- Author: Ben Faber
I am frequently asked if I can recommend a book on Soils. And yes, I can. It is Soils: An Introduction by Michael Singer and Donald Munns. The sixth edition recently came out so there's a lot of older used copies floating around on the wed for under $10. This book takes a different tack on describing soils. Instead of tacking the tack of a chapter on Nitrogen another on Calcium etc., it weaves a story of how all the parts are related.
- Author: Ben Faber
The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) started a blog several years ago that covers all aspects of soils from water to organic matter to soil temperature to soil formation to building a retaining wall to ………..the list goes on and on. Something to read on a rainy day, if that ever comes.
The top posts are:
- What do nutrients do for plants?
- What are alluvial soils?
- What type of soil is good for a foundation for buildings or houses?
- When does rock become soil?
- Why do farmers use fertilizers?
- How does soil moisture impact our lives?
- What are sources of phosphorus for crops?
- What is soil temperature?
- How long does soil take to form?
- How can I fix my falling retaining wall?
But it doesn't stop there. Check out the site and sign up for the blogs by email when they become available.
- Author: Ben Faber
Because it is easier to correct a problem before you plant the trees than it is to diagnose and treat dying ones, which will probably be ripped out. A sad start to a tree is not a good ending.
In general, soil analysis is a measure of the physical, biological and chemical environment that a tree is going to be growing in. Is there going to be an impeding layer? Is it a waterlogged area prone to asphyxiation? A heavy soil that is going to need berming? Is it going to be too steep to harvest? These are physical properties that stand out and need to be considered.
Biological properties are harder to assess, but looking for old root channels and how healthy the previous crop grew are good indications of good biological health. How are those weeds growing?
The chemical side is often viewed from the nutritional and the toxicity angles. Trees are able to store nutrients in their various organs and have aids like mycorrhizae to help them take up some nutrients. So it's best to actually test the tree to see what their nutrient status is. Leaf analysis becomes the guide.
We do soil chemical analysis in trees primarily to identify potential toxicities. And for avocado trees, the main toxicities are high pH, salinity, sodium and chloride. Especially pH, which they like between 6 and 7. If it is corrected before the tree goes in the ground, it's relatively easy and inexpensive to correct. Once the tree is the ground, it takes a long time and energy and often it's hard to correct it without the tree dying. Like a waste of time and energy. But hey, I got the trees coming and it's time to be bold and act!! Let's plant.
And usually about a year after the tree is in the ground, the leaves start turning yellow and the canopy starts thinning. The tree was loaded up with iron in the nursery and after being in the high pH ground, it could not get enough iron and iron chlorosis set in. Well get ready to spend the next few years correcting the pH without killing the tree with sulfur or spending the rest of the tree's life messing with iron chelates. It would have been easy to apply a sufficient amount of sulfur in the planting area before planting, waiting for the sulfur to lower the pH, then planting.
Salinity, chloride and sodium are also important for testing prior to planting. Normally we think of these as chemicals that move with rainwater and irrigation. But in years when we have no rain, that doesn't happen. The light sprinklings we have can just move these salts a few inches into the ground and when trees are planted the salts migrate into the root zone. Even when berms are built and soil is scrapped into a hill, it's the surface soil that is being scrapped where all the salts are.
This situation can be compounded where there have been raspberry tunnels or flower tunnels previously and there has been no rain touch the ground the whole time the ground was covered. Or, where there was a crop with a high level of nutrients being applied and there could be levels high enough to affect the salt sensitive avocado. If you know salts are high, the soil can be leached before the trees are planted.
The effect of salt on the young trees can be almost immediate, within a week after planting. It can be dramatic and shocking.
Measuring sodium, chloride and salinity should be ongoing throughout the production years of an avocado. The status of the sodium, chloride and salinity are a reflection of how irrigation water is being managed. Is it getting enough, frequently enough? Was there enough rain to start the irrigation season without leaching?
Yeah, soil needs to be tested on a frequent basis. But the cheapest test and the easiest correction is done before planting. Do it.
- Author: Ben Faber
Join the discussion July 23
About this Event
Three part webinar lecture series, staring speakers in industry, government, and the university system; covering the following soil health topics:
soil organic matter – interpreting soil test results – structure & function of plant roots – Mycorrhizae 101 – compost & cover crops – microalgae – biochar – FDA soil health perspectives – conservation tillage – organic production – pesticide effects – soil borne pathogens – ag engineering pest control.
PCA, CCA, and Pest Control continuing education credits requested for AZ, CA, NM, and NV.
More details to come on the CEU process.
Zoom webinar link will be posted soon,
Module 1: Defining Soil Health
8:00am - 10:30am
Geoff Koch
Soil Science PHD Student: UC Davis
Defining Soil Health in the American Southwest
Dr. Joey Blankinship
Soil Science Professor: University of Arizona
Soil Organic Matter in Desert Agriculture
Sherri McLane
IAS Laboratories
Interpreting Soil Test Results
Dr. Glenn Wright
Extension Horticulturalist: University of Arizona
Structure and Function of Plant Roots
Scott Inman
Director of R&D: Mycorrhizal Applications LLC
Mycorrhizae 101
Module 2: Practices to Improve Soil Health
10:30am - 3:00pm
Dr. David Johnson
Adjunct Professor: New Mexico State University
Composting and Cover Crops
Dr. Kristine Nichols
Research Director: MyLand Company
The Role of Microalgae in Soil Health
Dr. Catherine Brewer
Assistant Professor: New Mexico State University
Biochar Production and Application Methods
Dr. Ataullah Khan
Senior Research Scientist: InnoTech Alberta
Biochar Application Development
Tim Lichatowich
Consultant: BioAg Product Strategies
Alternative Soil Amendments for Soil Restoration and Sustainability
Dr. David Ingram
Consumer Safety Officer: FDA-CFSAN Produce Safety Staff
FDA Perspectives on Soil Health
Dr. Michele Jay-Russell
Project Director: UC Davis Western Center for Food Safety
Organic Production Soil Health Considerations
Dr. Jeff Mitchell
Cropping Systems Specialist: UC Davis
Conservation Tillage in Vegetable Cropping Systems
Sharma Torrens
Conservation Education Director, AZ Association of Conservation Districts (AACD)
Funding for Soil Health Programs
Module 3: Soil Pest Control
3:00pm - 6:00pm
Dr. John Palumbo
Extension Entomologist: University of Arizona
Soil Applied Insecticides
Barry Tickes
Extension Weed Scientist: University of Arizona
Persistence of Herbicides in the Soils of the Low Desert
Dr. Stephanie Slinski
Associate Director: Yuma Center for Excellence in Desert Agriculture
Soil Borne Pathogens
Dr. Channah Rock
Extension Water Quality Specialist: University of Arizona
Water Treatment Effects of Soil Borne Pathogens
Dr. Mark Siemens
Extension Ag Engineer: University of Arizona
Point Injection Systems – Fertilizer/Pesticide Application with Minimal Soil Disturbance