Converting to Organics

Flowerdale Demonstration Day

Soil quality, testing and

decontamination
Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction & Recovery Authority
Flowerdale Estate Retreat
1:15pm – 2:00pm, Wednesday 21 April 2010

By Gerhard Grasser
AgriSolutions, Darnum
agrisolutions@dcsi.net.au
Topics covered

 What is Soil?
 Soils health & function
 The new NPK
 On-site and laboratory assessment
 Strategies to minimise losses
 Restoring soils to health & full function
 Recovery from and resilience to seasonal
changes
 Do you look at how deep
your plant roots go?

The deeper the roots and

the more mass, the better
the soil structure - AND the
better the uptake of
nutrients and moisture
retention – AND the more
soil biological activity.

FARMING DEEPER
IS CHEAPER!
Measuring Soil Health/fertility

 Types of plants growing (weed

indicators) and % surface area covered.
 Smell the soil, feel crumbly structure, root
depth, strength and quantity.
 Compaction layers (history of land use
and soil type are primary factors).
 Laboratory testing of soil for nutrient,
physical and biological status
Which of these is the most important?
 Soil fertility management
- the new NPK
 Nutrient/chemical – correct ratio of soil
nutrients (Ca, Mg, N, P, K, S & traces).
 Physical condition – aerobic with micro and
macro aggregates (good water and air
holding capacity) & Ca:Mg ratio.
 Key Biology – total and active of huge
diversity comprising micro and macro life.
(Be aware that any above ground action will impact the new NPK!!)
MicroBiology – is the life in soil!
The right biology enhances
these functions:

 Disease protection (no more pesticides & fungicides!)

 Nutrient immobilization (stop leaching)
 Nutrient availability (right forms in the right place at the
right time)
 Decomposition of toxins/organic debris
 Root health, root depth, water holding ability, aerobic
conditions, soil structure (less water, less fertilizer)
Biological growing assumes
 Managing a balance of chemistry, physics, biology
and microbiology at the same time,
 Acknowledging and then solving weed, disease and
insect pest problems at their root causes rather than
merely masking symptoms with chemical or natural
band aids, and
 Maximizing yield, crop quality, food nutrition and profit
potentials while minimizing external inputs, improving
water holding & usage by up to 70%, reducing
erosion, nutrient run-off and leaching.
 Farming to the prevailing conditions (weather, soil,etc)
 Soil and plant recovery process
priorities from extreme trauma
(fire, drought, erosion, flood)

1. Assess recovery time urgency and plan

program accordingly (production, stability-more losses)?
2. Determine condition of soil and plant
remains (topsoil intact?, perennials or annuals? trees,shrubs,etc)
3. Gauge and measure the composition of
residues on soil surface and soil profile
condition
4. Consider the benefits of naturally
supporting growth recovery vs. inputs
Soil nutrient & biological
testing off site
 Any Soil analysis is better than none.
 Select independent laboratories not selling
anything else but their expertise.
 Select laboratories providing information you
and/or your advisor can use.
 Soil testing is only one of the many tools to
make management decisions. Do not pin your
farm future on test results alone – but we do take
comfort in numbers, even if we do not understand what they really
mean!
‘Above the soil’ assessment -
(on and off site)
 Foliar or sap testing of plant parts – gives data
„after the event‟ but allows review of growing
system
 Brix – measures sap mineral sugar to
determine „health‟ (>12) of plant and optimum
harvesting time e.g, grapes, fruit, hay etc
 Amount of plant material produced and its
health & nutritional value – not just volume or
weight. The colour and taste test is best!
(and the only real measure in the end anyway!!)
Take home messages….
 Think NPK – Nutrients, Physical structure, Key
Biology for healthy soil, plants, animals & people.
 Consider ALL resources at your disposal –
especially those that are on the farm in and above
the ground and cost very little to utilise.
 Ask “Why?”, before taking on any „silver bullet‟ or
simple solution. Many „alternative‟ inputs
(compost/teas, kelp, fish, minerals, etc) have
multiple benefits when used correctly.
 Keep detailed records and use a soil health card
relevant to your situation to monitor progress.
 Make it a goal to observe, learn and begin to
practice new things regularly.
What do we really know?

NOT MUCH!
Until we look very closely….. and think like a soil organism!
 Some useful websites

 www.agriculturalsolutions.com.au
 www.farmingsecrets.com.au
 www.soilhealthknowledge.com.au
 www.ofa.org.au