For several years now there has been a real emphasis on using cover crops or adding livestock into cropping systems to improve soil health, and for some producers using these practices has work very well. But focusing on just of couple of these practices, which seem to get the most media coverage, we may not be paying attention to, or thinking about other ways to improve the resiliency of our soil and continue to grow profitable crops.
There are a wide variety of other practices and strategies that can also be utilized to improve the soil.
One of the first things that comes to my mind, after fertilizer prices increased by 200-300% in the last year, is having a balanced fertility program.
Using the 4Rs concept, 1) using the right product, 2) putting on the right rate, 3) applying it at the right time and 4) putting it in right place is good place to start. Given the current price of fertilizer this can pay big dividends in a hurry. I would even suggest taking this a step further and consider implementing grid soil sampling and using variable rate technology to apply the fertilizer. This is where fertilizer is applied based on the specific fertility needs of a certain area in the field, typically about 2.5 to 5 acres in size. Like the advertisement says, “if you don’t test, it just a guess,” and at todays fertilizer price you can’t afford to just guess.
Soil pH also needs to be maintained at optimum levels. Most plant nutrients are readily available when the pH is around neutral, or in that 6.5 to 7.0 range. So, you could be putting on the right amount of fertilizer the crop needs but if your pH is not within that range the crop can’t utilize those nutrients. Most western Kansas soils are inherently alkaline with a pH above 7.0. But in many fields the pH is now significantly lower because of the continued use of acid-based fertilizers, like Anhydrous Ammonia. A composite soil sample and a $25.00 soil analysis is a good place to start to see where your pH levels are. From there you can come up with a long-term strategy to get everything in balance if you need to.
Consider eliminating or reducing the amount tillage operations that you complete. Tillage destroys stabile soil aggregates and disrupts the soil biology that helps form and maintain them. A field with poor soil aggregate stability will have less pore spaces for water to flow through and be prone to soil erosion. In western Kansas everything is dependent on the amount of moisture we can capture and store in the soil and excessive tillage reduces our soil’s ability to do that.
If aren’t already doing some of these simple cost-effective practices, I urge you to consider using them to improve your soil. But more importantly consider using them to increase your farm’s profitability. Implementing some of these strategies will cost money, but if you can get a positive return on investment, it may be well worth the money to do it.
Dale Younker is a Soil Health Specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Services office in Jetmore. For more information contact Younker at 620-357-8334, Ext. 113 or [email protected].