What else besides basic soil analysis?
– It is best to perform a basic soil analysis every two years. This involves checking the pH and the level of phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen – says agronomist Maciej Kobus – a representative of HeavyFinance. – In addition, once every 3-4 years it is worth checking the organic carbon content in the soil – in short – the level of humus. This gives the farmer information whether the method of cultivation he conducts maintains the fertility of the soil, increases it or maybe worsens it. The last option means that the farmer is doing something wrong and the soil is becoming sterile. In such a case, regardless of fertilization, the crops will deteriorate in the long term and something needs to be changed – emphasizes the specialist.
Maciej Kobus draws attention to another, less popular, soil test, which should be performed in winter crops every year at the turn of February and March. It is about checking the content of mineral nitrogen. – If someone uses organic fertilizers, sows catch crops – using, for example, legumes, i.e. those that accumulate nitrogen, or has peas or soy in the structure of the crops, it is worth doing such a test. This is the only way to determine exactly how much nitrogen there is in the soil, how much of it the plant has at its disposal – emphasizes the agronomist. The result of such a test can bring big savings, because precise information on the availability of this component, which determines the height of the crop, allows for optimal planning of the fertilizer dose.
– It may turn out that there is 60 or even 80 kg of nitrogen in the soil in a pure component. However, it is also often the case that there is only 10 kg of this nitrogen. The ranges are therefore really significant – emphasizes Maciej Kobus. So why is this type of test so unpopular? First of all, it is about the deadlines.
– To take samples, you have to wait for the frost to stop, and as we know, farmers start with the first dose of fertilizer as soon as it happens. So it's also about the fact that the test results should be available practically from one day to the next – emphasizes the representative of HeavyFinance. However, he emphasizes that in his opinion it is worth delaying the start with the first dose of nitrogen a bit, and have an accurate test result of its content in the soil. – These are simply savings. In reality, no one knows whether there is 10 or 40 kg of N in the soil in a pure component. It depends on many factors and only a test allows for an accurate determination of this state – says Kobus, indicating the possibilities of reducing the costs incurred on fertilizers by tens, and in the case of larger farms even hundreds of thousands of zlotys.
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How to build soil humus after harvest?
Test Methodology
– It is assumed that for 4-5 ha of soil, one collective test should be performed from 20 to 50 samples taken from this area. Of course, more detailed tests can be performed from smaller fields, but this involves higher costs. Each test costs from a dozen to several dozen zlotys – explains the specialist. Another important issue he draws attention to is the depth from which the samples are taken. – Basic tests for pH, NPK and carbon are usually taken from the arable layer, i.e. a depth of 15-20 cm. It is slightly different in the case of testing mineral nitrogen. In the case of this test, it is good to do it from the 0-30 cm profile, and due to the fact that nitrogen is easily washed out to deeper soil layers, at least once in a while a sample should be taken from the 0-30 and 30-60 cm profiles – emphasizes the agronomist. As he emphasizes, testing the deeper soil layer gives us information about how much nitrogen there is and whether it is possible to use it or whether it will be lost forever.
– In the case of rapeseed, which has a tap root, the plants will easily take up this fertilizer, while plants with other, shallower root systems may not be able to obtain it and then we will lose this nitrogen. It will move to groundwater and flow to the Baltic Sea, and there, due to its accumulation, cyanobacteria will bloom. That's how it works – explains the specialist.
Importantly, in order to obtain reliable results, soil samples should be taken at least one month after the last fertilizer application.
– This is why pH and NPK tests are so popular during the harvest season. The second issue is technology. Pick-up trucks, quads and special rovers are currently used to collect samples, so summer is the best time because we do not cause any damage to crops that have already left the fields – emphasizes Maciej Kobus.
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How much lime to spread per hectare? It depends on the soil and pH
Polish soils are acidic and sterile.
The importance of regular soil tests is indicated by data on acidification and humus content of agricultural soils in our country. As much as 64% of agricultural land (9.4 million ha) requires liming due to strong soil acidification, with 6.7 million ha having a pH below 5.1, which signals the beginning of devastation.
Humus content is slightly over 1%, and as Maciej Kobus emphasizes, it would be useful to have an average level of around 4%. – The popular term today is regenerative agriculture. In fact, this is how our grandparents operated. Unfortunately, the economics of production meant that farmers, willingly or unwillingly, began to cultivate primarily a lot of rapeseed and wheat. Additionally, not everyone had animals, which is why we exploited the soil a lot. Anyone with an agricultural education is aware of this. However, economics was and is inexorable.
The bank will not wait – notes Kobus. – Fortunately, however, there are already programs that promote increasing carbon dioxide sequestration, and consequently increasing the level of humus. This is in the interest of the farmer. The farmer, who until now could not afford appropriate crop rotation, but when the powerful of this world saw what it leads to, the policy changed a bit – adds the specialist.
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Soil pH is the foundation. How to lime after rape and before cereals?
They test the soil for free. The farmer will still make money on it
– Today, by doing something to take care of the soil, we can diversify our income – says Maciej Kobus, giving the example of eco-schemes. Carbon programs aimed at generating certificates for CO2 absorption by the soil are also a hope. Additionally, the HeavyFinance representative points out that farmers can earn an additional PLN 200 per hectare per year from this as early as next year. What's more, as part of the program, the company will test their soil for organic carbon content, also offering advice on cultivation methods, catch crops, or fertilization methods.
– So that the farmer can maximize sequestration and improve the economy of production, and consequently – the condition of his farm – summarizes Maciej Kobus. By mid-September, HeavyFinance is to examine over 150 thousand hectares of agricultural land in our country.
Source: HeavyFinance press materials
