1. You need to know how salt affects the health of your crops and the microbial activity of the soil that nurtures them! It is important to determine the effect of salt on plant growth & soil health. You may not know it, but Nebraska - and the rest of the ag world - has a problem. And it is getting worse every year. Salt & salinity is an increasing issue for Nebraska farmers! Farmers & high school teachers can do this as well as anyone! Regular testing with simple equipment and methods is where you start. You can do a lot to fix it if you have a salt problem! You don’t have to be a rocket scientist – or even a soil scientist - to deal with the problem.

2. Controlled Environment Growing ClocheCold Frame Justin’s Greenhouse & Cold Frames Row Cover w. Fabric Row Cover w. Plastic Robinette High Tunnel Gene’s Small Greenhouse Crete H. S. Greenhouse There are many ways to extend the growing season. Note Shade Cloth

3. Effects of soil salinity on the growth of selected common plants Started from 1” plugs on 1/15 2012. Photos taken March 24, 2012. All soil samples are composted dairy cow manure, perlite and peat moss in varying proportions. EC 2.2 EC 1.8 EC.9 Tech info: All measurements were taken with a 1:1 slurry using well water of EC 1.0, so the readings are slightly higher than they would be using deionized water. All measure- ments were done on the day that they were transplanted into these pots. These plants were grown in a greenhouse with a night time temperature of 45-50 F and a daytime temperature of 60 to 100 F, depending on the weather. No artificial lighting. Each plant received ¼ teaspoon of Cheese Creek Organic Plant Food at time of transplanting. EC = salinity as measured in dS/m. dS/m = deciSiemens per meter = internationally recognized unit for measuring conductivity = level of salinity of the soil or water being tested. Garden Mums Chrysanthemum morifolium All rights reserved by Gene G. Gage Heartland Organics Martell, NE

4. Effects of soil salinity on the growth of selected common plants EC = salinity as measured in dS/m. dS/m = deciSiemens per meter = internationally recognized unit for measuring conductivity = level of salinity of the soil or water being tested. Slide # ?? EC=2.6EC=2.1EC=1.8 EC=2.6EC=2.1EC=1.8 Started from 1/2” plugs on 2/25/12 Photos taken March 24, 2012. All soil samples are composted cow manure, perlite and peat moss in varying proportions. No fertilizer was used. Samples tested were 1:1 slurries of the soil medium and well water. EC values are those at the beginning of the trial. By the end of the trial, the EC values ranged from 1.1 – 1.5. (Leaching had occurred!) Better Boy Tomatoes EC=2.6EC=2.1EC=1.8 All rights reserved by Gene G. Gage Heartland Organics Martell, NE

5. EC 2.2 EC 1.8 EC.9 Started from 1/2” plugs on 2/15/12 Photos taken March 24, 2012. All soil samples are composted cow manure, perlite and peat moss in varying proportions. No fertilizers were added. Measurements were taken with a probe directly into the pots five minutes after they were watered – at the beginning of the trial. Bell Boy Peppers EC = salinity as measured in dS/m. dS/m = deciSiemens per meter = internationally recognized unit for measuring conductivity = level of salinity of the soil or water being tested.

6. Dry Beans Germination Trial – Summer 2011 Ordinary beans provide a quick and easy way to check the salinity (EC)(Electrical Conductivity) of your soil. In this trial, I sowed one bean in each of three pots. Each column if three pots contains one soil. Soil 1 is the soil mix I used then (1/2 compost). Soils 4 & 5 are pure commercial non-manure composts. Soils 2, 3, 6, 7 & 9 are commercial soil mixes from various companies. The EC of numbers 1, 4 & 5 ranged from 3.2 – 4.0. The EC of the commercial packaged soil mixes ranged from.7 to 1.4, as measured with a probe into the pots. (This was before I knew about 1:1 slurries as a standard.)

7. Perform your own pH and EC tests You will need: Samples of three different soils – 1 cup each Well Water – 2 cups Distilled water – 2 cups Three plastic containers Calibrated Measuring Scoop 1/8 cup 1. Mix 1/8 cup of sample #1 with 1/8 cup distilled water in container #1 2. Mix 1/8 cup of sample #2 with 1/8 cup distilled water in container #2 3. Mix 1/8 cup of sample #3 with 1/8 cup distilled water in container #3 4. Thoroughly mix each soil sample with the distilled water. 5. Insert EC probe into each sample and record the temperature of the samples. Record the EC value of each sample. 6. Using the pH test strips (and following the directions on the package) determine the pH of each sample and record it. If you have a pH probe, you may use that. 7. Repeat steps above using well water in place of distilled water. Record results. Note difference between well water and distilled water results – both for pH and EC.