Holly Utrata-Halcomb, Administrator

Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District

Contribution of some slides by Joe Boggs, OSU Extension, Hamilton County, Oh.

Root Needs

• Water

• Warmth

• Oxygen [O]: the #1 element needed

for root health

– 25% of the soil volume

– At 5%, root growth stops

– At 2%, roots decline and die

Greater Cincinnati’s

Key Challenge:

Clay Soils!

Amend clay soils with compost or peat moss - never sand!

Topsoil Removed

Topsoil Stockpiled

Trouble on the Horizon

Only 2-3” of topsoil returned!

Trouble on the Horizon

Clay Particle

-- -- ----

----

---------------------------- -- -- -- -- -- --

H2O+-

H2O+ -The positive side attaches to the negative sites on the clay particle

Bipolar Water and Clay Particles

H2O+ -

H2O+ -

H2O+-

H2O+-

Clay particles are surrounded by negative charges

H2O+ -

Soil Properties:

They Are Not Independent!

Biological

PhysicalChemical

Don’t Guess – Soil Test

pH Levels

pH Levels in Soil Test Kit

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

4.4

0

4.5

0

4.6

0

4.7

0

4.8

0

4.9

0

5.0

0

5.1

0

5.2

0

5.3

0

5.4

0

5.5

0

5.6

0

5.7

0

5.8

0

5.9

0

6.0

0

6.1

0

6.2

0

6.3

0

6.4

0

6.5

0

6.6

0

6.7

0

6.8

0

6.9

0

7.0

0

7.1

0

7.2

0

7.3

0

7.4

0

7.5

0

7.6

0

7.7

0

7.8

0

7.9

0

8.0

0

8.1

0

8.2

0

8.4

0

8.7

0

pH Levels

Fre

qu

en

cy

Within optimum

Below optimum

Above optimum

Drop Page Fields Here

Count of ID

pH::pH_Res

range

Nitrogen compounds comprise from 40 to 50% of the

dry matter of plant cells. For this reason nitrogen is

required in relatively large quantities in connection

with all growth processes in plants.

Nitrogen Cycle

Phosphorus = Flowers and Fruit

• Plants that don't get enough P have spindly, thin-stems that are weak

• Growth is stunted or Shortened

• Marginal chlorosis progressing

into a dry leathery tan scorch on

recently matured leaves.

• Phosphorus deficient plants

have little production of seed, flowers, and fruits

Phosphorus Results for Turf –

589 Samples

Phosporous Levels (ppm) in Soil Test Kit Samples

Showing Optimum Ranges for Turf

536

944

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Above Optimum: > 20 ppm Below Optimum: <10 ppm Optimum: > 10 - < 20 ppm

Phosphorous Levels

Nu

mb

er

of

Sa

mp

les

Above Optimum: > 20 ppm

Below Optimum: <10 ppm

Optimum: > 10 - < 20 ppm

Phosphorus Results for Vegetable

Gardening589 samples

Phosporous Levels (ppm) in Soil Test Kit Samples

Showing Optimum Ranges for Vegetable Gardens

156141

292

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Below Optimum: < 40 ppm Optimum: > 40 - < 70 ppm Above Optimum: > 70 ppm

Phosphorous Levels

Nu

mb

er

of

Sa

mp

les

Below Optimum: < 40 ppm

Optimum: > 40 - < 70 ppm

Above Optimum: > 70 ppm

Potassium (K) is important in the photosynthesis

process and in helping plants metabolize their food to

get energy.

• Potassium controls water and chemicals inside plants that help plants function well.

• Leaf symptoms include dull bluish-green discolorations, particularly in the interveinal areas of the leaves, dull, general chlorosis particularly at the leaf tips and margins; then tip burning and marginal scorch on the older leaves with the leaves curling under or upwards

Potassium Levels in Soil Test Kit Samples

Showing Optimum Ranges for Turf

Potassium Levels in Soil Test Kit Samples

Showing Optimum Ranges for Turf

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Above Optimum: >125 ppm Below Optimum: < 60 ppm Optimum: > 60 ppm - <125 ppm

Potassium Levels

Nu

mb

er

of

Sam

ple

s

Above Optimum: >125 ppm

Below Optimum: < 60 ppm

Optimum: > 60 ppm - <125 ppm

Potassium Levels in Soil Test Kit Samples

Showing Optimum Ranges for Vegetable Garden

Potassium Levels in Soil Test Kit Samples

Showing Optimum Ranges for Vegetable Garden

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Above Optimum: >125 ppm Below Optimum: < 90 ppm Optimum: > 90 ppm - < 125 ppm

Potassium Levels

Nu

mb

er

of

Sam

ple

s

Above Optimum: >125 ppm

Below Optimum: < 90 ppm

Optimum: > 90 ppm - < 125 ppm

Life in 1 Cubic Foot of Soil

Soil Particles: Mineral and Organic

Micropore Spaces

Microbial “Glue”

Fungal Hyphae

Bacteria

The Living Soil

CAUTION

Beware of Different Types of Organic

Matter

Carbon : Nitrogen Ratios

A ratio above 30:1 may cause problems with soil nitrogen deficiency

Material C:N Ratio

Newspaper 600 : 1

Fresh Sawdust 400 : 1

Oak Leaves 90 : 1

Wheat, Oat, or Rye Straw 80 : 1

Horse Manure 50 : 1

Alfalfa Hay 20 : 1

Dairy Manure 25 : 1

Poultry Manure 18 : 1

Compost 15 : 1

Clover and Alfalfa (early) 13 : 1

Grade: the percent, by weight of N-P-K in a fertilizer product.

� 5-10-5 fertilizer would have: 5% nitrogen; 10% phosphorus;

and 5% potassium.

� A 10 lb. bag of that fertilizer would have: .5 lbs. of N; 1 lbs.

of phosphorus; and .5 lbs. of potassium.

Example -_10_lbs.__ X _.05 lbs. of Nitrogen_ = _.5 or ½ pound of _Nitrogen

lbs. of Fertilizer lbs. of Nutrient (%) lbs. of that Nutrient in the entire bag

Fertilizer Decoding

COVER CROPSCOVER CROPSCOVER CROPSCOVER CROPSDavid and Jay Brandt 7/26/2012David and Jay Brandt 7/26/2012David and Jay Brandt 7/26/2012David and Jay Brandt 7/26/2012

Sources

• Ray Archuleta - NRCS Conservation Agronomist

• Midwest Cover Crops Council - www.mccc.msu.edu

• “Managing Cover Crops Profitably” 3rd Edition

– Published by the Sustainable Agriculture Network

• University of Kentucky College of Agriculture

• Oregon State University Extension Service

• University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources

• Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

• Ohio State University Department of Horticulture and Crop Science

• The Jefferson Institute – www.jeffersoninstitute.org

• And many others

What are Cover Crops?

• A cover crop is a crop that is not harvested but

is grown to benefit the soil and/or other crops

in a number of ways.

– reduced soil erosion

– improved soil quality

– reduced weed pressure

– reduced insect and other pest problems.

What are Cover Crops?

• Legume cover crops fix atmospheric nitrogen

into a form plants and microorganisms can

use.

• Non-legume species recycle existing soil

nitrogen, reducing the risk of excess nitrogen

leaching into groundwater, and make other

nutrients easily available to successive crops.

What plants are Legumes?

• Peas, Clover, Vetch

Why use Legumes?

• Fix atmospheric Nitrogen in the soil

• Provide Erosion Control

• Quick to establish

• Depending on type, may or may not winter kill

• Add Organic Matter to soil

Fibrous root mass protects

the soil from erosion, aids

water permeation and

provides food and

environment for micro -

organisms

Rhizomes from

inoculant promote the

“fixing” of atmospheric

Nitrogen nodules on

plant roots

What are Non-Legumes?

• Grasses

– Cereal Grains• Oats

• Flax

• Rye

– Broadleaf

• Brassica

– Turnip or Radish

– Mustard

– Canola

Grass Cover Crop Advantages

• Provides erosion control

• Scavenges nitrogen

• Grows a deep and fibrous root mass

• Quick to establish

• Relatively inexpensive

• Can be broadcast and lightly tilled in

• Intercropping will add additional value

Brassica Advantages

• Prevent erosion

• Suppress weed growth

• Suppress soil borne pests

• Reduce soil compaction

• Scavenge nutrients

• Intercropping will add additional value

(cover crops)

Healthy soil

Planting Cover Crops

Apply Cover Crops broad casting by hand, small hand spreader, or with

a large broad cast spreader. Cover with ½ inch of soil or mulch for best

results.

Planting Cover Crops

Precision Garden Seeders and

drop spreaders are not

recommended.

We are interested in getting 30

to 50 seeds per sq. ft., spread

evenly over the ground, not in a

single row. Drop spreaders

generally have too small of

openings for some of the larger

seeds, giving an uneven

distribution of seeds.

Planting Cover Crops

Besides raking into the soil, the seeds can be mulched, either with compost or straw, or pressed into the ground with a roller.

4 WAY MIX

4 WAY MIX

6 WAY MIX

Preparing for Garden PlantingVarieties that winter kill do

not survive the freezing

winter temperatures and can

be used as a mulch for your

spring planting or tilled in.

Varieties that survive freezing

temperatures will continue to grow in

the spring and will require mowing or

crushing to control. The mulch should

be allowed to decompose before

planting in the garden.

Crimson Clover & Cover Crop

Cover Crop vs. Corn Stubble

One Year Cover Crop

No-Till Garden Examples

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU