Soil Management

I think that there is always room for improvement in anything in life, and with this project, soil management is key to a productive cropping system.  For example, when we removed the tomato plants from their rows, there was a lot of organic matter left behind.  By cleaning up this mess, we were able to help out the soil so that it wouldn’t take so long for everything to decompose.  This process leaves behind plenty of nitrogen for future plants so that next year’s crops will be able to fully utilize those vital nutrients.  Also, we learned about many different types of soil conservation and management practices, including the following:

·         Controlling traffic on soil surfaces helps to reduce compaction, which can seriously affect and ultimately reduce aeration and water infiltration.

·         Cover crops can help to keep the soil anchored and covered in off-seasons so that the soil is not eroded by wind and rain.

·         Crop rotations for row crops alternate high-residue crops with lower-residue crops to increase the amount of plant and organic material left on the surface of the soil during the year to protect the soil from erosion.

·         Nutrient management can help to improve the fertility of the soil and the amount of organic matter content, which improves soil structure and function.

·         Tillage, especially reduced-tillage or no-till operations limit the amount of soil disturbance while cultivating a new crop and help to maintain plant residues on the surface of the soil for erosion protection and water retention.