Soils are complex living organisms so preparing plans to improve them will vary between farms.  In preparing a soil improvement plan, the following points should be considered:

1. Carry out a detailed soil analysis that covers both the physical and chemical properties of the soil and has an indication of the organic matter level. Whilst there are a number of soil analysis available, a one-off soil audit acts as a starting point.  If you cannot justify a full soil audit, consider having a plant tissue analysis which will give an indication of the soils nutrient status.

   

2. Prepare a plan and budget for the corrective actions needed to move your soils towards a more balanced position.  Remember that the returns are likely to be large but the timescale is measured in years.
3. Increase soil organic matter by ensuring that photosynthesis is on going for as much of the year as possible. No plants equals no sugars to the soil food web then the whole process shuts down until a new generation of plants are up and running. 
   • Cover crops are the starting point and these can be as simple as home saved cereals planted after harvest. Oats are particularly good at scavenging nitrogen.
   • Consider using an understory crop.  Whilst grass being under sown into a spring cereal is old hat the use of clovers and trefoil as an understory is not widespread.   
      
     The fine root structure seen by the naked eye is only part of the story 
4. Bring diversity to the cropping be it as a main crop or as a catch crop, but it must be remembered that not all crops form associations with mycorrhizal fungi
   • Mustard perhaps the most common cover crop is known to have negative effect on some soil nematodes.
   • Buckwheat a short season crop has no mycorrhiza associations but will help to mobilise phosphate.
5. Break up soil compaction by including deep rooting crops such as fodder radish or lucerne and red clover.
6. Reducing soil disturbance, whilst soil fungi are more resilient than soil bacteria to disturbance it is a good policy to reduce the number of cultivations and perhaps more importantly the depth of cultivation.

If you would like help with improving your soils – please contact William Waterfield 07785 746877