1 © 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. 11 The Dirt on Dirt PART 3 – SOIL MANAGEMENT

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© 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

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The Dirt on DirtPART 3 – SOIL MANAGEMENT

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REVIEW Parts 1 & 2 focused on the elements of

Soil Science In essence –

“what you have”

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IN THIS SECTION WE WILL COVER Fertility Drainage Erosion Tillage Conservation

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FERTILITY We discussed testing, pH and essential

nutrients

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WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO? Know what you are going to grow and

what was grown the past several years What is the history of previous fertilizer

(and manure) applications Obtain your soil test results and

recommendations from your state’s Land Grant University

Consider pH goals

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BRINGING IN SOIL QUALITY Higher levels of organic matter lessen the

need for fertilizer inputs Better soil structure leads to better plant

efficiency for capturing available fertility

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DON’T FORGET Many water quality issues are related to

excess or improper fertilizer applications Know Best

Management Practices (BMPs)

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CONSIDER Is the nutrient mobile in the environment? What fertilizer product you will use? When will you put it on? Basic Agronomy

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LAST SESSION We discussed soil structure at length Review

– Good structure promotes increased root growth which leads to increased plant growth

– More efficient use of soil fertility– Poor structure results in wet, poorly drained

soils

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DRAINAGE Artificial drainage utilizes perforated plastic

pipe to remove excess water Water will only flow if the soil is saturated

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THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND Design should be engineered Remember environmental consequence Draining wetlands is not advisable and

potentially illegal

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BENEFITS OF DRAINAGE Increased productivity (economic and

environmental) Improved soil structure (due to increased

biological activity) Reduction in the loss

of most contaminants Reduced soil erosion

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EROSION Soil moving off site Wind and Water

What do these

two things have

in common?

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AT ITS MOST BASIC LEVEL Soil particles must be dislodged if they are

going to move

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WIND EROSION Soil particles are knocked loose by other

soil particles Cover the soil with either

residue or a growing crop to prevent

Take steps to reduce wind speed

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WATER EROSION Soil particles knocked loose by raindrops

The solution – cover the soil with a growing crop or residue

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WATER EROSION Soil dislodged by moving water and other

soil particles Factors involved

– Slope steepness and

length– Water velocity when

running off– Some soil types are

more “erosive”

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WATER EROSION SUMMARIZED A growing crop buffers raindrop impact

and slows water runoff Residue serves the same purpose when

there is not a growing crop Shorten slope length with engineering

structures Plant permanent cover in places where

water wants to run

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IN ADDITION Most people learn better when information

is repeated We will revisit this later when we discuss

conservation

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TILLAGE Why do we till?

– Residue reflects light and protects from the wind – so high residue levels can lead to cool, wet soil

– Seeds need heat to germinate, the growing season is shorter the farther north you go

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BUT REMEMBER? Tillage destroys soil structure Buries or destroys residue that protects

from erosion

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THE ANSWER The world isn’t perfect, it is pretty hard to

have it all

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WHO SAID THIS WOULD BE EASY? All management decisions need to be site

and circumstance specific It should be

possible to strike a balance between conservation and

necessary tillage

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IN GENERAL NRCS recommends at least 30% residue

cover at the time of planting

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CONSERVATION First and foremost – Familiarize yourself

with your local resources– Natural Resources Conservation Service– Conservation Districts– Extension– Others?

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YOUR CONSERVATION TOOLBOX No-Till, Strip-Till, Mulch-Till

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CONSERVATION TOOLBOX Grass waterways and buffer strips

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CONSERVATION TOOLBOX Contour planting Contour strips

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CONSERVATION TOOLBOX Engineered solutions

– Sediment basins– Terraces– Drop structures– Side inlet structures– Many more

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CONSERVATION TOOLBOX Perennial cover

– Pasture– Wildlife habitat– Cover crops?

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CONSERVATION TOOLBOX Windbreaks, shelterbelts, living snow

fences = trees

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IN CONCLUSION We have covered the information, now lets

move on to…

Your Plan!

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YOUR PLAN Evaluate what you have

– Soil survey and descriptions– Soil test– Use history– Existing problems

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YOUR PLAN Your Goals

– How do you plan to use your land?– Crops? Pasture? Native landscape?– Bring soil quality into your plans

Soil structure Organic matter Fertility Conservation

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YOUR PLAN Action Items

– Cropping– Drainage and/or engineering– Ground preparation– Fertility– Conservation

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YOUR PLAN Formulate what you think you should do Then consult resource people to get their

opinions

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IN THE END

Stay flexible – Things change Keep an open mind – You just might get

some good advice Stay goal oriented

– Everything doesn’t happen all at once

Stop to smell the soil

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WISHING YOU MANY HAPPY HARVESTS – WHETHER IT IS CROPS, OR JUST SUNSHINE AND FRESH AIR!

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© 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this PowerPoint is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to the Extension Store at 800-876-8636.

Thank You!

This product was developed with support from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture — National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed

within do not necessarily reflect the view of the SARE program or the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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1 © 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. 11 The Dirt on Dirt PART 3 – SOIL MANAGEMENT