Truffle soil agronomy advice from Peter Brown 'The Country Dirtdoctor', including a comprehensive soil report is available to new customers. Ongoing, extensive support is also available for existing customers.

A soil test is essential to determine how to improve any soil, but many soil testing services available do not focus on aspects known to be critical for truffle culture. We recommend the "Truffle-Ready Soil Test", which incorporates the results of the latest research related to growing truffles. Not only does this provide an accurate measure of things like available nutrients, pH, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), and organic matter levels, but it includes detailed recommendations for improving the soil and managing the truffle/tree partnership. The developer of the Truffle-Ready soil test (Peter Brown) has many years of experience as a soil biologist and agronomist. His expertise on the soil requirements for the symbiosis between tree and truffle is widely recognised.

NB. Peter Brown is an independent soil agronomist and advisory service not owned nor operated by Trufficulture.

Arranging a Soil Test
Trufficulture assists the soil testing process by receiving the collected samples and arranging the lab testing. The raw data from the lab is sent to Peter Brown who completes the report and recommendations.

The cost of the soil test is $550 (incl GST) per sample.

Soil Test Order Form
This must accompany the sample for the testing to be undertaken. For a copy of the form please email to: trufflesoiltest@live.com.au .

Detailed information on Testing and Soil Amelioration
The online seminars feature a detailed presentation from Peter Brown covering the testing procedure and explanation of the recommendations and final soil report. He also discusses the different types of lime and their role in truffle soils.

SOIL SAMPLING PROCEDURE

Using the proper method for sampling soil is crucial in order to get the best results from a soil test, so it is important for you to follow the method for collecting samples described here.
Above all else, the most important thing is consistency! The aim is to get a "Representative Average" for the whole area by sampling soil from several places and mixing it together.

To begin with, consider the area you want to test and make sure it is one that has had a consistent history and soil 'type'. For instance, a truffière may be mostly on the slope of a hill, but also include a bit of river-flat at the bottom. The soil may be quite different in these two areas and so may need to be sampled separately. It is best to collect soil from random spots across the whole area, while following a zig-zag path.

Collecting the Sample
When collecting the soil it is important to use the right implement and sample to the right depth.
For a truffière, the proper depth to sample is from the surface down to 20cm.
The best tool to use for sampling soil is a stainless steel core sampler. If you do not have a suitable implement, try contacting your local Dept. of Agriculture or fertiliser supplier as they may have ones you can borrow. Do not use tools made from other metals as they can produce distorted results for trace elements like Iron, Copper or Zinc, etc. If a core sampler is not available use a stainless steel spade.
The soil needs to be collected from 20 to 30 spots selected randomly from the area of the proposed truffière. Mix the collected soil very thoroughly in a clean plastic bucket and take the sample out of this. The sample is best packed in a zip-lock plastic bag, labelled with a descriptive name for the area it represents (eg. Hillside Truffière, Home Paddock, Block 5). Care and consistency in this labelling will be especially important when repeating tests at a later date.

Important: To complete all the required tests, the laboratory needs at least 550g of soil - please make sure you send enough soil and avoid delays caused by needing to repeat this process.
Once you have collected the sample, it is important to send it off as quickly as possible since some important nutrient levels can change when soil is kept in a sealed container.
Wet Samples: It is no good collecting a sample if the soil is saturated (that is, if water is dripping out when you squeeze it in your hand).

Sending Samples
Please express post samples, along with completed order form, and payment to:
Trufficulture
PO Box 364
Gembrook Vic 3783

Soil will be sent to an external laboratory for analysis. Raw data from the lab is sent to Peter Brown (Country Dirtdoctor) for preparation of the report and recommendations.

If you have any technical questions about truffle soil testing Peter Brown can be contacted on 0435 710 238

A COMPLETE SOIL TESTING SYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE

Soil testing for Truffle production has been under development since about 2004, but in 2016 – following research supported by the Australian Truffle Industry Association (ATIA), the number of tests available was increased to suit the changing needs of different stages in the management of productive plantations. The Truffle industry is fortunate to have a specialised soil testing system available.

    1. Establishing the Truffière

Starting with an area of land where it is proposed to set up a new Truffière, an initial soil test is used to aid planning and decision making for this process. Many people think of this Truffière Establishment soil test as a method for assessing the suitability of a site for planting Truffles, but in most cases, it does not do this. In fact, in Australia there are only three conditions on the soil test that might cause a given site to be considered unsuitable:

• • High Sodicity – requiring a much more complex and lengthy preparation period.
  • High Available Phosphorus – This may even completely preclude the possibility of producing Truffles if the project were to proceed.
  • Soil that is already Alkaline

    2. Preparation Progress

The next step in the system is the Preparation Progress soil test.

Not all soils respond to liming at the same rate, so it is always a good idea to check the pH before planting. This can be done easily enough with a simple soil pH test kit you can buy at many retail plant nurseries. These are cheap, accurate and easy to use – just test multiple spots across the area of your new Truffière and average the results. Whatever the case, it is always a good idea to put a generous handful of Lime into the planting hole before they tree goes in.

However, a Truffière is a costly and time-consuming thing to develop, and most people would be reluctant to go back and start again if something went wrong along the way. So a more detailed soil test is available to give a quick check on how things are going prior to planting. This gives you a quick comparison between your original test results and the new ones. It also considers the time that has elapsed between the two tests to assess if things are OK, need more time or additional inputs if things are not quite right.

Sampling requirements are the same as for the Truffière Establishment soil-test and it takes about the same time to get the results back.

    3. Truffière management

Achieving this final objective does not require any additional type of soil test, just additional Management tests every couple of years or so. Doing this triggers an additional facility in the process of reporting the results. We call this the Management Trends report.

In addition to everything on the Truffière Management soil-test, there are three trend graphs showing changes in all the soil conditions that are important to monitor. Examples of each of these graphs are shown below.

Figure 1. pH, Ca:Mg ratio, Ca+Mg saturation

Figure 2. Available and Total Phosphorus

Figure 3. Organic C, C:N ratio and Ammonium

Producing this report requires a minimum of three successive samples from the same area and then, every successive sample after that will simply be added on – improving the picture these graphs give you of what is going on in your Truffière. There is one important caveat however, samples must come from the same area each time!

Now you have everything you need to keep producing Truffles well into the future, and a support team backing you up along the way.