Kristen Sindelar
Whenever I take a test, I tend to feel anxious until the results are back. So waiting since March for the soil test results from the Nebraska Urban Soil Health Initiative (NUSHI) felt like an eternity. Now magnify that anxious feeling—these soil samples were indicative of seven years of work to improve the soil in my garden.To add to the suspense, only onesample for one group in the garden study, known as 2X for the number of soil health practices implemented, has been tested so far. The area I am really curious about—the 4X group—is still being tested.Going by the 2X test results, though, it looks like I have areas of improvement.
All soil samples submitted as part of the NUSHI study were analyzed at Ward Laboratories in Kearney. To better understand the results, Ward Labs provided a thorough assessment guide.
Dr. Sam Wortman of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) department of agronomy andhorticulture, who is spearheading thestudy, recorded a helpful video explaining most of the chemical, biological and physical analyses used. He also shared how to interpret the test values.
Before delving into the soil test results from the 2X plot, here’s a little background on my gardens. The 4X group is in an area where sand had been piled. This area has been a garden for three years now, since I read that carrots and potatoes love sandy ground. Only now, the sand turns into concrete after rain. This is the area that I am eagerly awaiting for the soil sample results.The 2X plot was farmed up until eight years ago. Alfalfa was the last crop grown here, which may help explain why the nitrogen levels are acceptable. Also, this is where I planted nitrogen-fixing peas, green beans and dry beans the past two years.
A special assessment conducted for NUSHI tested water stable aggregates, an important physical indicator of soil health. It shows the soil texture (sand, loam, clay, et.) The 2X plot scored 89 and is considred sand or fine sandy loam. I was surprised because the surrounding ground seems to be primarily clay.
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The organic carbon to organic nitrogen ratio of the 2X plot was low at 3.4. Wortman said in the video that a good balance is between 7 and 15. To improve organic carbon, the Ward Labs assessment guide suggested a 10% legume and 90% grass cover crop in this area. In the past, I have mulched the garden with layered newspaper and ground hay. Apparently this was not enough to boost my carbon. I am curious how adding cover crops to the rotation will affect the organic carbon in the next round of soil sampling.
The Ward “soil health score” is unique to their sol assessment. The guide describes it as a “quick reference regarding the health of a soil compared to other soils under different management systems.” Wortman said that no one in the study scored above 40.
No one’s garden plot was perfect. Wortman gave suggestions for changing the soil health based on the present deficencies. Not surprisingly, these same options are integrated in the NUSHI study: adding carbon with cover crops, reducing soil disturbance through no till, amending the soil with compost or biochar.“The take-home message is that everybody still has room for improvement to try to boost these leading indicators of soil health,” said Wortman.
All NUSHI samples will also undergo organic matter fractionation analyses by Dr. Michael Kaiser, assistant professor at UNL. A fairly in-depth process, this test will take three to six months to complete.
A corncob is evidence of raccoons ransacking the sweetcorn patch.
Submitted photo
In the meantime, this August I started to pick a few green beans, tomatoes and, of course, Dunja zucchini. The squash bugs and grasshoppers have taken a bite out of my harvest, though. So have the raccoons.
Since we live close t a creek, warding coons away from the sweetcorn patch is a yearly battle – one that I always lose. This season, my arsenal included planting pumpkins within the patch. I was told that raccoons don’t like stepping on the prickly vines.As the sweetcorn ears neared maturity, I then set live traps on the cornrow ends. The raccoons must have thought these were the perfect step stools to reach the corn more easily. And seeing the way the one pumpkin was gnawed into, it seems they enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast omplete with sweet corn and pumpkin pie.
Deterring wildlife from my garden will at least keep me occupied as I await the remaining soil test results.false
Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at Kristen.Sindelar@midwestmessenger.com.
Tags
Nushi
Nebraska Urban Soil Health Initiative
Soil Health
Gardening
Soil Test
Soil Carbon
Sweet Corn
Raccoon
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