For many years, we’ve considered fertilizer to be nitrogen, phosphate and potash. But as yields have increased, we’ve continued to remove secondary nutrients and micronutrients at greater amounts. Higher yields also increase the daily demand for these nutrients, creating potential micronutrient deficiencies. How can we tell if our crop is deficient in micronutrients? Ward Laboratories founder and president Ray Ward discusses the two methods of evaluation: soil testing and plant analysis, and what the proper sampling protocol is for each. He also explains how to correct micronutrient deficiencies, including the timing of soil and foliar nutrient application for each micronutrient.