Kidbybates carry out advanced soil and crop testing
Advanced soil test
The required soil test only tests for 4 items and the results are pretty much useless. Crops need more than just the basic's to grow and the basic soil test leaves alot for you to have to guess what the plant wants.
Kidbybates offer a soil test that gives you detailed information about your filed and the condition the soil is in. This test costs £200 per field but tells you everything you need to know for the next 4-5 years. Most of the information comes in a lab report from Lancrop but at kidbybates we go a step further and complete our own tests on the field which include compaction, moisture content and ph spot testing across the field.
Crop testing
Kidbybates offer crop testing in the spring so you can see what your crop requires allowing you to only apply the elements you actually need.
Grassland testing
Grassland for animal health requires a carefully managed testing program. Each field is given an animal health soil test in the autumn and the grass is then tested early spring before anything is applied. Once the results are compared and a recommendation for application is made. Once this has been applied the grass is retested in the Autumn to check the nutrients in the grass are in balance.
The grass then needs to be retested every spring with an autumn test following any element applications.
The soil is retested every 3-4 years.
Free testing with KB-one
The use of KB-one on at least 50 hectares will include at least 1 monitor field at no cost to you. This monitor field will recieve an advanced soil test every 1-2 years and a crop test every spring. This field will also be used to monitor worm activity, moisture content and PH levels across the field. It is recommended that you select either your biggest field or your worst proforming field as your monitor field.
Advanced soil test page 1
Advanced soil test page 1
Advanced soil test page 1
The advanced soil test can be used too monitor the improvement of the soil with it measuring soil life, CEC rates and organic matter levels, it gives the field an average quality score that can been seen to increase if what is being done is actually improving the soil quality.
Advanced soil test page 2
Advanced soil test page 1
Advanced soil test page 1
Results include a clear colour chart that shows the level of the elements, the target being to get everything into the green section.
Advanced soil test page 3
Advanced soil test page 1
Advanced soil test page 3
And there is a section showing the levels of the elements and a recommendation for crop type.
Basic soil test
Animal health tissue test
Advanced soil test page 3
An example of a basic soil test, meets the required testing level but of little use on its own.
Animal health tissue test
Animal health tissue test
Animal health tissue test
A sample of a grass tissue sample for animal health, when compared to the relevant soil test it shows what the grass needs applying to it to make it healthier for the animals to eat.
Animal health soil test
Animal health tissue test
Animal health tissue test
An animal health soil test, useful with it showing trace elements but needs a tissue test before acting upon it as the soil test only shows what is there, the tissue test shows what is in the plant. Just because its in the soil does not mean it will make its way into the plant.
The correct testing program can save you money
Onion field 2023
No soil test carried out
No soil test carried out
This onion field was grown following traditional farming methods and it was grown by a large farm with alot of experience. The soil test was "in date" by guideline standards. Just because a soil test is within the 5 year requirement does not mean it can be relied upon to give you the information you need.
No soil test carried out
No soil test carried out
No soil test carried out
Kidbybates were called in to test the field after the problem was present. Had the testing had been done before the crop was planted it is unlikely that there would have been an issue and half the crop would not have been lost.
Half the field poor
No soil test carried out
Half the field poor
The good crop areas were tested in field along with comparison tests on the poor crop areas and no real difference between the soils were found.
Half the field good
Half the field good
Half the field poor
Soil samples were taken and sent to the lab for advanced soil testing and seperate samples were sent off for onion nematode testing. This testing cost just over £1000 to find the cause.
No onion nematodes were found however potato cyst nematodes were providing inportant information for a the future of the field
Poor area tested
Half the field good
Poor area tested
The advanced soil test showed that the areas of the field were very similuar apart from 2 factors, the first being the potassium levels being very different which for onions is not to much of an issue. The second factour found was a difference between the magnesium levels, the good area being in the normal range and the poor area being in the low range, low magnesium for onions can cause them to struggle to grow and can ruin a crop.
Good area tested
Half the field good
Poor area tested
Had even the most basic of soil tests been carried out before the crop was planted then this magnesium deficency may have been avoided and the farm would not have lost around £30K of crop.
Soil and tissue testing may seem like alot of money at the time but should it find a possible problem before it happens then you could save alot of money long term.
Kidbybates Farming Services: Your Trusted Partner
Quality testing available to all
At Kidbybates , we understand the importance of healthy crops for your farm. That's why are testing service is available for anyone to use without the need to purchase our products. Our testing service can be trusted as we do not sell any product that can be used to fix the balance of elements in your field. This means we do not test in order to sell you product. For a testing plan to be benifical to you it has to include the information you need to grow your crop. Our testing plans cover just about everything you need but do come at a cost. A full plan could cost as much as £500 per field but usually closer to £300 per field. This however is a small cost compared to the cost of not completing a full plan and like the onion example above a crop failure could cost you several thousand pounds per year.
Contact us
If this is of interest to you please contact us with your name, farm address and a few details about your farm via email, our address is
we look forward to hearing from you and will get back to you as soon as we can
Any prices quoted on this website are offered as a guide only and are based upon a minimum order value
