Technology

It is generally acknowledged that a healthy soil should have plenty of biological activity, good soil structure and the right pH. The best way therefore to assess soil health is to use a number of measurements, including biological, chemical and physical properties, in order to build up a complete picture of the health of the soil.

Biological activity provides a single integrated measurement that tells us how well the soil is functioning. It can easily be measured by the rate of respiration of the microbial life that the soil supports. Alternatively, visual checks can be made on the population of a key group such as nematodes (the non-pathogenic ones) along with the root structure of most plants being checked for mycorrhizas or, in the case of legumes, pink nodules.

Chemical balance can be measured by pH in the first instance. Sometimes more detailed chemical tests will need to be carried out to meet regulatory requirements, or, if specific nutrition problems become apparent in crops or livestock.
Physical properties can be measured by infiltration of water, and soil structure. It is important that these measurements are made, wherever possible, in the field to avoid altering the properties being measured.

The results of the three sets of tests can be used to diagnose problems and indicate what interventions should be made to improve the health of the soil.

Since 1996 Earthcare Ltd. has been applying these principles together in combination with the latest science & technology to managing soils in order to deliver top quality, sustainable, plant growth.

Soil Organix - Practical Soil Management.

This approach to managing soil has proved to be a simple and effective one and is based on over 20 years experience of managing soils worldwide. We call it “Soil-Organix”.

There are only a few ways to manage the soil microbial population directly (inoculation of legumes with root nodule bacteria is one of the few success stories).

A more practical way is to manage the physical and chemical conditions in the soil, thereby creating the ideal conditions for soil organisms to flourish.

Soil enriched with organic matter, such as compost, has greatly improved structure and a better chemical balance. Good structure results in better aeration, and better infiltration of water and increased water holding capacity. This is the key to using increasingly precious supplies of water more efficiently. Good chemical balance means that the soil is neither too acid nor too alkaline, but just right for active soil organisms, giving a steady supply of nitrogen, phosphate and potash to sustain plant growth throughout the season.

By adding Quality Assured compost and our “Soil-Organix” approach you can keep your soil in great shape, creating the ideal environment for soil biodiversity and sustainable top quality plant growth.
PAS100 Compost and beyond.

PAS100 has been a very good first step in establishing “compost” as a non waste product. It does however fall short of adding value. It is primarily concerned with process and not product, safety and not quality. To grow the commercial market for compost, quality standards must emerge which clearly define how good the end product will be when used. Only then will consumers be prepared to pay a fair price confident that what’s inside the bag will actually deliver what is claimed on the outside of the bag!

How the “Solvita” Compost Maturity test can help speed up the composting process.

It is recommended (but not mandatory) that composts destined for use as a growing medium should be PAS100 tested every 1000 cu. metres. Currently in the U.K. testing for PAS100 certification is required only every 5000 cu. metres. So PAS100 testing will not ensure that every batch of compost made will meet the required standard as a growing medium. Since this is what most purchasers of compost require before parting with money, it fails to deliver. Also, if any of the test criteria are not met, PAS100 Certification is withdrawn and the Certification process has to start all over again. Restoration of PAS100 Certification is achieved only after 3 consecutive lab tests are passed once more. This could prove time consuming and very costly. It makes good commercial sense to ensure that the PAS100 respiration test is passed before subjecting any samples to a full suite of expensive lab tests. The “Solvita” Compost Maturity/Stability Test monitors the composting process and is a true indicator that it is being well managed. By using the “Solvita” test the producer can know when to turn and aerate the pile so as to minimise the time to completion for possibly quite different input combinations (C:N) of green waste material.

Commercial Producers also want to know as soon as the composting process is complete so as to maximize throughput. The “Solvita” field test is fast (4 hours) and inexpensive and is used extensively in the United States by compost producers prior to safely bagging or moving the product, thus making sure that there will be no aerobic or anaerobic processes likely to start up later.

The “Solvita” test tells you when the material is ready to send for testing, safe to move and safe to use.

The “Solvita” Soil respiration test (Haney Brinton)

Back in 1997 Woods End Labs and Nebraska University evaluated field use of the “Solvita” CO2 soil test kit as an alternative to Draeger Tubes and Laboratory gas chromatography. This gained USDA approval and has been used ever since in its national soil-quality test kit.
More recently, important research by Rick Haney (USDA-ARS) and Woods End demonstrated that the “Solvita” test could be used to estimate soil-carbon turnover. Using the newly available Digital Colour Reader (DCR), soil test parameters can be determined as accurately as conventional laboratory CO2 base trap titrimetry or IRGA without the cost and complicated chemistry of these particular techniques. The “Solvita” test plus DCR has been validated and is gaining acceptance as a practical soil test procedure to predict natural release of soil nitrogen and phosphate.

The Earthcare “Compost-Matrix” Computer Analysis.

We have recently joined forces with Woods End Laboratories and adapted their “compost-matrix” computer analysis program to allow us to input U.K. derived PAS100 test data directly. The program evaluates the results and shows which will be the best end use for the particular compost being produced. Parameters are weighted according to many years of laboratory and field testing by Woods End and the end product is ranked or given a score against 6 end use categories, Nutrient Compost, Garden Compost, Topsoil Compost, Seed Starter, Container Mix and Mulch Compost. Application rate guidelines for spreading composts are also calculated for the ranked uses.

This gives a potential purchaser useful product information as to how well it will perform in the various growing situations and he or she can then choose with confidence. We call this our “VAT” test or Value Added Test. Results are analysed and presented in a user friendly format that is easy to understand. As a producer you may not know you have produced thousands of tonnes of “gold” standard compost worth serious money. We believe that this “Which Compost?” test information will open up new markets for all Quality Tested and Assured end products.

Soil Water Management Technology.

Since 2001 we have worked on several Defra funded international R & D projects looking at how best to apply leading edge technology to improving soil water management. This has resulted in practical solutions being developed for a range of different water management applications and we now supply turn-key water measurement and control systems using:

Decagon soil moisture sensors, loggers and data analysis

Optimum deployment and location of sensors

Manual readings via PDA or laptop

Data-logging and telemetry

Automated closed loop control systems

This proven technology has been successfully used to improve the yield and quality of a variety of crops including potatoes, lettuce, runner beans, courgettes and strawberries. We have demonstrated reduced wastage of water on sites in Eastern and Southern England, and Spain using trickle and overhead irrigation. These techniques are now available to farmers and growers who want to drive down costs and increase efficient use of diminishing natural resources.

Soil Organix approach to Golf Course Management.

Coming soon....