OUR PRACTICES
BEST PRACTICES TO FIXING SOIL
CALUSOLV’S UNIQUE FORMULA DIRECTLY ENABLES OR ENHANCES THE
FOLLOWING REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PRACTICES
REDUCE/ELIMINATE TILLAGE
CONVENTIONAL: Frequent and harsh soil tillage destroys soil aggregate structure. With the destruction of the aggregate structure, there is an increase in soil fines eliminating space for air and water. This reduction results in compaction. Hardpans and plow pans are created in the lower profiles and crust at the surface. This compaction starves the roots and soil biology of oxygen and water during rainfall events.
REGENERATIVE: Restoring soil aggregate structure leads to more extensive and robust root systems, with more significant numbers and diversity in biology, effectively leading to increased nitrogen fixation, efficient nutrient cycling, and solubilization of banked nutrients. Additionally, as organic matter increases, so does water infiltration and utilization.
Related articles: Minimize Tillage handout
UTILIZE COVER CROPS
CONVENTIONAL: We now know that leaving fields fallow is extremely detrimental to soil microbes. Mycorrhizal fungi and other soil microbes depend on root exudates as their food source.
REGENERATIVE: Roots that grow actively as many days as possible during the year ensure biology works full-time to cycle and solubilize nutrients. Incorporating cover crops increases biological nitrogen fixation and nutrient cycling.
Related articles: Cover Crops handout
MANAGE PH LEVELS
CONVENTIONAL: Heavy applications of synthetic fertilizers lower soil pH levels, decreases nutrient availability, and depress soil microbial activity.
REGENERATIVE: In a study conducted by the Department of Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management at the University of Wisconsin across farms located in WI & MN, researchers found that in conventionally fertilized fields, the number 1 most important variable was pH when it comes to yield. Regarding microbial activity, biological nitrogen fixation increases as pH approaches 7.0, lowering the need for applied nitrogen applications.
Related articles: pH management handout
REDUCE NUTRIENT APPLICATIONS
CONVENTIONAL: Over-application of some nutrients, such as nitrogen, adversely affects plants’ uptake of other necessary nutrients. More is not always better.
REGENERATIVE: Plants do not take up nutrients in isolation; the absence or abundance of one nutrient can negatively affect the plant’s ability to use another. All nutrients are essential – in the proper ratios.
Related articles: Soil Food Web handout