NEWS

Nutrition Farming: Essential advice for healthy soil and plants

On August 21 and 23, Graeme Sait delved into the science behind soil biology, microbe management, mineral interactions and availability, deficiencies and diseases, nutrition programs and more, with over 70 farmers and industry stakeholders in Manjimup and Gingin.

Amongst this in-depth exploration of the many synergies that contribute to soil and plant health, Graeme shared a myriad of helpful, actionable tips for boosting productivity and bringing this science to life. This practical advice spanned a suite of topics, including humus building, soil testing, key mineral ratios, and reasons to foliar fertilise and cover crop.

Graeme’s top 10 humus building tips:

Work your cover crops back into the top few inches of soil rather than spraying them out
Include legumes in every pasture
Use 5 families in your cover crops; grasses, cereals, brassicas, legumes, and chenopods
Use humic acid
Add compost
Minimise tillage
Bring back your eartworms – aim for 25/shovel full
Incorporate livestock
Enhance stubble digestion and breakdown
Provide oxygen for humus builders

5 productive add-ons for soil tests:

Chloride (growth)
Silicon (determines disease resistance)
Molybdenum (enables access to free nitrogen from air)
Cobalt (supports N fixing organisms)
Selenium (vital for human and animal health)

Key mineral ratios:

Ca:Mg 7:1
Mg:K 1:1
P:S 1:1
P:Zn 10:1
K:Na 1:6
Fe:Mn 2:1

Graeme’s top 7 reasons to foliar fertilise:

Rapidly correct deficiencies
Relieve crop stress
Bypass soil-based issues; excesses, deficiencies, leaching, nutrient competition
Boost yield
Improve crop quality and resilience
Swing crop from vegetative to reproductive
Build nutrient density and protein levels in pasture

Graeme’s top 7 reasons to cover crop:

Increase biodiversity
Weed management
Feed soil life
Build humus
Prevent erosion
Pest management
Nitrogen supply

01/10/2024

Details

INDUSTRY: All Industries

CONTENT TYPE: Read

TOPICS: Soil