If plant tissue samples are taken, take soil cores from around the same trees. Take four cores per tree, varying the position of the core between the row, middles, and dripline. Mix all cores from all locations in a bucket before placing a single sample in the soil sample box. Boxes and forms can be obtained from your local county center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. When to take plant tissue samples .
Tissue samples provide information on more nutrients than the soil samples.
Comparing the soil samples with the plant tissue sample can show if the tree is taking up the nutrients. Take the first tissue sample when the trees have been in the field for 3 years. Take a second tissue sample when the trees are a year from market to help fine-tune fertility recommendations and to make certain that color and needle retention will be good at harvest. Additional tissue samples should be taken to help diagnose the cause of color problems or poor growth in trees any time through the rotation or any time through the year. Time of year to take plant tissue samples .