• Collect water directly from the tap or emitter. 
• Allow water to run for at least 5 to 10 minutes before collecting a sample.
• For new wells that recently have been chemically treated, allow the water to run for 1 to 2 hours before sampling. 
• Test water quality every 2-3 years or whenever a problem arises.

• Sample from as close to the middle of the pond or stream as possible and at least six feet from the edge. Avoid surface or bottom residues.  
• One way to collect a pond sample is to tape a plastic bottle or cup to the end of a long pole. If using a plastic bottle, the bottle is then dunked upside down into the water down to about one foot. Turn the bottle up and let it fill. 
• Test water at least annually.  Biannual water testing during summer and winter is recommended.

• Collect nutrient solutions directly from the emitters, NOT the stock tank. The sample should have the same concentration as the solution being fed to the plants.
• Flush emitter lines sufficiently to ensure that the sample is representative of the supply solution.  
• Test nutrient solutions routinely throughout the growing season and whenever there is a problem.

1. Collect 30 min to 2 hrs after irrigation/fertigation. Media moisture should be at “container capacity.”
2. Use a saucer or tray as a collection device. 
3. Pour ½ cup of water gently and evenly over the surface of a 1-gallon pot; for a 3-gallon pot, use 1½ cups of water, etc. 
   For a small block, use 3–5 pots. For a larger block, use 5–15 pots. 
4. Allow water to drain through the bottom and collect in a saucer or tray.
5. Use a funnel to pour the collected leachate into a clean soda or water bottle.  Combine multiple subsamples for each sample area into the bottle.
6. Collect 8–12 oz.  of leachate, leaving a 1-2 inch head space in the bottle.
7. See the NCSU Pour-Through Leachate Procedure for detailed information.
   
    

Tobacco Float bed Source Water:  

1. Submit samples of float bed source water for solution analysis annually, well before beds are filled. 
2. Before sample collection, run the water 5 to 10 minutes and collect sample from the tap or emitter.  
3. Write the solution code for tobacco float bed source water, ST, on the sample submission form.

Tobacco Float bed Nutrient Solutions:  Do not mix fertilizer into float-bed water until after seedlings emerge. There is already enough fertilizer in transplant media to get seedlings through the first week or so of growth.

1. Submit samples of nutrient solutions for analysis every time fertilizer is added to beds to verify the nutrient concentrations present. 
2. After the fertilizer is thoroughly mixed and dissolved, collect a portion of solution from several areas in the bed to make one composite sample. 
3. Sample each bed separately.
4. Write the solution code for tobacco float bed nutrient solution, NT, on the sample submission form.