Soil amendments

[Jerry-B-WI]

Stopped at the local seed store to pick up my soil test results the other day and got chatting with the owner. He bragged up a product called Humisol as the first step of a four step process for food plots. So I get curious and look up Humisol and find out it's a form of Humic Acid. Anyone have experience with this stuff? Legit or snake oil?

Not saying I'd use any but they got my attention for how to jump start a new food plot. Would Biochar give the same results?

I have two new plots that I'm working on adjusting the ph and have them planted in brassicas this year. The brassicas grew but didn't produce much for bulbs. I wrote that off to the plots being new and the ph is still a little low. I have WR planted in them and that should help the soil for next year.

 

[bigboreblr]

Humic acid is a real thing, but just don't see how you can get enough for a foodplot and being cost effective.

Turnips and clovers benefit from boron. You could add about 3lbs of borax soap to an acre to help the turnips out. Getting your pH up is very important. What kind of soil do you have. Some soils have very low cation exchange capaicty, like sandy soil. So, mineral levels and pH levels don't stay in good range for long. I have very sandy soil up north, I have to add a bit of lime every year to keep the pH in good shape. Around 500lbs an acre of lime roughly.

Was going to post a question about biochar for apple trees. I have a tree that I planted with a good shot of peat moss. Carbon to nitrogen ratio. I also cut down an few medium sized maple trees t camp this winter. Burned all the branches and spread the black chunks on the recently dug up section of sandy lawn. Grass did great after that.

Europe is planning to ban peat moss for residental use. Says it's bad for the environment. With NY's silly law after law, I stocked up on peat moss last mnoth.

Adding grass mater is a good way of adding carbon. If you doing tillage I always recommend amending the soil with some 6-24-24. Getting that phosphorus and potassium in the soil. It doesn't transport in the soil as well as nitrogen.

IF you can do it carefully, prescribed burns help alot. Any tree removal, you can burn the wood, but hose it off when you got a pile of coals. Save that residual carbon and spread it around.

Sometimes the weeds that are growing tell a story too.

As said, getting the pH correct is pretty cheap and a good large 1st step. The rye clover rotation is a cheap and easy natural way of getting soil better. But, if you got a small plot or two, doing intensive planting with fertilizer isn't a bad thing. Just plant some clover or cereal grains so you always have something growing in the field.

 

[Telemark]

I agree with the comment above about sorting your pH and keeping something growing. That will give you the best return on your effort.

Biochar will likely not have the same effect as humic acid, but both are good for the soil. It's mostly a question of cost and effort. If the Humisol is not expensive, go for it. If you can spread biochar with little cost and effort, go for it. You can even spread some fertilizer to get the nutrients into the system. However, as previously mentioned, you'll get your best returns from adjusting your pH and keeping something growing.

I like to plant a diverse mix. I think the evidence shows that a diverse mix of plants helps the soil, especially in the beginning. The different species have their individual roles in terms of associate microbes and nutrient movement, as well as different root structures. I would start a seed blend with crimson clover and at least one type each of brassica and small grain. You can build on your mix from there.