Harness the Soil to Feed Your Crop
Applying fertilizer is the conventional practice in production agriculture. Growers are using combinations of natural nutrient cycling (soil biology, microbial interactions) and synthetic/chemical fertilizers to feed their crops. The question is, does synthetic/chemical fertility work with natural nutrient cycling? These two approaches are not generally complementary and should be prioritized for the greatest benefit on yield, soil health and reducing nutrient runoff. Here is the suggested priority: 1. Use Natural Nutrient Cycling as the primary fertility method. At or prior to planting, inoculate soil with beneficial microbes. (Use compost, cover crops, and/or a liquid microbial extract.) At planting, feed [...]
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