Football Pitch FAQ 20. Do we need a soil test before buying our fertiliser?

Not necessarily, but it is beneficial to know some characteristics about your soil as this can help inform on what is most likely needed rather than just guess work. This can also save you money as you would be purchasing a fertiliser that is more fit for purpose.

However, where regular monitoring and assessment of a pitch surface takes place then you will typically be able to make an informed decision of what is needed using that data. It is still a good idea to complement this with a soil test though as the information provided will be useful in tracking nutrients and pH trends which are occurring within the soil.

The type of soil test will depend on what you want it for, but for determining the nutrients required to be applied to a pitch in a fertiliser then this is usually advisable to avoid applying unnecessary nutrients. Making an excessive quantity of nutrients available within a soil can contribute to a reduction in pitch quality by making undesirable grasses and weeds more competitive than the desirable grasses.

Testing for soil pH will also help to determine the type of fertiliser that can be applied. The aim will typically be to try and encourage a soil surface which is more inclined to be towards pH 6.0 than say 7.0 as this will be more suitable for perennial ryegrass than say annual meadow grass, weeds and diseases in general.

You will usually be able to get a potential fertiliser supplier to carry out a suitable soil test and they will also provide a recommendation from the results along with potential products from their product range. Once you have the recommendations do look at them critically because they might not meet the exact needs of the pitch or your requirements, but they will usually be a good starting guide. In addition, shop around to see which other similar products are available and the cost offered from other suppliers.