The Soil Health Trinity
In agriculture today, soil health is often only measured from the perspective of soil chemistry, and many have solely relied on the results of a soil chemistry tests to tell if soil is fertile enough to support our plants. However, only considering one aspect of soil health is misleading, and this way of thinking has influenced an enormous overuse of synthetic fertilizers. Optimal plant growth can be obtained without the use of synthetic fertilizers when we approach soil health from a holistic perspective. The health of a soil is determined by its capacity to support optimal plant growth, which relies on three primary elements: chemistry, biology, and physics. When these three elements are combined properly they become the holy trinity of soil health, and work together to provide long lasting soil health without the use of synthetic chemicals. The comprehensive soil audit is designed to enhance soil quality, optimizing the growth of crops, gardens, trees, and lawns.
Chemistry
The presence of available nutrients is no doubt critical to soil health. Nutrition in the soil is not only food for your plants but is also the food resource for the biology. Too much or too little nutrition will be detrimental to your plants and the microbial communities. Having a proper balance of macro and micro nutrients is crucial to the health of crops.
Biology
The biology is very important because they preform nutrient cycling, and this process is what keeps nutrients within the soil system. Without sufficient biology, available soluble nutrients are easily washed out of the system. The microbiology also play a key role in supporting the plants immune system and the overall health of the environment, making plants less susceptible to pests and disease.
Physics
Soil physics is the study of soil's physical properties and processes. This encompasses the composition of soil, consisting predominantly of sand, silt, and clay. Ideally, a balanced mix of these components, known as loam, is optimal for plant growth, with relatively equal parts of sand, silt, and clay. Maintaining optimal soil structure is crucial for facilitating proper energy flow throughout the soil system, which enhances overall soil health.
Soil is multidimensional, to have healthy soil we must look at the soil chemistry, biology, and physics to obtain optimal plant health.
The Comprehensive Soil Audit will include:
Soil Microscopy Assessment
Viewing the microbiology within our soil is an important part of understanding soil health. Having a full spectrum of soil food web organisms including bacteria, fungi, protozoan, and nematodes will help to maintain soil fertility through nutrient cycling and the production of humic acid. The soil microscopy assessment will include a quantitative report, qualitative report, and recommendations. For more information on soil biology, please see the Soil Biology Analysis page under services.
Soil Chemistry Audit
In order to have optimal soil health it is crucial to have sufficient available nutrients in the correct balance. If you are experiencing poor growth, pests, or disease improper nutrition may be the culprit. Soil chemistry test, saturated paste test, and leaf tissue test will be obtained and evaluated for nutritional quality. For more information on soil chemistry testing, please see the Soil Chemistry Audit page under services.
Soil Recipe and Composition Audit
For outdoor soils I will preform a compaction test using a penetrometer, as well as a test to determine the amount of sand, silt, clay and organic matter within your soil. Based off these tests, I can recommend soil amendments to improve your soil structure. For indoor manufactured soils or soiless media, I will assess the composition of your soil recipe for any imbalances. If you are looking to create a manufactured indoor soil media, starting with the correct balance of soil inputs and amendments is imperative to plant health.
Customized Remediation Plan
Based off the data collected from the biology, chemistry, geology and environmental audits I will be able to make recommendations to remedy any problems you are experiencing in your system. The remediation plan may include the addition of compost teas or extracts, protozoan infusions, dry amendments, native soil inputs, homemade natural fertilizer recipes, biostimulants, compost teas, and predatory insects.
Indoor Environmental Audit
In an indoor setting, environmental controls are very important to consider for optimal plant growth. I will evaluate the temperatures, humidity, light intensity, daily light integral, vapor pressure deficit, and frequency of watering. These factors all play a huge role in the plants ability to uptake nutrients.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Pest and disease management starts with healthy soil because plants growing in optimal soil conditions are naturally more resistant to pests and disease. Along with the comprehensive soil audit we will address the root cause of disease by improving the health of the soil. I will also develop an pest management regime that support biodiversity and reduces the chance of infestations. See more information on IPM under cannabis consulting.
Compost Tea
Compost teas possess great potential for soil regeneration, crop growth, and enhanced compost production, due to the capacity to introduce a multitude of microorganisms. The process of creating compost teas involves extracting beneficial components from your compost by placing it in a mesh bag and passing water through it. Subsequently, specific food resources are incorporated to encourage the growth and multiplication of microorganisms.
Compost teas can play a role in improving microbial biodiversity in soil or compost pile. When certain organisms are lacking in a system a compost teas, combined with specific food resources and inoculants, can be employed to cultivate those organisms, ensuring a complete soil food web. Compost teas can also function as a foliar spray to enhance the microbiome of the phyllosphere, boosting plant health and resistance to pests and diseases.
The creation of a high-quality compost tea involves considering various factors, including aeration vs. static methods, temperatures, food resources, brew times, brewer designs, and inoculants. Through years of utilizing microscopy to study compost tea brews, I have identified numerous variables that significantly impact the quantity and quality of organisms that thrive.
As we collaborate to enhance your soil, a crucial aspect of our plan will involve demonstrating how to effectively produce high-quality compost teas. I will guide you in crafting a simple, cost-effective, and efficient aerated compost tea brewer. Additionally, we will delve into different application techniques, benefits, and uses for compost tea. I will also share my personal collection of compost tea recipes, each meticulously evaluated for microbial content using microscopy.
Contact us.
Please fill out the inquiry below and provide a detailed description of your project include any questions, and ideas. I look forward to connecting!