Iowa · Soil test

Iowa soil-test fertilizer recommendations

Zone Forge reads your Iowa soil test in Iowa's own calibrated language — the critical levels and rate logic come straight from Iowa State University Extension — PM 1688: A General Guide for Crop Nutrient and Limestone Recommendations in Iowa, not a national average. Lime has its own live calculator for Iowa with method-specific lab inputs.

Critical soil-test levels

  • P: critical 16 ppm (Bray-1)
  • K: critical 120 ppm

Per Iowa State University Extension — PM 1688: A General Guide for Crop Nutrient and Limestone Recommendations in Iowa — below the critical level, a yield response to the added nutrient is expected.

Crops covered

Iowa State University Extension — PM 1688: A General Guide for Crop Nutrient and Limestone Recommendations in Iowa rates these crops in Iowa:

AlfalfaBromegrassCloverCornFescueGrass hayLima beansOatsSorghumSoybeansWheat

Published source: Iowa State University Extension — PM 1688: A General Guide for Crop Nutrient and Limestone Recommendations in Iowa

Frequently asked

What soil-test method does Iowa use?

Iowa State University Extension — PM 1688: A General Guide for Crop Nutrient and Limestone Recommendations in Iowa. Zone Forge cites the publication on every recommendation.

Is the Iowa soil-test calculator free?

Yes — the Iowa soil-test recommendation calculator is free and needs no signup. Enter your lab values for source-cited P and K; Iowa's live lime calculator is available separately with its own required lab inputs.

Can Zone Forge calculate a Iowa lime rate?

Yes — the free soil-test calculator covers source-cited P and K. Iowa also has a live lime calculator on Zone Forge that uses the state's published method. Open the Iowa lime guide or lime calculator for tons of CaCO3-equivalent per acre.

Zone Forge reads every Iowa soil test in its own state's language, then builds source-cited fertilizer and a live lime calculator and full variable-rate prescriptions. See the science →