Kansas · Soil test

Kansas soil-test fertilizer recommendations

Zone Forge reads your Kansas soil test in Kansas's own calibrated language — the critical levels and rate logic come straight from Kansas State University — Soil Test Interpretations & Fertilizer Recommendations (MF2586), not a national average. Lime has its own live calculator for Kansas with method-specific lab inputs.

Critical soil-test levels

  • P: critical 20 ppm (Mehlich-3 colorimetric (or Bray P1))
  • K: critical 130 ppm (Mehlich-3 or NH4OAc extractable)

Per Kansas State University — Soil Test Interpretations & Fertilizer Recommendations (MF2586) — below the critical level, a yield response to the added nutrient is expected.

Crops covered

Kansas State University — Soil Test Interpretations & Fertilizer Recommendations (MF2586) rates these crops in Kansas:

AlfalfaBermudagrassBromegrassCornCorn silageFescueGrass / forageOatsSorghumSorghum silageSoybeansSunflowerWheat

More crops via alternate guides selectable in Kansas: Great Plains Canola Production Handbook (MF2734).

Published source: Kansas State University — Soil Test Interpretations & Fertilizer Recommendations (MF2586)

Frequently asked

What soil-test method does Kansas use?

Kansas State University — Soil Test Interpretations & Fertilizer Recommendations (MF2586). Zone Forge cites the publication on every recommendation.

Is the Kansas soil-test calculator free?

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

Can Zone Forge calculate a Kansas lime rate?

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

Zone Forge reads every Kansas 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 →