Page 57 - Free State Winter 2022 - Website Version
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When we started growing at Waverly, the soils were
on average about 2.5% organic matter. Now we're up
to nearly 3.5% percent in many areas. Keep in mind we
started amending with organics only in 2004.
exists in our landscapes, lawns,
nursery fields, and farms.
Background of why we use
Organic Matter.
I was trained as an agronomist in the
late 1960’s. I went to a good school
and to my recollection the focus was
not on organic matter mineralization.
Compost versus humus
The focus was on increasing crop
yield with synthetic fertilizers. our soils with OM with several then • 15,000 to 20,000 bacterial species
Mineralization is now a topic that unconfirmed expectations:
dominates my thinking in the nutrient • 150 to 300 meters of fungal biomass
supply system we implement here 1. provide a natural alternative • 5,000 to 10,000 fungal species
to produce ornamental trees and source of plant nutrition to prevent • 10,000 protozoa
shrubs. We stopped using synthetic winter injury,
fertilizer in 2000. In 2005 we started 2. build soils to replace what is being • 20–30 beneficial nematodes:
the current program of amending sold with our plants – up to 5,000 bacterial-feeding, fungal-feeding,
tons per year, and predatory
3. an expectation to reduce irrigation • 200,000 arthropods per square
requirements to conserve water meter
and save energy. Source: Dr. Ingham and Soil
When we started growing at Waverly, Foodweb, Inc.
the soils were on average about 2.5% Soil Management — Preventing
organic matter. Now we’re up to Erosion
nearly 3.5% percent in many areas.
Keep in mind we started amending The organic matter provides a
with organics only in 2004. 3.5% may sponge-like base, so water is more
seem like nothing compared to 7% likely to infiltrate than to carry soil
and 8% organic matter topsoil that away. With normal rainfall, runoff will
evolved over thousands of years in be limited.
the Great Plains. But even a 1% gain It’s also a good practice to maintain
makes a huge difference. grass strips between planting rows.
It gives another layer of protection
Characteristics of a Healthy Soil
Foodweb per Gram of soil that prevents soil from being lost
to erosion. The grass strip absorbs
• 600 million bacterial individuals rainfall much better than a hard
Tilling protecting soil health
(continued on next page)
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