Smart Soil Management Can Increase Crop Yields
One of the most important parts of healthy growth is the soil. With some testing, care and amending, increasing crop yields is attainable with improved soil quality.
Soil is usually classified as clay, sandy or loamy. Clay soils are rich in nutrients but tend to hold water. Sand soils are just what they sound – quick-draining and high in sand. Loam soils retain moisture without bogging down, and are fluffy and full of air pockets and nutrients. A good way to tell which you have is to pick up a handful of moistened soil and squeeze it. Clay will hold its shape, loam will hold its shape and then crumble with a poke and sand will fall apart when you open your hand. For those who want to be sure of the type of soil they are using, test the pH levels within the soil. Once it is confirmed what kind of soil that is being used and if there are any pH issues or nutrient deficiencies, amending it with our Pro-Soil Products can begin.
For those who still need to adjust pH levels, give it time and retest the soil. Consider choosing crops that work with the existing soil pH. For acidic soil, lime can be added. For soil that’s too alkaline, add sulfur or peat moss. Adding organic matter can improve the soil no matter what its current type. Compost, animal manure, grass clippings and leaf mold work well for this.
Addressing soil health in a comprehensive way is a crucial practice when looking to improve crop yields. If not addressed, soils will continue to see problems with acidity, alkalinity, salinity, fertility, structure, erosion, biodiversity and more. The microbial activity in soil is one of the primary factors that influences nutrient availability. Microbial activity also promotes soil porosity and root health for crops.
Instead of continuously adding harmful inputs to soil, consider unlocking the biological potential already present. The soil activator products we sell at Pro-Soil have helped farmers across the country to fight soil degradation and to promote soil conservation, soil fertility and increased crop yields. Our products improve soil health by stimulating and feeding native microbial life in the soil which creates a more active and higher microbial population which in turn and allows a more complete conversion and uptake of both macro and micro nutrients.