5 soil health resolutions for 2018

Using science-based nutrient management strategies on the farm can help curb unwanted loss and improve farm economics. Split nitrogen (N) fertilizer applications, or dividing total nitrogen application into two or more treatments per year, can help growers enhance nutrient efficiency, promote optimum yields and protect the environment.

Growing cover crops in the winter, like grasses and legumes, helps hold the soil in place, reducing erosion, while improving use of water and many ag inputs. These crops make the soil more resilient to drought and resistant to flooding. They help reduce nutrient loss by taking up what’s left on the field between growing seasons – and provide beneficial habitat for migratory birds and pollinators.

Reducing or eliminating the practice of turning over the soil between growing seasons is one proven method of restoring soil health that can help the bottom line. Adopting strip-till can be like getting a new pair of walking shoes to set you on a new path.

Adding cover crop roots and disturbing the soil less through tillage can help restore the lively ecosystem of organisms your crops and soil crave. Earthworms, microscopic bacteria and fungi, and a host of other organisms produce structure and nutrients for plants to grow.

Farmers are beginning to understand that improving soil health is like putting money in the bank. Data collected on the Soil Health Partnership’s 111 farms is starting to show that taking care of the farm’s foundation can pay big dividends over time, through optimal yields, more resilience to extreme weather, and more efficient use of inputs like fertilizer.