Field moist soil is soil that has been moistened in the field with rain or irrigation and is still in its natural state. When it rains or the field is manually sprinkled, the plant sends out exudates that stimulate the dormant microbes to multiply. The microbes multiply using the available nutrients in the soil and thus they reflect the nutrient level of the soil. When soil dries, the microbial count drops from 20%-80%, as many microbes die or become dormant. However, as growers are sometimes faced with dry soil, we understand it’s not practical to water all their fields before sampling. In this case, we recommend only watering the area in which you will take the soil sample from. We do not recommend incubating the soil to rejuvenate the microbes as the type and variety of microbes that return are not always the same that would re-populate in the living soil. Please note that dry soils normally read lower. As you compare soil over time, keep in mind the inherent traits of the soil you are testing and the real-world conditions. We recommend making a note in your sample that the soil was dry and you rewet it. This will help you better understand your readings as you build your data.    Please visit our Stability Study for more information.