Ag 101 Week 24

Six Things Every Soil Test Should Include

Last week I wrote about four things your agronomist should know about you. One critical piece of information when working with an agronomist is having a soil test. It is the starting point for them to be able to build a fertility plan that makes financial and environmental sense for you and your farming system.

One challenge I face when working with farmers is not that they haven’t gotten a soil test done. However, the results are missing critical pieces of information that are needed to make the best recommendations tailored to their specific situation. Soil test results are a snapshot of what was happening than when it was collected. However, without the entire picture making the best fertility choices can cost you financially and have unforeseen environmental impacts both on and off your farm. Investing a few minutes and dollars can ensure you get all the necessary information that will save you in the long run.

1.     pH

pH is the potential amount or concentration of hydrogen ions in the soil. It is represented by a negative logarithmic scale, zero through 14. Acidic soils, represented by a pH of below 7.0, have a higher concentration of hydrogen ions available. Alkaline soils, represented by a pH above 7.0, have a lower concentration of hydrogen ions available. It is how many hydrogen ions are in that particular soil. – Talk to the Blueberries

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/2017/4/1/talk-to-the-blueberries-they-will-explain-it-to-you

pH is the foundation of all soil chemistry. In which it plays a role in microbial activity that drives nutrient reactions in the soil directly affecting plant health and yields.

2.     Organic Matter (OM)

Often, I refer OM to being the pantry that microbes have access to, where nutrients are stored that plants need. Due to the fact this fraction of the soil acts as a holding area, or pantry, for several nutrients, it is essential to know what percentage makes up the soil in a given sample. 

OM plays a role in storing a vital nutrient, such as nitrogen. The estimated amount of nitrogen (lbs./ac) that can be released or ENR that can potentially be available over the growing season is relative to the percentage of OM present in a soil. The decomposition of organic matter can release about 20 lb. N/acre/year for each percent of organic matter. Knowing these amounts can help to adjust nitrogen inputs throughout the growing season leading to better cover crop choices, more productive crop rotations, and increase the efficiency of a fertility program.

Depending on the lab, this may not be included in a standard package and can often be overlooked. Pay close attention to the soil sample submittal form, making sure it is tested for each sample.

3.     Cation Exchange Capacity

If OM is the pantry where the nutrients can be stored, cation exchange capacity or CEC is the number of shelves or sites you have to store nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and other positively charged ions.

Say, for example, I have two pantries’ in our home, one with eight shelves and a smaller pantry with two shelves. That gives me a total of ten shelves to place food on for storage. Clay, which is predominantly negatively charged, could potentially be the pantry with eight shelves and be able to store nutrients that have a positive charge. OM could be the pantry with two shelves, being made up of both negatively and positively charged ions, can store either. In the case of nutrient storage in soil, how much and where it is relative to the amount of clay and OM, and the sum is referred to as the Total Cation Exchange Capacity (TCEC).

4.     Base Saturation

Base Saturation is a percentage of a nutrient, or cation makes up the TCEC. How much shelf space in the pantry that particular cation is occupying in relationship to the total size of the pantry.  When it comes to balancing soil nutrients, there is a school of thought that uses percent base saturation results. Whether that is the measure you are using to adjust nutrients or not, it is still a good overview as to the ratios nutrients are present in the soil. And can be used to help determine the most useful input to achieve the desired balance of nutrients based on other factors as well.

Nutrients that should be included are

Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Hydrogen (H), and Sodium (Na)

5.     MacrONutrients

For this post, which is to make sure farmers get the appropriate test results for an agronomist to make sound and relevant recommendations, I am listing nutrients that a standard soil test should include, and as they are categorized by most labs across the country. For example, I could go into more detail talking at length regarding Nitrate testing and the categorization of sulfur being a micronutrient as opposed to a macro. But that’s not the point of this post.  What a farmer needs to have reported in the results are the following essential nutrients that make up the majority of a plants diet including-

Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Phosphorus

6.     MicrONutrients

Sometimes referred to as trace elements, due to the fact they are required in smaller amounts than the previously listed macronutrients.

These should include sulfur, zinc, boron, copper, manganese, and iron. Depending on the lab, sodium could be reported under this category as well. I’ve listed them in importance for how and why I make fertility recommendations. Farmers need to note that some labs charge per element or as a group. You have to be diligent when filling out the soil sample submittal form, including ones that are pertinent to your situation.

Don’t let a few extra minutes or a couple of extra dollars keep you from getting-

The Six Things Every Soil Test Should Include

Ag 101 Week 22

I Got Nothing...

I'm not going to lie, coming up with a topic for this week has been challenging. I usually get inspiration from things I've been doing or things I've been questioned about in the previous week. But these past couple weeks have been doozies. 

I have dealt with everything from gray mold on strawberries, hail damage on lettuce, making fertilizer recommendations, nailing down seeding rates, explaining my opinion on sap and Brix testing, etc. I've been to pasture walks and spoke for the Williamsport Herb Guild. I've touched base with clients and needless to say I came up with lots of topics and still no real inspiration as to exactly what to write about.  

To cap off the week, I spent 4 hours updating the terms, conditions, and privacy policy for the website to be in compliance with the GDPR.  Don't ask me what that stands for, I'm not good with acronyms or military time. All I know is feel free to stop reading at any point, feel free to unsubscribe at any point, feel free to not deal with me at any point. I will not be offended, TRUST ME! If you do stay, you will hear some ranting and you will wear down your red pen fixing typos. But hopefully, you will also get at least one piece of something that will help you to be the best farmer, grower, or producer you want to be.

So, when it came to writing a post, I was just not feeling it...

Then while I was taking pictures of my peonies after I had told my husband I was writing, I thought "Give them something useful. Something practical. Something to help them through the season." Then they can unsubscribe to go look for a highly trained world-renowned agronomist. Just kidding. 

“Well-fed plants are usually less susceptible to soil-borne organisms than are poorly nourished plants. Good fertility may so enhance the resistance of the (host)plant that the parasite can not successfully attack the roots.”

— U.S Dept. of Agriculture 1957 Yearbook

It can be said that having a well-nurished plant will deter insect and other disease issues as well.

Earlier this week I shared a liquid fertilizer program for strawberries. You can go to this link and sign up for the newsletter to get a printable copy. 

https://www.theaccidentalagronomist.com/news/

This year growers I work with have had success in high tunnels, while those growing outside have been challenged. The weather is a dominant factor for the challenges. Sometimes all we can do is mitigate the best we can, looking ahead to the next crop.

So that leads me to give you some suggestions of things you can have on hand to help grow through any up and coming challenges that might be on the horizon. I've also tried to make them things that could be readily available at any home and garden or farm store. 

Kelp Meal/Kelp Liquid

Anyone that has been around me for five minutes knows I like kelp. It is effective and multi-purposeful. 

Kelp is not curative, however, it can be used to help boost a plant's immune system helping it to get through periods of stress. It has growth simulant hormones called cytokinins, gibberellins, and auxins that encourage cell health, strength, and growth. 

It has insect repellant properties due to the fact it has iodine which has been shown to deter sucking and piercing insects. I do caution that it is only effective if we use it judiciously. I have growers that use it in the insecticide box when planting corn. The first year the rate would be 6-8#/ac. If planting corn after corn, which is never recommended, however, sometimes practiced, the rate would need to increase to 10-15#/ac. 

Just as other chemistries, its overuse can diminish its efficacy. 

That being said, I add 1-2oz of liquid kelp per gallon to any irrigation water I'm using in my containers and vegetable garden. I generally water with it every 7-10 depending on rain amounts, which equals out to be roughly every other time I water.  

The meal can be steeped in water/vinegar to make the liquid, leaving you with the meal to use as an amendment and the liquid to water with.

For example:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vinegar

1 cup kelp meal

Let steep for several days, drain off the liquid and add 1-2oz. per gallon of water and apply every 7-10 days or as needed.

The meal can be used at the time of planting or as a side dress throughout the growing season. 

Aragonite/Oyster Shell

Aragonite can be harder to find, but well worth the effort. Oyster shell would be a good substitute. Both are an excellent source of calcium and can be used dry or steeped in vinegar.  This could be good for tomatoes when they are lacking calcium showing signs of Blossom End Root(BER). BER is really not a calcium issue but an irrigation one. However, a quick readily available calcium application can help the plant get through it and keep producing. I think I sense another idea to write about...

For example:

1 cup aragonite/oyster shell

1 cup vinegar

Let steep for several days, drain off the liquid and add 1-2oz. per gallon of water and apply every 7-10 days or as needed.

5% - 10%Vinegar

This has a multitude of uses. You can use it in liquid fertilizer blends to stabilize a mix and help balance the pH. It can be a good liquid to use an as extractant, like with kelp meal and aragonite. If used appropriately it will have a nominal effect on water pH but not to a level that would be detrimental. However, always use caution and test pH of any irrigation system and soil regularly.

Liquid Fish

There are several formulations on the market. I look for one that has sulfate of potash (SOP) and kelp in it.  If you can find one with sodium nitrate, then that is an added bonus. It is a great stand-alone fertilizer however, I have growers using it in the following mix and see great results.

Liquid Fish Blend:

1-2 gallon liquid fish

1-2 quart liquid kelp

1 pint 5-10% Vinegar

5 pounds sugar or 1-3 oz. molasses per gallon(optional, but recommended)

Add 1-2oz. per gallon of water and apply 1-2 times during the growing season dependant on the crop and soil tests. 

Another blend that is easy to mix yet effective is 

Fish/Kelp Blend:

1/2 Fish Fertilizer

1/2 Liquid Kelp

Add 1-2 oz. per gallon of water and apply every 7-10 days, or as needed. 

This is great for transplanting or times of stress, fertilizing and stimulating growth at the same time. 

As always soil and tissue testing are recommended before implementing any type of program. These are merely suggestions and not an exhausted list of things you could potentially have on hand. If you are experiencing challenges, a call to your local extension office or an agronomist might be necessary before making any fertilizer/amendment applications as well.

*Please take cation as to the time of day you apply liquids when using as a fertilizer, early morning is optimal, or in the evening. 

Once I have recovered from the whole GDPR thing, I'll put together a PDF with the information in this post. At that time you will be asked to subscribe to my newsletter to get it. Then, once you have done that and gotten your free printable fertilizer recipe PDF you can unsubscribe, no hard feelings. 

As always, if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. Better yet send pictures and we can talk through some issues you might be having. 

Strawberries

Several growers I work with are having a challenging year when it comes to keeping their strawberries healthy. Here is a simple mix you can use throughout the season to help keep them producing. 

Strawberry Recipe

1. Spray the plants once per week with liquid Kelp, using one pint per backpack sprayer of approximately 4.5 gallons of water
2. When plants are about 2 ½ inches tall and starting to bloom, spray them with liquid kelp again, twice per week, each time until they were dripping wet
3. Spray them with liquid fish and kelp, 1 pt. each per sprayer twice a week-right through the whole season

*When mixing spray add 1-2tsp of a mild detergent. I use Basic H from Shaklee because that is what the original recipe called for
**Use a liquid fish similar to Neptune’s Harvest Fish Seaweed Fertilizer 2-3-1 or any liquid that is a blend of fish and kelp                                                                                                                         ***As always, soil and tissue testing are the first steps to a healthier crop                                        ****Do not spray during the hottest part of the day, mornings are best

Ag 101 Week 20

I Only Eat Cheesecake

 Let me explain.

I have an available supply. The market down the road has the best in town, and sometimes the market has it on sale. I can stock up when that is the case. I can freeze it so I will never run out. I always have it on hand. I have been able to maintain a somewhat healthy weight while on my cheesecake only diet. Well, sort of. A healthy weight is a relative term. As long as I exercise and still fit in my sweatpants, that’s fine with me. I like my sweatpants. So far, my health is reasonably good while on my cheesecake only diet. I realize that eventually there is the potential for me to have some nutrient or vitamin deficiencies, but so far so good. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right? I’ll know when I’m dead there is a problem.

Sounds a bit dramatic and crazy, right?

That’s what I think when a grower tells me they only use compost. Be upset with me, tell me that it’s working just fine for you, justify it all you want but that is how you are feeding your soil and your plants. You are feeding them a nutritionally imbalanced diet that even though you are intensely rotating crops things will eventually catch up with you. In reality, you are not feeding them; you are amending the soil. You are changing the physical characteristics of the soil while ignoring the nutritional needs of the crop because compost is an amendment, not a fertilizer. 

Let me ask you a question. Would you eat like that?

There seems to be a more significant number of farms starting in the business. A farm up the road has been composting for several years, another in the opposite direction is now offering its own brand of compost, and local municipalities in the area have started some windrows of their own. Compost business has started as a means to handle wastes from other industries. It is available year-round and at what seems to be a reasonable price, sometimes being free for the taking. 

Let’s look at an average analysis of your garden variety compost. Guess what; there is no average. First, compost companies source material from a variety of places. Companies in our area use mushroom waste, or food waste, some paper-based products, some use manures, some use peat or sphagnum moss, or combinations of all of the previously listed. These inconsistencies in materials and how long it is composted lead to the variabilities in nutrient analysis. Second, the nutrient analysis is negligible due to the fact nutrients are diminished as the materials are decomposed. It is an inevitable part of the process, leaving you with an amendment intended for adding organic matter and microbes. 

I am not bashing the industry.  A vendor questioned me after a presentation about this very subject, and they have yet to get the information I asked for. I wanted analysis and data showing me what’s in their compost. That’s it, that is all I asked for. What I got were marketing talking points that I later saw on their website. That’s all you see from any of them. I’m not singling out any one company or manufacturer. They are all doing the same thing. Go to the US Composting Councils’ Website. You get a lot of marketing points, but I had to spend an hour digging for some hard-core research, and it turned up useless for any grower I’m working with.

https://compostingcouncil.org/

Do your due diligence and look into the source of the compost you are considering. Better yet source it from a reputable manufacturer or farmer that is willing to disclose what is in it and what the analysis is, making sure a reputable lab did it.

Composting your food and lawn waste is a great idea, however, to be done successfully it can be labor-intensive and time-consuming. The volume at which you need to compost can be prohibitive as well.  If applying 1 inch of compost on a 30X30 garden that is almost equivalent to 2.8 cubic yards. You would need anywhere from two to three times that volume in initial waste materials to produce that.  I’ve worked with several farmers that have tried to compost and farm and cannot find enough time to do either the justice it deserves.

You may be wondering how well the cheesecake diet works-

I have personally tried the cheesecake only diet, and I’m here to tell you it did not turn out well for me. I gained 75 pounds, and I ended up back in my fat pants. I am tired and cranky most of the time unless I am medicating with coffee or another form of therapeutic beverage. I am on the verge of exploding if I do not make changes. I have radically amended my physical characteristics while ignoring any nutritional needs I have. I’m on the brink of a health crisis if I don’t change.

What do I need to do to make changes-

Over the past few weeks, I have decided to get back to eating a balanced diet that consists of healthy proteins, fats, vegetables, and fruits. I have given up one therapeutic beverage except for coffee. My fern leaf peony and coffee will be buried with me. I am exercising on a regular basis and getting my family involved. As much as I love cheesecake, I have had to eat a more balanced diet. I have to find a balance between changing my physical characteristics and my nutritional needs using exercise and food.

Guess what – Your soil and plants need a balanced diet as well.

Your soil and plants will eventually send out signals just like what happened to me. They will not end up in their fat pants, but they will be tired and cranky. Yields will start to go down, plants will start and look unhealthy while being subjected to higher insect and disease pressure. An unhealthy plant is an open door to unwanted issues. I often hear “Well I rotate, and that ensures the plants are getting what they need.” You do have a point, but if you rotate into a crop that wants a nutrient that isn’t there because you might have overlooked nutrient removal from the previous crop? Then what do you do?

Just as I have to use exercise and food to be healthy, you need to use management strategies and inputs to balance soil and plant health.

What are simple steps you can take to get off the compost only diet-

Truth, I don’t want you to kick the habit entirely. I want you to use compost for what it is best suited, and that is an excellent source of organic matter and microbes. I want you to use it when it is needed to enhance your fertility program, not be the main component of it.

-Get a soil test that includes organic matter.

A comprehensive test that includes significant nutrients N-P-K, along with trace minerals and organic matter will be the best investment to understanding what your soil needs.

-Look your farm on the soil survey website to identify your soil type.

Understanding your soil type will help you learn how to work with the soil you have.

-If using compost ask the manufacturer for a lab analysis done by a third party reputable lab.

If they can’t provide one, you have to decide if you want to take the risk or look for a reputable manufacturer that can provide a current one. Before purchasing it take a minute and smell it. Smelling it may sound odd, but how compost smells can be an indication as to how well it is broken down and how healthy it is. Just because you are working with the rotten stuff, it shouldn't smell rotten. If it has been composted adequately, it should smell fresh and earthy.

Ag 101 Week 17

The Power of Biology

When I first started college, I went with the intent of becoming a dog trainer. Not just any kind of dog trainer, but a Seeing Eye Instructor. I was also determined not to get into agriculture. I had milked enough, bailed enough, and seen enough corn, alfalfa, and chickens to last me a lifetime.

Fast forward to my second year at Delaware Valley University. I’m majoring in biology and love it. I’m gearing up to start psychology classes so I can get my minor. When all of a sudden I’m asked by my advisor to pick a track in the biology program to specialize. I went with environmental biology, because why not.

I started taking agronomy classes to satisfy the requirements for my specialization and wanted to change my major to agronomy. Unfortunately, my advisor passed away, and no one knew what to with me. The biology department did understand why and the agronomy department did seem to want a biology major lurking around.

That was until the head of the agronomy department meant with me and changed the course of my future. He laid out a plan for the rest of my senior year that landed me a job with an environmental remediation company that was looking to hire someone with my background. Win-Win I was in!

To make a long story short, I ended up graduating with a degree in biology minoring in agronomy and working on Superfund sites.  I got to use both biology and agronomy and save the earth at the same time.  Well, sort of save the earth. As long as the client was happy and I could bill my hours to them, so my employer was happy. So not my plan, but I enjoyed it and was making a decent living. I even had a secretary. Everyone needs a secretary, trust me.

Jump ahead even further in time, and I find myself working for an organic fertilizer company. Totally out of my wheelhouse, I grew up in conventional agricultural, and it was all I knew. I had never heard of anything remotely associated with the industry I was working in now. I remember calling my dad and asking him if he had ever heard of the company I had just gotten a job with, he said no. We concluded that they must not have been that big of a company if he or the rest of the family had never heard of them. Little did I know what I was about to get myself into.

All this to say, I am a total outsider to the world of organic agriculture. I understand farming, but this was unlike anything I had ever had experienced. I found myself in the same situation I was in college. No one knew what to do with me. Only this time I was coming from conventional agriculture and now working with organic farming. As I started working with more and more natural growers, I began to see similarities between the two types of mindsets and I could also see the differences.

This post is not an editorial to pursued one to see the light and change to one side or the other. I don’t get why there has to be such a dichotomy between the two. Both have positives and negatives associated with them. I have always said that it is up to the grower to be willing to assume the level of management that is required for the way in which they want to grow a crop. But there is one hang up I’ve had with conventional growers, especially traditional no-till.

Why do they underestimate the power of biology?

As I started going to conferences and meetings held by the organic counterparts to conventional, I became more aware that organic growers harness the power of soil biology and employ management strategies to use it in their favor. While some conventional growers know its there, however they often use inputs or management practices that are counterproductive to encouraging the microbial populations in soil.  

Why don’t some farmers see all that biology can do for them? It seems as if it has been taken out the equation. Remember the triangles?

Lately, I’ve taken the time to go to more conventional conferences and meetings. I sat in on a meeting with a highly respected traditional agronomist and after listening to him talk it cleared all my confusion as to why in my opinion there is such an under-appreciation for biology in conventional farming.

Biology can’t be quantified; chemistry can

Inputs whether organic or conventional are chemistries. However, the affect a chemistry has on a crop can be measured. For every action, there is a reaction, A+B=C, and so on. You can calculate how much you will need to achieve a specific yield. You can forecast an outcome based on inputs and have actual numbers to back everything up. As long as you get your timing within a particular window and your placement relatively precise, you can rest assured barring any catastrophic weather event or unforeseen circumstance the input you use will do its job. It will do its job because it was chosen based on criteria already established and proven to work.

Soil microbe’s -aka biology- don’t work like that. Biology is a variable dependent on weather, pH, temperature, moisture, soil type, organic matter, compost type, amendment type, crop selection, previous crop, the sun, the moon, the stars -I think you get the point. Harnessing its power is being entirely dependent on things we cannot always physically control. We can not talk to the microbes and ask them to break the phosphorus in our soil down and make it plant available at the specific growth stage we need it. We can not go out to the field and ask the microbes to show up at the right time the right location and do everything we know it is capable of doing when it is most critical for the plant. We can use biologically enhanced inputs. However, there is still the question as to how viable they are due to all the for mentioned variables.  You can count them under a microscope but, do we still have a scientifically proven measurable way to explain, or quantify, all that microbes do, and how that translates into a profit? In most cases, all we can do is hope the microbes are there and show up at the right time and place.

Farming is part hope and expectation. You hope the weather will be in your favor; you expect the seed will germinate, you expect your yields will make a profit. And if a farmer can stack the deck in one’s favor they should, right?

Conventional growers rely on inputs, organic rely on biology.  That’s the great divide. That’s it. Right or wrong it is just using a different corner of the triangle to achieve the same results. However, both use management. 

So how does a farmer stack the deck in their favor harnessing the power of such a variable like biology?

You create conditions and an environment the natural biology of your soil wants to live. You create one that it wants to thrive and flourish in by using chemistries and management practices that encourage biological activity. You use management strategies such as cover cropping and minimal tillage to promote plush living conditions for the very microbes you want to do the work while hopefully starting to minimize inputs.

Harnessing the power of biology-

Simple on paper, not always simple in practice. If it were, everyone would be doing it.

Ag 101 Week 16

Soil Doesn’t Follow Trends

These past few weeks have been busy as I’m sure most of you are experiencing too. Mine has been filled with meetings, conferences, presentations, farm visits, homeschool activities, and trying to fit in planting somethings in my garden.

As I’ve talked to what feels like hundreds of people recently, there has been one reoccurring theme I have been brought back to

Soil Doesn’t Follow Trends Markets Do

So, what exactly do I mean.

Soil is a dynamic highly evolved ecosystem that in spite of all the good or bad we do, it has a single mission to be in a state of constant growth. It is home to organisms that are continually going through every stage of life in order to provide life to the plants that grow in it.

1.     It has no idea what type of cropping system or gardening method you choose to use this year. It has no idea how many books you have read, conferences you have gone to, or how many speakers you have listened to telling you about farming and gardening systems.

2.    It doesn’t give a flying fig about what the latest and greatest trend in agriculture is either. It is not reading all the gardening and farming magazines touting all the benefits of the next best super go-go grow juice or the magic results you see if you apply only 500# to the acre of the best fairy dust ever.

The only thing soil wants to do is be what it was intended to be which is a healthy, resilient, and highly efficient system in which life can grow. Get out of its way and let it happen. Stop buying into one method or product that promises yields beyond your imagination and tomatoes that Instagram dreams are made of.

Am I saying turn your back to all the progress we have made with science and technology-NO!

In my perfect world, in which I believe Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton are genuinely best friends and platonic despite Islands in The Stream, I want growers, farmers, gardeners to-

Start paying attention to the soil they have and work with it to apply science and technology in practical ways to harness its natural abilities.

Ag 101 Week 15

Alternative Soil Fertility

I’ve been preparing for a presentation titled Unusual Edible Perennials and How to Use Them for Soil Health. Already, I have a problem with the title because I dislike using the term soil health. I would rather it be the title of this post. However, I realize it is not as pleasant sounding. It seems as if a large part of what I end up focusing on revolves around making things sound good to get likes, clicks, and follows. I will be the first to admit if you look at my social media, well, let’s say I might not be as social as I should be if those are my goals. I have come along way from posting about the tattoo on my foot though. I have also stated that those are not the reasons why I'm doing all of this either. It is just the nature of the beast I guess. 

What preparing for this particular presentation has made me think about is

How I as an agronomist view -how and what farmers use to manage soil fertility. I know the obvious – cover crops, fertilizers, manures, and management. But, does it have to stop there?

What if you grew an alternative crop that had multiple markets, could be used to do what cover crops do and provided a sustainable source of soil fertility? That seems like money in the bank to me.

I will insert all my disclaimers now. I realize the ideas I’m talking about aren’t necessarily new, however, far too often we get in our set ways and don’t look beyond what we’re currently doing. I realize that most of what I’m suggesting is anecdotal at best. I also understand the scale at which these crops could be grown successfully will vary. Last, but maybe the most important, incorporating them comes with financial implications. However, in this era of agriculture, it seems to me that markets are opening up to be more receptive if not on the cusp of demanding we make some radical changes to our approach.  Our approach to crop choices, fertilizer choices, and management choices.

In doing research, I’ve come to realize there is not a lot I could find about the subject.  I found the typical article about favorite cover crops, what soil needs to be fertile, and what one can do to promote soil health. Beyond that standard research and information and looking at actually using plants to target soil fertility, information gets pretty obscure.

One article I came across was titled, Maximizing Soil Fertility with Soil Improving Plants.

https://www.regenerative.com/magazine/maximizing-soil-fertility-soil-improving-plants

I finally felt like I was on to something, and maybe I am, but I still want to take the subject further. Again, what if you grew an alternative crop that had multiple markets, could be used to do what cover crops do and provided a sustainable source of soil fertility?

What if we looked at using specific plants to go beyond cover cropping and used them to help meet even more specific soil fertility needs?

Even my husband who proclaims he has no idea even on an average day what I’m talking about when he reads my stuff, let me know I am pretty much-smoking something if I think farmers are going to be able to incorporate alternative crops successfully. But, why not start and look at things through a different lens if only for one presentation. 

Next, I thought I should look at the primary reasons farmers use cover crops. What are the significant factors leading to the choice of cover crop and how could an alternative crop meet those reasons.

Most farmers choose cover crops based on the following-

1.     Reduce fertilizer costs, mainly nitrogen

2.     Reduce herbicide and pesticide use

3.     Prevent soil erosion

4.     Increase overall soil tilth

When planning my talk, I took those reasons and few others into consideration based on the crowd I’m going to speak to and the typical scale of the grower I work with.

I also took into consideration-

1.     The fact I grow each one in my garden - hence the scale

2.     They are edible in some form - multiple markets

3.     They are all relatively easy to grow – ease of management

4.     They are relatively common – attainability

5.     If it could address at least one fertility need – a movement towards sustainability

So, the five plants or “crops” that I included are borage, comfrey, stinging nettle, Jerusalem artichoke, and rhubarb.

Borage-

It’s growth characteristics lend it to being a natural addition to add to any market garden.

It...  tends to spread if happy

and does not like to be in wet soil,

but it

can tolerate some shade, and

 self-seeds

What are the fertility benefits?

It... is a functional companion plant for strawberries, squash, and legumes.

and  is said to be a sacrifice plant for tomatoes from hornworms.

But, what I’m most interested in is the fact it contains B vitamins and trace minerals.

Research has been done regarding the role B vitamins play in metabolic pathways and how it helps to make biochemical reactions in plants easier in regards to environmental stresses.  Take a look at some work being done at the University of Florida at the following link

https://researchfeatures.com/2017/08/08/control-metabolism-changing-conditions/amp/

The part about containing trace minerals interests me because most soils lack them and often overlooked. However, trace minerals can be a limiting factor in soil fertility that can mean the difference in yield loss and more noticeably crop quality. For some growers, trace minerals can be expensive and harder to apply at appropriate levels without doing more harm than good. Using a plant to supply that need could, in fact, be a viable option while having several other benefits as well.

Borage

Comfrey

I can’t say enough about this one. It seems to be the overall work-horse of the plant world.

It...

grows anywhere, and will tolerant several growing conditions

I suggest in my presentation to consider planting the sterile variety. It is a firsthand lesson I had to learn.   

It uses include...

 it can be used as a mulch and dried as a soil conditioner

 soil stabilizer due to is deep roots

  high in calcium and potassium

  hay and forage potential

The fact it is high in calcium is what caught my attention. I have come across several scenarios where soil needs calcium, but other more mainstream inputs are not always an option. Comfrey could be one alternative depending on the scale, that could be more sustainable than mined products.

Comfrey

Stinging Nettle

Nettles are quite fussy about the soil in which they will grow

Once established roots creep so it can be hard to control

Unfortunately, the entire plant is covered with stinging hairs  

So, there are some definite disadvantages to stinging nettle. But, it’s contributions regarding soil fertility in my mind out way the painful reality of dealing with the plant. 

It is high in iron, calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, sulfur, and silica

Aphids love nettles, which you can grow as 'sacrificial' plant

There have been several studies done regarding the benefits of silica and its relationship to nutrient retention and efficiency as well as the role it plays in overall plant health.  What I want to find out more about is the calcium, magnesium, nitrogen, and sulfur potential stinging nettle may bring to the table.

Stinging Nettle Photo Courtesy of DB Impressions

Jerusalem artichoke

Plan when deciding the location

They are prolific and can become invasive unless managed properly

It goes without saying...

the plant is an excellent source of biomass to add organic matter

because they are a tuber, they may help mitigate some compaction issues

and they are rich in minerals like phosphorus and potassium

Jerusalem artichokes contribution from a fertility aspect would come from mainly its addition of organic matter. I don’t have an issue with that being the only one. You have to create conditions conducive for a soil being able to handle the nutrients needed to grow healthy plants.

Jerusalem Artichoke

Rhubarb

Is easy to establish and can be harvested continuously  

Interesting note about rhubarb

It’s considered a vegetable but mostly used as a fruit.

I wonder if it has any conversations with a tomato?! Admit it; you wanted to laugh or google it to see why I said that 

On a more serious note, it’s fertility benefits are, it...

contains Ca, K, Mg, Mn, and fiber

So, 

My presentation is ready

 I’ve stated my case as to the why I think farmers should consider some alternative crops

And,

            My husband has brought me back to reality

Rhubarb

Even if for only one presentation, this agronomist got to think outside the typical bag of seed, fertilizers, and manures and started to think about...

Alternatives to Soil Fertility

Borage

Ag 101 Week 14

The Fourth R 

THE RIGHT SOURCE-   AVAILABILITY, CHARACTERISTICS,  and PRICE

I never thought I would see the day when fertilizers are on the endangered species list of hard to source. I remember starting out back just a few short years ago, and a mentor in the industry mentioned that we could see the day that some of the components used to make organic or naturally derived fertilizers could be hard to get. I thought that’s crazy talk, that will never happen. However, within a few years it has become more challenging to find commonly used inputs such as greensand and raw aragonite, and once you do find them, the price disparages between suppliers and shipping cost can limit and or prohibit their use.

The previous paragraph is from a post from Week 6 of the Ag 101 52 Weeks of Agronomy Series that you can find here  

Ag 101 Week 6

But finding the right source goes beyond all that I previously mentioned.  It involves looking at a soil test determining what is best for the crop, the soil, what is available, and what a farmer can afford. I think people should also understand that no matter what type of farming system you use, i.e., management practices such as no-till or minimum-till, etc., inputs as I commonly refer to them as are all chemistries. Nothing more nothing less. Which type you choose to use -conventional, organic, all-natural, or otherwise they are still chemistries and influence the chemical and physical properties of the soil. Remember the triangle?

 At the heart of agronomy is managing the relationship between the soil, the crop, and the person responsible for them, aka the farmer. Inputs are one part of that balancing act between the three. The trick to being profitable is balancing them in a way that does just that, leads to a profit at the end of the season.

So, how do I determine the right sources for a farmer I’m working with?

For me, as a consulting agronomist, it has to meet certain criteria based first on the type of grower I’m working with. If they are certified organic, I go to that list, if they are conventional I go to that list, if they are a biodynamic grower I go to that list and so on. Just considering that can narrow the options considerably.

 Then I take into consideration everything that has been done to the area they are working whether it be a field, raised bed, or hoop house system.  I want to know it’s past, what has been grown there, what amendments have been used in the past 2-3 years, what fertilizers have been applied how and when, and what crop is going to be planted. The soil is a dynamic system that is constantly changing, however, done at an extremely variable rate due to all the outside influences on it. Getting as much of the back story as I can, will help me build what should be a long-term relationship with that field. Much as people act and behave based on their past so does soil. 

Next, and I probably mentioned this already, I take the future crop or current perennial crop, whichever the case may be into consideration. Considering the crop becomes more important when considering fertilizer because it feeds the crop first and then the soil. During a recent farm visit, I was asked how animal nutritionist and agronomist work together. I jokingly say they don’t. I look at the system with the crop in mind, basically making my decisions based on the crops needs, they look at a system with the animal in mind, making their decisions based on the animal’s needs. Growing up through my scouting days, I often heard agronomist referred to as cow killers for this very reason. Here is where balance can be more important than ever. Now, I consider the whole system.  Does it make an agronomist an animal nutritionist looking at things this way, no? I know some good ones you can get advice from. What it does is makes me a better agronomist so that can tailor a program specific to your farming system.

Next, I look at your soil through a soil test and crop performance. I work with a grower that determines 90% of their fertility program based on how each crop they grow tastes. They eat their way through harvest. We work together to fine-tune things with testing such as soil and tissue. Can every grower do it that way, no? But why not start and look at individual plants and take into consideration appearance and overall health characteristics that present themselves during each stage of growth. I often walk into a greenhouse or certain fields and look at nothing but leaves. Plants will tell you pretty much everything you want to know; the trick is to listen before they stop talking.

Last but not least, price and availability have to be considered. Ever hear the saying “The profit is in the buying?” You cannot outsell your initial investment, especially given the number of variables and costs associated with farming. Fertilizer is one of that growing season's initial investments.  When working with products that are naturally derived their price is largely determined by availability and transportation costs. Which can be good and bad, just because it’s free and abundant doesn’t mean it is what your soil or crop needs.

Having said all that, I’m not sure if any of you have noticed or not, but I have not gone into talking about specific inputs.  I did it for a few of reasons. First, there are books and resources dedicated to explaining individual inputs. One I'm currently reading is Practical Organic Gardening by Mark Highland. Don't let the title dissuade you from taking this book seriously as a market or larger size grower. Size doesn't matter, the scale is what is important. Input are still chemistries no matter if it's in your back yard or a 10 acre field. 

Second, when you realize that all inputs are a chemistry used to achieve a certain goal for that crop, the options become almost limitless unless you work through the steps I wrote about. I am merely attempting to get you to think beyond what your standard soil test recommendations call for. I work with all types of growers, what type of source a grower uses is personal to their system and needs.

It's similar to when I do a presentation. Things are general to be able to give the most number of people the most amount of information. If they have specific questions, they ask by either tracking me down that day, emailing or calling me. Feel free to all of that if you have specific questions. Last, I’ve put together a brief eBook including a section about specific inputs that you are more than welcome to download. It is not an exhausted list, however, it gives an overview of some of the more common inputs.