Right now many Miss-Lou residents are busy on weekends preparing for the hunting season weeks and months ahead.

We have received some calls about increasing the quality of food plots and what is the proper planting mix for maximum production. There are a lot of different options of what to plant in your food plot and everyone has different preferences so I won’t address that, but one thing Mississippi State does emphasis is soil quality and its impact on food plot and wildlife quality.

Therefore, I would like to discuss some basic facts about improving your wildlife through soil fertility.

Q: Does soil fertility really make a difference in producing big bucks?

A: Research has consistently shown that antler size in deer is directly impacted by soil fertility. Better soil fertility means higher quality forages, stronger root systems, increase fertilizer utilization and more food for your wildlife. It has also shown soil fertility has a positive influence on body weight of deer, population distributions, abundance, and overall quality.

Q: How do you improve soil fertility?

A: In our area of southwest Mississippi we tend to have more acidic soils (low pH). A soil test will determine the lime requirements and fertilizer recommendation for your individual food plots. We have already run about 40 soil test for food plots in our area and a large number of them required additional lime for greater soil fertility.

Liming will improve the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of acidic soil. This in return increases root proliferation, improved nutrient and water uptake, and earlier plant emergence.

Along with liming requirement a soil test will provide recommended fertilizer ratios with actual nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium levels. Furthermore it will provide calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, and other information.

Q: Does liming save money?

A: Research has been conducted to determine the impact soil fertility and pH have on fertilizer efficiency and the results are alarming. The three values related to fertilizer utilization are nitrogen, phosphate and potash, which represent N, P, and K of a fertilizer bag. With a neutral pH of 7.0 you will have no fertilizer waste.

However at a 5.5pH you will waste 23 percent of nitrogen and 52 percent of phosphate, resulting in a total fertilizer loss of 32 percent for N, P, and K combined. With a pH below 4.5, where many of our areas samples submitted tested, you are wasting about 70 percent of applied fertilizer, broken down you lose 70 percent N, 77 percent, and 67 percent K. Therefore, you can see the significant impact of soil fertility and liming in relationship to fertilizer utilization.

In short, if you plan to spend the time, effort, and expenses in fertilizing your food plots and attracting big game it is foolish not to check your soils pH. A soil test costs $6, and results are returned in 5-7 business days. Call or come by the Adams County Extension office for soil testing boxes or to drop off a soil test.

Following the recommendation given on your soil test analysis given by the MSU- Extension Service soil testing lab will allow you to greatly increase your lands growth potential, wildlife quality and hunting experience.

David Carter is the director of the Adams County Extension Service. He can be reached at 601-445-8201.