Organic Farmer Aug/Sept 2019

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Using Concentrated Organic Fertilizers By GLENN MCGOURTY | Winegrower & Plant Science Advisor, UCCE Mendocino and Lake counties MOST ORGANIC FERTILITY programs start with soil building practices that increase organic matter with cover crops, compost and fertilizer materials that mineralize slowly over time so that there is an adequate and steady supply of nutrients. There are times when you may need to boost the soil fertility to stimulate plant growth when existing programs aren’t providing what the plants may need. Some reasons: • Soils are cool. • The crop that you are growing is simply not finding enough minerals needed for sufficient growth through the existing supply in the soil. • Compost or cover crops simply didn’t have sufficient nutrients in it to supply the crop that you want to grow. • Routine soil and tissue tests show that you are deficient in nutrients for your crop and you need to take action to remedy any problems. It Is Not Just the Fertilizers In organically farmed systems, you need to have a healthy functioning microbiome in the soil as the microorganisms generally have to convert existing plant and animal residues into useable nutrients through microbial digestion. Generally, most organic fertilizers do not leach readily as the nutrients are bound into more complex organic molecules that are broken down by microbes. Because of this, the soil needs to be favorable for microbial activity. Things that are required: • Favorable pH: microbes grow best when the soil is near pH 7 as this is near ideal for the mineralization of most plant nutrients. Acid soils need to be amended with calcium (such as lime) and alkaline soils need to be acidified with sulfur. These actions may take time. It is useful to have amendment materials blended into your compost if possible to simplify application and there are no doubt synergies to mineralizing and releasing both calcium and sulfur into the soil that you are applying the material to. • Moisture: microbes don’t grow in dry soil. You have to time your compost applications and incorporation of cover crops at a time of the year when there is sufficient moisture in the soil to allow microbes to do their work. Fall applications of compost prior to working up soil for seeding winter cover crops is very favorable for starting the nutrient cycling process. If you are going to turn under cover crops in the spring, it is best to do so when the cover crops are flowering and there is still moisture in the soil. If you are applying concentrated organic fertilizers, you also want to make sure that they end up in an area that will have sufficient moisture to mineralize and work. • Warmth: Microbes won’t grow well in cold soil. Most decomposers need temperatures of at least 60 degrees F to grow. Applying concentrated fertilizers to cold soil won’t work effectively until the soil is around 70 degrees F. • Air: While the soil microbes need moisture, they won’t perform very well under water logged conditions when there is no oxygen in the soils. Under these conditions, denitrification of organic fertilizers can occur releasing NO 2 which is a potent greenhouse gas. If nitrates are present just ahead of a long irrigation, they may get leached right through the root zone, ending up in the water table where they are causing contamination. It is important to irrigate following fertilization in a way that provides for the needs of the plant but doesn’t leach nutrients beyond the root zone. Strategies for Fertilizing with Concentrated Organic Fertilizers • Foliar sprays: These materials are Continued on Page 20 18 Organic Farmer August/September 2019
California Organic Fertilizers, Inc. Producing Organic Fertilizers for over 28 Years We are available to help you develop an agronomy based fertility plan including Nitrogen Budgeting, food safety planning and/or crop quality improvement. We are Certified Crop Advisors and are very skilled in organic crop nutrition. If you are experiencing low yields, poor crop quality, soil health issues, excessive nitrogen usage or costs, or plant disease problems, give us a call. We can help. COFI offers free consultations, custom nutrient planning and in-field evaluations for all crops from alfalfa to zucchini. 10585 Industry Ave., Hanford, Ca 93230 ♦ 800.269-5690 ♦ www.organicag.com ♦ info@organicag.com August/September 2019 www.organicfarmermag.com 19
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Organic Farmer Aug/Sept 2019

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