5 SOLUTIONS
KNOW WHERE TO START
M1. Mineral Balance
Mineral balance means having the main 12 nutrients within their min-max ranges plus having a basis of trace-elements in the soil. Foliar Fertilization has its function is very specific cases but we need to have at least the balance in the soil.
Use the SoilBalance Calculator Tool as input or find a good producer, advisor or research that indicates what quantity of 12 nutrients are needed for a specific productivity and/or plant-density.
Find a reliable laboratory to send a good soil sample. Make sure to follow guidelines for taking a soil sample like on the SoilBalance Website.
With the crop’s nutrient requirements and the soil analysis, calculate the required nutrients that should be added through fertilization or liming. Find a reliable advisor and/or use the SoilBalance Calculator.
With the required nutrients from your calculation define which fertilizers and minerals to use, in what quantities and at which moments in time. This requires more knowledge which requires an advisor and the SoilBalance Calculator.
Leaf-analysis, either total leaf or leaf-sap analysis indicate what the plant is able to absorb. Taking young and old leaf samples and using reliable labs gives insight in how to adjust the fertilizer program.
The SoilBalance model has developed a quick-start mixture that combines a broad group of different microbes to the soil with different nutrients and biostimulantes.
M2. Microbiology Balance
Improving the microbiology can be done by adding mixtures of microorganisms and biofertilizers to the soil and/or improve conditions in the soil for beneficial microbes.
Adding beneficial bacteria, fungi and other microbes to the soil helps populate the soil and improve root and plant conditions. Beneficial microbes fight against harmful ones and suppress diseases, they help make nutrients available in the soil and improve nutrient uptake through root-stimulation. Biodiversity is the key in microbiology, the more different species, the stronger the soil and plant.
You can buy commercial products but you can also learn how to make your own. It is not difficult but there are a few tricks to fermentation and biology we can help you with. Such a production process can either be done on-farm or at a central location to provide multiple farmers with biofertilizers.
Even if you add microbes to the soil, that doesn’t mean they will thrive or survive. They need the right conditions like a balance pH, organic matter, soil-structure with good air and water content. Through liming, compost and covering the soil we can improve these conditions.
M3. Organic Matter
This term combines all kinds of different residual components from biological origin varying from vegetative material, animalmanure and microbiological biomass. It is thebasis for a healthy and well-structured soil but not always easy to manage in all soil types. In our model we combine short-term available carbon-based products with longer term composts and manures.
Short-term solutions create quick results in plant health and productivity and little by little improve the soil. The longer term solutions are needed to reconstruct or regenerate a healthy soil over a period of 3-5 years.
- Mulch and weed clippings
- Live cover, noble weeds
- Animal manure
- Compost
- Bokashi
- Biochar
- Leonardite
- Humic/fulvic acids and micro-carbons
- CO2 from air (microbes)
- Microbiological mass
Through our AgroCircular Solutions & Advice Network and we can provide specific practices depending on the soil, crop and local conditions. This includes advice on composting and production of biofertilizers in a way that we know what we are producing and guarantee high quality.
M4. Soil Management
These are mainly the typical recommendations in Regenerative Agriculture like no-tilt plouging, crop-rotation and covercrops,. Through our AgroCircular Solutions Network and Advice Network we can provide specific practices depending on the soil, crop and local conditions. This includes advice on composting and production of biofertilizers in a way that we know what we are producing and guarantee high quality.
M5. Monitoring
Where the 4 first M’s focus on implementing solutions towards improvements, the 5th M is all about measuring results and adjusting solutions. Nature cannot be reduced to a simple advice and agronomy still needs to be checked in the field. All the suggestions we do we want to see how the plant and the soil react. Are we happy with the results, great, continue with the solutions. Do we see it can be better, even better, we learned how it works and can improve our strategy.
Good monitoring requires practical indicators, measuring methods, lab-analysis and use of data from satellite and measurement equipment. The SoilBalance model has a basic set of indicators and methods one can use, either on paper or through practical software. Data in a centralized way saves time, minimizes errores and improves recommendations.
