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Urban Garden Soil Fertility with Help from Cover Crops
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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