soil color.
extended periods of time. When this occurs,
your soil will become gray and may or may not
have red or brown spots throughout (mottling).

Aside from their role in water and nutrient Root growth can be impeded by
uptake for plants, roots also help to feed the compaction issues related to
soil food web and build soil organic matter, management practices (see
ROOT GROWTH which in turn can help improve soil fertility, above) and nutrient deficiencies
water retention, and ultimately things like crop in soil.
resilience to drought.

The symptoms of a healthy or unhealthy plant Plant health can be affected by

may depend on the cropping system you’re any number of factors - from
working with. A general assessment of plant pests and diseases to things like
PLANT HEALTH health can be done by looking at crop leaf water stress and nutrient
color, signs of wilting, height, and uniformity. deficiency.
 Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Push the probe in until it is Pull the probe out of the Use a ruler or measuring
difficult to push further soil being sure to keep tape to record the depth
and place your hand at the your hand in the same you were able to push the
base of the probe where it place as step 1. probe into the soil.
meets the soil.

If you can push the probe deeper than 20 cm

GOOD
or 8 inches score the test as good.

If you can push the probe in but not further

FAIR than 20 cm or 8 inches until starting to feel it
getting harder to push in.

If you can’t get the probe into the soil at all or

POOR it’s extremely difficult to.
 You either can’t see areas where there’s surface
GOOD crusting or there’s a very small amount
covering less than 5% of the parcel.

You can see some areas, but not many, where

FAIR there’s some surface crusting and there’s
evidence of it on at least 5% of the parcel.

There’s lots of surface crusting in the parcel and

POOR
it’s easy to spot in multiple areas.
 You found more than 5 different insects and/or
GOOD
insects.

You found between 2 - 5 different insects and/

FAIR
or insects.

You found less than 2 different insects and/or

POOR
insects.
GOOD Above 50%

FAIR 35-50%

POOR Less than 35%

GOOD No standing water in the field 24 hours after it rains.

Standing water in a few places but not widespread

FAIR
across the field 24 hours after it rains.

Lots of standing water in many places across the

POOR
field 24 hours after it rains.
 After 5 mins, water is clear or fairly clear and more
GOOD
than 80% of the aggregate remains intact.

After 5 mins, water is somewhat cloudy and less

FAIR
than 80% of the aggregate remains intact.

After 5 mins, water is very cloudy, and the aggregate

POOR
has mostly broken a part.
GOOD Pleasant, sweet, earthy smell.

No strong smell, not bad but also not earthy and

FAIR
fresh smelling.

POOR Sour, rotten, or just an overall bad smell.

GOOD Roots are abundant, branched, and unrestricted.

Roots are somewhat restricted and there are some

FAIR
fine roots.

Roots are lacking (not many of them), seem

POOR
restricted and not well branched.
GOOD Plants are dark green with good even growth.

Plant growth is adequate but variable and plants are

FAIR
a light or medium green color.

Plants are discolored, have stunted growth, and

POOR
variable height.