Taking representative soil samples, choosing the right depths, and analyzing key nutrients can improve fertilizer planning and crop performance on western Canadian farms.
Tag Archives Soil pH
Soil sampling for Prairie farmers: How to test for nutrients and avoid common mistakes
Agronomy Management: Take representative soil samples, choose the right depths, analyze key nutrients
Benchmarking soil health in Alberta
Researchers at the Chinook Applied Research Association’s Soil Health Lab have adapted a soil health assessment from Cornell University to evaluate Alberta soils
Part 2 of 2: New analyses provide test results with handy scores that assess soil using a simple format, and make it easy for Alberta farmers to spot where an intervention or practice change might have the biggest effect.
It may be time for lime on acid soils
Liming may be an expensive option — but it’s the only proven method to raise soil pH
Acidic soil can plague crop producers with nutrient deficiencies and poor root growth, leading to reduced yields. Lime can be expensive, but may pencil out as the most important fertilizer treatment for those soils.
Les Henry: Acid soils. A wake-up call
At the farm level, soil test, soil test, soil test
This piece came about because of a technical session I attended at scientific meetings in Saskatoon in July 2019. Rick Engel of Montana State University presented a paper showing soils on the Highwood Bench near Fort Benton, Mont., that had become so acidic crops like lentils and sunflowers would barely grow. The soils were at […] Read more
Crops-a-palooza brings in farmers and researchers
On July 24, Crops-a-palooza brought together 10 different hosting organizations, a handful of corporate sponsors, and government researchers and other volunteers. More than 200 farmers and agronomists came out to see the crops and research on display at the Canada-Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre at Carberry, Manitoba. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada agronomist Curtis Cavers spent most […] Read more
The basic facts around limestone
The limestone market is worth a billion dollars annually, but invaluable for yield increases
Limestone, or calcium carbonate, CaCO3, makes up about 10 per cent of the sedimentary rocks on earth. Sometimes limestone contains appreciable amounts of magnesium. It’s then called dolomitic limestone, CaMg (CO3)2. Under pressure, limestone rock becomes metamorphosed into marble. Limestone rock is quarried in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Ontario and […] Read more
How’s your moly doing out there?
Molybdenum was once known as ‘poor man’s lime’ for a good reason
Under the category “if it ain’t one thing it’s another” when it comes to crop nutrient requirements, the question is now being asked, “have you thought about the molybdenum levels in your canola and pulse crops?” Cereals need it too, but canola, peas, beans, lentils, faba beans, soybeans and others all have higher molybdenum requirements. Molybdenum, also often […] Read more
Diagnosing and managing acid soils
Acidic soils can restrict plant growth. Learn how to recognize and manage these soils on your farm
Soils with a pH ranging between 6.0 and 8.0 are suitable for most crops on the Prairies. Soils with a pH range between 6.5 to 7.5 are considered to be near neutral. Soil pH between 6.0 to 5.6, 5.5 to 5.1 and < 5.0 are considered to be moderately acidic, strongly acidic and very strongly […] Read more
The broad basics of your soil’s pH
Soil pH is complex, and has different impacts on the availability of different nutrients
Farmers frequently ask “What does soil pH really mean?” and “What effect does pH have on availability of nutrients in the soil?” Both are excellent questions! The effects of pH are complex and vary with different nutrients. However, some broad generalizations are useful to keep in mind when understanding soil pH and making nutrient management […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
