Soil fundamentals library

[SD51555]

There seems to be enough interest here to warrant a digital library of sorts. This is not my own, so if you've got some great lessons you've found out there, either video or written, please post them up here. I suspect many of us have seen a good bunch of them, but if you don't see it here, post it. Here are some of my favorites:

The fundamentals of the soil food web, the foundation of biological fertility:

A great talk about why weeds happen and mycorhizal fungi:

The one that made me quit with pellet nitrogen:

 

[SD51555]

Lessons from South Dakota with Duane Beck. He's a great listen on rotations, weed prevention, moisture concerns:

We're all sitting on mountains of P & K. Can your system access it?

Understanding the role of bees/bugs in the ecosystem, the folly of neonic seed coatings:

These guys that farm in low to no moisture areas are a great listen on moisture management. This guy also cracked the code on no-till organic corn production using alfalfa:

 

[SD51555]

Here's Why the Carbon-Nitrogen Ratio Matters

It’s important to understand these ratios when planning cash crops rotations and cover crops in rotations.

www.agriculture.com

Soil testing with your eyes:

Weed Identification Control: Weeds As Indicators Of Soil Conditions

While weeds can be a menace and an eyesore, they can also provide important clues to the quality of your soil. This article provides tips on using weeds to help identify and improve your soil type.

www.gardeningknowhow.com

Why I get worked up about calcium:

https://topsoil.nserl.purdue.edu/nserlweb-old/isco99/pdf/ISCOdisc/SustainingTheGlobalFarm/P057-Dontsova.pdf

 

[SD51555]

Everything you need to know about the power of earthworms, and how to manage for them:

EARTHWORM PRIMER

“Biological Agriculture” relies on earthworms and other soil critters to do what plows and synthetic chemicals do in conventional agronomic systems. Follow the advice below to encourag…

worldagriculturesolutions.com

 

[TreeDaddy]

Carbonomics Keith Berns

bill

 

[yoderjac]

Where is Ray? https://vimeo.com/channels/raythesoilguy

 

[DiSc0Rd]

Tagged

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

 

[SD51555]

I'm surprised we didn't get a Gabe Brown video in here yet. I somehow had missed one in my own learnings, but caught it last night. It's really long, so if you just want the best 2 minutes of new material without all the redundancy, start at the 52:49 mark and watch for 2 minutes. That's all you need outta this one. What you'll learn:

A third reason to keep Canada thistle
What micronutrient plantain mines well
Using chicory to make a lime recommendation
A bunch of weed intel (Why is this here, and what can I learn from it?)

 

[SD51555]

You can get to the meat at the 32:36 mark. This is a short presentation on the power of polycultures to gain higher yields, more resilience (drought, bugs etc), greater nutrient density, and without fertilizer. It relies on the concept of plant collaboration as opposed to plant competition. Most plants are stronger together, with some exceptions (RCG, sedge, quack, etc).

At 41:15, you can see an experiment where a grower potted a dozen cc species alone in their own pots. Then did another pot with all mixed together.

 

[Teeder]

Looks like I have some learning to do!
Thanks for posting this!

 

[SD51555]

The new Green Cover book is out. Mine just arrived today.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BrushyPines]

I watched the first video you posted, SD. Very interesting. She harped on putting the biology back into the soil for the soil to cycle nutrients and said the best way to do it is by making compost and putting it in the soil. How much compost do you think it would take for lets say an acre? Could you inoculate seed with compost every time you plant? Just trying to think of ways you could do that.

 

[SD51555]

I watched the first video you posted, SD. Very interesting. She harped on putting the biology back into the soil for the soil to cycle nutrients and said the best way to do it is by making compost and putting it in the soil. How much compost do you think it would take for lets say an acre? Could you inoculate seed with compost every time you plant? Just trying to think of ways you could do that.

You could try spraying a tea onto your seed before you spread/drill. I don't know how viable that'd be in a broadcast situation, but it certainly wouldn't hurt anything to try. As far as bulk compost, my preferred method would be to grow it in place as a high residue blend that will cycle about as fast as you grow it. That's the only way we can get compost down 2, 4, 6, and 8+ feet and get durable benefit from it. Grow it there and leave it there.

I don't get too jazzed up about compost or compost tea. I absolutely believe they work, but I think they are more geared towards instant productivity in an income producing endeavor, especially in a situation where you've got some kind of fallow period (organic vegetables). For what we do, we have the luxury of waiting, and we've got options that can put food out right away like cereals. In a perpetual stay-green high diversity blend, I don't think you'd see much response at all, simply because there is nothing to fix.

If fertilizer is generating a noticeable response, it's because something wasn't working before that.

 

[yoderjac]

I watched the first video you posted, SD. Very interesting. She harped on putting the biology back into the soil for the soil to cycle nutrients and said the best way to do it is by making compost and putting it in the soil. How much compost do you think it would take for lets say an acre? Could you inoculate seed with compost every time you plant? Just trying to think of ways you could do that.

The best way I've found is by no-till planting with crops that both benefit deer and soil. Unlike farmers that are planting and harvesting for profit, we have some real advantage. We can plant mixes and rotations of crops that are compost! When you compost, the idea is to balance "greens" and "browns" ( C & N). Grasses provide the Carbon component and Legumes provide the Nitrogen component. We get both roots below the surface forming OM and thatch above the soil that decomposes.

You need to find the right combination for your areas, but I've been using Buckwheat & Sunn Hemp in the summer and WR/CC/PTT/GHR for a fall crop. All of those are great deer foods that grow well in my area and provide a good balance of C & N.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[SD51555]

Myself and a group of top men are working on isolating the secret of 4' no-till/no-kill/no-nitrogen serving platter collards. We can grow them every year, but not everywhere, and we're very close to isolating the lone factor. It ain't ready for primetime, but it cannot be purchased, and we haven't figured out how to replicate it without blowing everything up.

 

[BrushyPines]

The best way I've found is by no-till planting with crops that both benefit deer and soil. Unlike farmers that are planting and harvesting for profit, we have some real advantage. We can plant mixes and rotations of crops that are compost! When you compost, the idea is to balance "greens" and "browns" ( C & N). Grasses provide the Carbon component and Legumes provide the Nitrogen component. We get both roots below the surface forming OM and thatch above the soil that decomposes.

You need to find the right combination for your areas, but I've been using Buckwheat & Sunn Hemp in the summer and WR/CC/PTT/GHR for a fall crop. All of those are great deer foods that grow well in my area and provide a good balance of C & N.

Thanks,

Jack

I'm going into my 3rd year of no till, I know it takes time. Just didnt know what affect the compost would make if I were to do that. I've got the fall crop figured out, just cant find a legume that grows well for my area during the summer yet. Cowpeas have done a fair job, but just not putting on the biomass I need for thatch on fall plots. I'm looking into sunn hemp, but I'm having a hard time finding it locally.

 

[Crimson n' Camo]

Is it possible that certain microbes become extinct from a localized area due to poor management practices and a lack of suitable habitat?? Meaning that they may need to be reintroduced through an inoculant even once the soil habitat is restored??

 

[SD51555]

I'm going into my 3rd year of no till, I know it takes time. Just didnt know what affect the compost would make if I were to do that. I've got the fall crop figured out, just cant find a legume that grows well for my area during the summer yet. Cowpeas have done a fair job, but just not putting on the biomass I need for thatch on fall plots. I'm looking into sunn hemp, but I'm having a hard time finding it locally.

What's all in your planting, and what do you think your main challenge is in your area/soil?

 

[BrushyPines]

What's all in your planting, and what do you think your main challenge is in your area/soil?

Fall/Winter: WR, WW, CC, AWP, PTT, Radish
Spring/Summer: Milo, Cowpeas, BW (BW has been a bust for my area, cannot withstand the heat and drought for my area)

Main challenge for summer plots is finding something that can withstand the heat and drought for my area. Also something to keep in mind, I am trying to find all seed locally. Some things recommended from here, I am not able to find locally.

 

[BrushyPines]

Is it possible that certain microbes become extinct from a localized area due to poor management practices and a lack of suitable habitat?? Meaning that they may need to be reintroduced through an inoculant even once the soil habitat is restored??

This also crossed my mind. Does the biology die back over time? Thats when I got to the question, well what would be the best way to get compost into the soil?