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  • From: Nan Hildreth <NanHildreth AT riseup.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>, "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Easy soil fertility test
  • Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2010 22:23:24 -0500

Our corn is puny. Soil low in organic matter. So we've been building soil and figuring out what will grow Ok. Peas garlic thrive because not as heavy feeders as corn. In a couple more years, maybe we can grow great corn in those beds. The soil seems to be improving even though we don't know what we're doing.

BTW, Dr. Bill, weeds are plants that thrive in half-dead soil with lots of chemical fertilizers according to Elaine Ingham of www.soilfoodweb.com She says they don't mind their nutrients coming in pulses.

Nan in East Texas

At 04:44 PM 10/30/2010, sunnfarm AT netscape.com wrote:
I use the corn field test. If the corn looks good the soils are fertile. When looking for a farm in North Carolina/ Virgina I checked each county corn yield averages. Even if you don;t grow anything but lawn its always healthier just living in a place with fertile soil...Bob.

--- wshoemak AT illinois.edu wrote:

From: Bill Shoemaker <wshoemak AT illinois.edu>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Easy soil fertility test
Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2010 14:52:10 -0500 (CDT)

I usually look at my crops, and the weeds. If they look healthy, the fertility is good. Not being sarcastic, just realistic.

Bill

---- Original message ----
>Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:14:22 -0500
>From: Nan Hildreth <NanHildreth AT riseup.net>
>Subject: [Market-farming] Easy soil fertility test
>To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>
>How can you tell if your soil building is working? Do this quick
>and dirty soil fertility (biology) test.
>
>To summarize the below:
>
>Get a shovel and dig a two inch slice, count worms in slice.
>2 worms not dead soil
>4 or 5 worms fairly decent soil
>7 or 8 worms great soil will grow heavy feeder veggies
>20 worms especially fabulous soil
>If needs improvement, add organic matter and inoculate with soil
>biology by a compost tea.
>
>At 12:25 PM 10/29/2010, Philip Bogdonoff wrote to soil-age AT googlegroups.com
>
>>An 'optimally inaccurate indicator' (OII) is usually a quick and low-
>>cost method for estimating a trait you wish to measure.
>>
>>Here's one for soil fertility posted by "Honyocker" to the
>>greenwizards.org/ website recently launched by John Michael Greer):
>>
>>Soil Fertility
>>
>>Wed, 10/27/2010 - 10:26
>>
>>Honyocker
>>
>>I recently found a simple method of estimating soil fertility that
>>seems to be pretty accurate, at least in the fields and gardens where
>>I've tried it. The theory is that natural soil fertility depends on
>>activity of the soil bacteria, fungi, insects, etc. (biota) that work
>>the soil and release nutrients from the inorganic and organic
>>materials in the soil. It assumes that earthworms are the peak
>>organism in the soil biota and, if you have a sufficient quantity of
>>earthworms, the remainder of the soil biota is probably in good
>>condition.
>>
>>To estimate the number of earthworms, take a shovel and dig up one
>>shovelfull of soil. Then take the shovel blade and dig it in to the
>>top of the blade again about 2 inches back so that you end up with a
>>slice of soil 2 inches thick and the width and depth of the shovel
>>blade. Count the number of earthworms in the slice of soil. Then
>>repeat the process in a grid pattern around your garden or field and
>>calculate the average number of earthworms that are found in a slice
>>of soil. Take the average and multiply by 100,000 to get an estimate
>>of the number of earthworms per acre.
>>
>>In general, you need a minimum of 250,000 earthworms per acre to have
>>enough natural soil fertility to grow crops, although you probably
>>will still have shortages of some nutrients. 400,000 to 500,000 will
>>allow you to grow most crops that aren't heavy feeders. 700,000 to
>>800,000 is a good range to be in, but more is always better.
>>Organically managed, deep topsoils in the American Mid-West can have
>>in excess of 2,000,000 earthworms per acre.
>>
>>If you're short of earthworms, first try adding more organic material
>>to the soil by digging it or tilling it in. Also use organic mulches
>>around your plants. If that doesn't bring up the earthworm numbers,
>>trying adding organic compost or compost teas. In most cases, your
>>soil fertility can be increased by these methods.
>>
>># # #
>>
>>--
>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
>>Groups "soil-age" group.
>>To post to this group, send email to soil-age AT googlegroups.com.
>>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
>>soil-age+unsubscribe AT googlegroups.com.
>>For more options, visit this group at
>>http://groups.google.com/group/soil-age?hl=en.
>
>Nan Hildreth, Houston 713-842-6643
>www.HoustonClimateProtection.org
>
>Make Soil, End Global Warming
>
>"We could end global warming if we restored the fertility in the
>soils in the state of California." Dr. Elaine Ingham, www.soilfoodweb.com
>
>"...global warming can be reversed by restoring biodiversity in the
>soils and in the ocean. ... There is enough land to sequester this
>carbon and it could be done in a decade or two. ... Now that the Oil
>Age is coming to an end, we are entering the Soil Age.
>" http://groups.google.com/group/soil-age
>
>"... a 1.6% increase in organic content of soils humans manage would
>restore atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to normal." says Allan
>Yeomans in
>http://www.youtube.com/user/AllanYeomans1#p/a/u/0/-o2N6vJDLpE Free
>download of his book http://www.yeomansplow.com.au/priority-one-contents.htm
>
>"Soil is the new frontier" Eaarth by Bill McKibben
>
>_______________________________________________
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>
>Market Farming List Archives may be found here:
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>address and password):
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William H Shoemaker, UI-Crop Sciences
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
St Charles Horticulture Research Center
535 Randall Road St Charles, IL 60174
630-584-7254; FAX-584-4610
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_____________________________________________________________
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Nan Hildreth, Houston 713-842-6643
www.HoustonClimateProtection.org

Make Soil, End Global Warming

"We could end global warming if we restored the fertility in the soils in the state of California." Dr. Elaine Ingham, www.soilfoodweb.com

"...global warming can be reversed by restoring biodiversity in the soils and in the ocean. ... There is enough land to sequester this carbon and it could be done in a decade or two. ... Now that the Oil Age is coming to an end, we are entering the Soil Age. " http://groups.google.com/group/soil-age

"... a 1.6% increase in organic content of soils humans manage would restore atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to normal." says Allan Yeomans in http://www.youtube.com/user/AllanYeomans1#p/a/u/0/-o2N6vJDLpE Free download of his book http://www.yeomansplow.com.au/priority-one-contents.htm

"Soil is the new frontier" Eaarth by Bill McKibben




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