Soil
Humic Mine Personalities by NMS
Let’s start in the south and work our way north. Terlingua, TX has a vein that would be the southern end of the New Mexico
December 23, 2020
Soil
Product Highlight
NZoneGL by Ag Xplore is a Nitrogen inhibitor for Gas or Liquid. While NH3, anhydrous ammonia, has delivered Nitrogen to soils for decades, warnings accompany its use. First warning is the handling hazards. Many a man have had direct exposure of the below freezing liquid to skin leaving burns or worse. Inhalation, also very harmful with loss of life at risk, be it human or animal excessively exposed to gases. Secondly, about 100#N is a threshold for the soil microbes while many applications hover around 150#N.
NZoneGL by Ag Xplore has been proven to reduce NH3 effects and enhance microbial preservation in the soil. This principle alone should be reason enough. Furthermore, it has been to tested to mitigate Nitrogen loss to water to recent standards. It tank mixes with a pump or used with a direct-inject pump at about the same rate and cost per acre while not causing rust or clogging filters – even at lower temperatures. A long-used product in the industry no longer serves the soil (or landowner) well because its manufacture with carcinogens are further harmful to the soil microbial environment.
Corn crops will have improved utilization of applied Nitrogen in Liquid or Gas form when applied with a stabilizer. Contact me for NZone GL.
Pillars of Success
Ideals
Usable Fertility
Get it right
Ideals
Ideal soil type could be under your feet, but it often takes time, labor and focused management. Here are basic goals:
- Structure: balance of soil, water, and air/porosity. Drainage and earthworm activity are a good start.
- Fertility: Calcium 65-68%, ph of 6.5-7.0, N-P-K-S and micronutrients in proper balance for the intended crop yield.
- Organic Matter: digestable residue and root mass support Carbon:Nitrogen ratios for maintaining fertility.
- Soil Health: the food chain of biology, fungi, and microbes to earthworms and their ability to digest nutrients for plants.
- Weed and pest detained to minimal pressure to the cash crop.
Watch-outs: Compaction; plow layers; salt or Al components in fertilizer or herbicides; other ‘cides and carcinogens.
Soil Health is the one of my favorite discussion topics, finding many farmers have not sustained 3 years of foliar fertilizing to use their cash crop to increase root exudates. Similarly, cover crops in cereal rye and winter wheat are effectively sustaining microbial activity longer into the winter season. Regionally, we are getting more tiling for drainage; using no-till or minimal till, strip-till (Aguru Machinery) and aeration (Rogue VT); sampling then variable rate or amending in smaller zones; using low Mg lime, gypsum or liquid Calcium; manure management or compost; applying Nitrogen incrementally per growing season – getting as low as 0.6#/bushel corn; applying Sulfur with every pass; and managing residue with shredders and stalk digesters. Wisely using the ‘cides and the beneficial efforts can shorten the journey to the ideal soil to expand the yield potential of every acre.
Soil Health is the one of my favorite discussion topics, finding many farmers have not sustained 3 years of foliar fertilizing to use their cash crop to increase root exudates. Similarly, cover crops in cereal rye and winter wheat are effectively sustaining microbial activity longer into the winter season. Regionally, we are getting more tiling for drainage; using no-till or minimal till, strip-till (Aguru Machinery) and aeration (Rogue VT); sampling then variable rate or amending in smaller zones; using low Mg lime, gypsum or liquid Calcium; manure management or compost; applying Nitrogen incrementally per growing season – getting as low as 0.6#/bushel corn; applying Sulfur with every pass; and managing residue with shredders and stalk digesters. Wisely using the ‘cides and the beneficial efforts can shorten the journey to the ideal soil to expand the yield potential of every acre.
Next is to give our consumers all they want and in comes the term Organics. Organic Agriculture is on the radar also.
Usable Fertility
Soil Samples taken at 6″ depths and processed at a lab get reported with the content or percentage of minerals available in the root zone. Some labs test soil health – an indication of microbe activity.
The plant’s ability to access and use the minerals is ultimately necessary. Soil and plant ability to absorb, integrate, or benefit from the application can depend on the form the mineral is applied and the soil health (microbial activity) to process the elements.
Get it right
In Ag we use a term- The 4R’s: Right product, Right amount, Right place, Right time. (ref: various sources – my first solid education came from Conklin: ProAg I and ProAg II- invitation only -contact me)
Planning applications with the 4R’s in mind is a huge step in making efficient use of the product, amending for deficiencies, and setting the stage for success.
The 5th R: Right method (source unknown) Granulated products for example, need dissolved most commonly with moisture, and still have to find its way to the plant to be beneficial for yield or desired outcome. Its application and release timing is important to fit the plant or soil needs. Chelation (of various forms) is a term used for holding a mineral in a package, particularly for adding to a tank mix solution to limit its interaction or loss to the atmosphere.
The 6th R: Right on target (did I make that up?): Mechanical technology or methodology can influence the application uniformity and placement – for example: Strip till vs broadcast, Aerial compared to ground rig, Over top or under cover spraying, Nozzle type and pressure with drift control. My favorite on-target product by way of a surfactant is X-celerate.
R there more? (having fun now): the Right advisor, the Right advice, the Right understanding, the Right operator. R u with me? Sometimes we have all the Right tools, but we could use help or need to invent a solution. Contact me.
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