1. Soil Amendments: How to Find and Apply Rupert Jannasch and Roxanne Beavers

2. Considerations for Organic Growers  The basis of your fertility regime needs to be from on-farm sources  Crop rotation, cover crops  Livestock  Supplementing can be done with products allowed by the Permitted Substances List  Natural source, minimally processed products

3. Amending your Soil  How do I know how much fertility is needed?  Soil test, type of crop, contribution of green manure and organic matter  Nutrient availability from most organic amendments is a gradual process driven by microbes

4. Sources of N: Manure  Source of nitrogen and organic matter  Composted is preferable, and if not organic, composting may be required  Non-composted manure must be applied far before harvest (90-120 days)  Nutrient levels depend on animal source, moisture content, bedding  Raw manure should be incorporated to minimize N losses

5. Manure Source% N (dry weight) Release Rate Dairy1.5medium Steer1.7medium Layer3.2high Pig3.5medium high Compost (mixed source) 1low www.uky.edu/Ag/Horticulture/manures.htm

6. Composts  Why use compost instead of raw manure?  Composting kills weed seeds, pathogens, stabilizes nutrients  Provides macro and micro nutrients  Adds organic matter to soil which makes it better able to hold nutrients  Increases microbial activity which makes nutrients more available

7. Composts  Made on your farm?  Temperature must reach 55C for 2 days  Keep records of temp and turning  Off-farm compost?  Meet CCME Category A levels for trace contaminants and criteria for acceptable pathogen levels  Both – must use only allowed feedstocks

8. Other sources of N  Alfalfa Meal  Soybean Meal (must be non-GMO)  Crab Meal  Feather Meal  Blood Meal  Pelletized Manures

9. More amendments  Phosphorus - Rock P, bonemeal  Potassium – Greensand, wood ash  Calcium – calcitic lime, calphos, crabmeal/lobster meal/shells, ash, dolomitic lime too  Magnesium – dolomitic lime, Epsom salts / magnesium sulphate  Sulphur – elemental S, gypsum, Sul-Po-Mag, K- Mag

10. Micronutrients  Required in small amounts for plant metabolism; high amounts may be toxic  Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Zinc  Standard requires a soil test or plant tissue test showing low levels before using specific amendments

11. Micronutrients  Amendments might address one deficiency (Solubor) or multiple deficiencies  Kelp  Seaweed extracts  Basalt rock powder  Fish emulsions  Blended organic fertilizers

12. Is it Allowed?  Check the label/MSDS for ingredients  Ask your Certifier  If in doubt, contact the manufacturer  Get your answer in writing!  Does the product come from the US?  Must ensure that it doesn’t contain Chilean Nitrate (will be phased out by 2013)  Is the Nitrogen analysis >3? Be cautious

13. How to Apply  Composts may be tilled in or used to topdress  Manures must be incorporated, applied to warm soil, avoid runoff  Rock powders – apply early in season, or add to composts  Liquid products – can be used as a foliar feed or a soil drench  Need to determine your application rate

14. Application Rates  Joe has a 1 ac (0.4 ha) market garden  He gets a truckload of 20 yards of compost delivered – how much N will this provide?  Assume 800 lbs/yard bulk density  7.2 tonnes of compost was delivered  This corresponds to a rate of 18 t/ha compost

15. Application Rates  Compost analysis is 1.5 -1- 1  20% of the N is available in the first year (1.5)(20%) = 0.3%  If 18 t/ha compost is applied  then 54 kg N /ha is added  If Joe is growing heavy-feeding crops or has low background soil N, he will need to add more N

16. Application Rates  Soil test for boron comes back low: 0.32 ppm Want to add 1 kg/ha boron:  Borax – 11% B  1 / 0.11 = 9 kg/ha or 0.9 g/m2  This product can be applied directly to soil

17.  Solubor – 20% B  1/0.20 = 5 kg/ha or 50 g/100m 2  To apply with a sprayer, use spray rate (e.g. 200 L/ha) to determine the area covered by one tank  10 L tank would cover 0.05 Ha or 500m 2  Multiply this area by your application rate to figure out what amount to mix in the backpack - 250g/10L

18. Where to Source Products?  Farm supply stores  Consider delivery in bulk  Regional representatives for different companies  ACORN Database  Talk to other farmers  Trade publications – Rural Delivery, Small Farm, Canadian Organic Grower

20. Other Considerations  OMRI & Certifier Input Approvals  Before you source, read the Permitted Substances List to look for restrictions  Questions?