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NRCS fact sheet Soil Health Key Points lists “four ways to promote healthy soils.” First is keep your soil covered. A covered soil holds more water by binding to soil organic matter (SOM) and loses less water to runoff and evaporation. SOM increases when soil is covered by vegetation and dead plant material residue. SOM holds 18-20 times its weight in water and recycles nutrients for plants to use. One percent SOM in the top six inches of soil holds approximately 27,000 gallons or 1 acre-inch water. In addition, 1% SOM holds about 1,000# of nitrogen and roughly 100# each of phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. Soil microorganisms exist in large numbers as long as there is a carbon source for energy. There are more microbes in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on the earth. Bacteria, due to their large numbers yet small size, tend to dominate in most tilled soils. Fungi populations may be 50 times smaller, but due to their larger size, they are similar in biomass to bacteria in und...

Many farmers have had difficulty getting crops planted due to cold, wet soils.. Farmers who planted cover crops are also struggling to figure out how and when to plant to maximize the grain crop yield. Often this involves getting the cover crop killed at the right time. When it is cold and wet, often the best strategy is to let the cover crop grow so it can dry out the soil. Farmers often have waited too long to plant the cover crop field because they think it is too wet, but generally, cover crops use evapotranspiration to remove water from the soil and the soil is actually drier 5-7 days earlier than conventional fields. That is a big advantage for using the cover crop. Planting 5-7 days earlier generally results in 5-7 bushels of more soybeans. However, if farmers wait too long, the soil gets too dry and hard, and then farmers may lose 5-7 bushels of soybeans. I really like to see soybeans coming up before killing the cereal rye unless the soil is getting too dry. Farmers have diffi...

Many farmers have had difficulty getting crops planted due to cold, wet soils.. Farmers who planted cover crops are also struggling to figure out how and when to plant to maximize the grain crop yield. Often this involves getting the cover crop killed at the right time. When it is cold and wet, often the best strategy is to let the cover crop grow so it can dry out the soil. Farmers often have waited too long to plant the cover crop field because they think it is too wet, but generally, cover crops use evapotranspiration to remove water from the soil and the soil is actually drier 5-7 days earlier than conventional fields. That is a big advantage for using the cover crop. Planting 5-7 days earlier generally results in 5-7 bushels of more soybeans. However, if farmers wait too long, the soil gets too dry and hard, and then farmers may lose 5-7 bushels of soybeans. I really like to see soybeans coming up before killing the cereal rye unless the soil is getting too dry. Farmers have diffi...

  Phosphorus Problems and Solutions: Part 1  Ohio legislators are considering a number of rules and regulation regarding phosphorus (P) fertilizer and manure. The following article outlines some facts about P runoff. Weather is one of the biggest culprits in P runoff. Over the last several decades, precipitation has changed with more numerous precipitation events occurring with higher amounts, longer duration, and increased intensity. Due to weather, the key facts are that 90% of P runoff comes from 1-2 major runoff events each year and 80% of P runoff comes from 20% of the soil (Dr. Andrew Sharpley). Location and transport are key factors. Fields close to a creek, stream, or river contribute a considerable amount of P in surface runoff. Most soil P is stratified and P is located in the top 2- 3 inches of the topsoil and subject to soil erosion and surface runoff. On measuring P runoff, the P concentration (usually measured in parts per million) times the transport factor (vol...

Dealing with corn stalks Part 1 After heavy rains/flooding, a common complaint is the movement of corn stalks/residue off fields into surface ditches. The Soil & Water transects shows that about 67% of corn acres are planted to no-till soybeans and only 6-7% of soybean acres are planted to true no-till corn. The corn residue including corn leaves, corn stalks, and corn cobs and chaff may float off any field once it becomes saturated with water. The practice of no-tiling soybeans into corn stalks followed by conventional tilled corn is called rotational tillage. Farmers have found that there are economic benefits to no-tilling soybeans into corn stalks. It takes less fuel for no-till, the corn residue conserves moisture in a dry summer, reduces weed growth, increases water infiltration, and improves drainage. Environmental benefits of no-till soybeans into corn residue include less soil erosion and sediment losses, less nutrient runoff, and improved soil productivity. Negative side-...