Blog
What should you know about your soil?
Are you concerned whether the soil in your field is functioning correctly? You should not wait for lower or poor quality crops as a prompt to check its condition; this should be a final warning to initiate changes. It is advisable to assess soil properties at least annually to prevent serious issues. How can this be done? This can be determined based on several factors, including biological activity, thickening, or crusting. This article will guide you on how to assess soil condition and maintain it using Rolmako tools.
Is there biological activity?
Up to 90% of all soil functions result from the activity of microorganisms within it. Biological activity is thus the most crucial indicator of land health. Evaluating a field from this perspective is straightforward—create an open pit and examine what resides below the surface. It is best to conduct this observation in spring or autumn, as high temperatures and dry soil in summer may distort results. What should please a farmer?
Welcome organisms include spiders and predatory beetles from the Carabidae family (easily identified by their black bodies and swift movement across field surfaces). They compete with pests, such as small pests (up to 3 mm), consuming up to 60% of cabbage midge larvae. Their presence in your field indicates an abundance of food. Additionally, the mycelium hyphae facilitate symbiosis with plant roots, significantly enhancing crop quality and yield. Beneficial fungi also secrete polysaccharides (a type of sugar), which help soil particles aggregate into larger elements (aggregates - further details are provided below).
The most desirable factor is the presence of earthworms. These small invertebrates are considered a farmer's best ally for good reason. The tunnels they create facilitate water infiltration and provide an excellent environment for young root development. Additionally, earthworms convert organic matter into nutrient-rich natural fertilizer, surpassing all mineral fertilizers in quality. Their ability to loosen the soil effectively replaces the need for expensive mechanical plows. The number of earthworms is a crucial indicator of soil biological activity.
How to Enhance the Well-being of Earthworms and Other Organisms in Your Field?
First, discontinue plowing. This practice disrupts the natural habitat of earthworms. Additionally, the absence of plant cover forces beetles and other small predators to abandon the field due to a lack of shelter. Plowing also damages the delicate mycelium network. Utilizing Rolmako tools for no-plough cultivation, such as cultivators-grubbers, disc harrows, and tillage rollers, promotes efficient and environmentally friendly farming while increasing biological activity in your field.
What does the plant cover look like?
Plant cover protects deeper soil layers from the adverse effects of raindrops and erosion. The roots of cover plants function similarly to reinforcement in concrete, enhancing soil stability. Consequently, they maintain soil condition, prevent water erosion and evaporation, and facilitate movement within the field. Additionally, soil protected by plant residues or cover crops retains warmth longer in winter and warms up faster in spring, allowing crops and forecrops to commence growth earlier.
In addition, maintaining plant cover provides sustenance for earthworms and other beneficial organisms, thereby fostering the biological life of the soil. Harvest residues serve as effective autumn-winter cover for the earth. Ensure their even distribution over the entire field surface, using tools such as a Rolmako SpringExpert mulching harrow or a combination of a cultivator with mulching harrow a ComboTill. If plant remains do not decompose but rot, this indicates either improper cutting and mixing with the soil or low biological activity.
Are soil aggregates stable?
Soil aggregates are particles combined into larger structures that adhere to plant roots and mycelium hyphae. Their stability can be assessed through a simple test: if the soil resembles cottage cheese after digging, it indicates the presence of stable aggregates. The absence or instability of aggregates significantly increases soil erosion as water flows off the field surface, leading to soil crusting when water drops fall on unstable aggregates. The solution is to maintain an even plant cover, which helps disperse large drops during heavy autumn rains, allowing them to soak into the surface without damaging the soil aggregates.
Are there any soil compactions?
Excessively compacted areas arise in the field due to vehicle wheels during plowing, years of cultivation at the same depth, or cultivation of overly moist soil. Thickenings obstruct plant roots, forcing them to grow parallel to the field surface rather than vertically. This hinders water retention in the soil and reduces its availability for plants. How can one assess if there are compactions in the field? Ponding water is a likely indicator of such an impermeable layer at some depth. To confirm, a soil penetrometer can be used. How can soil profile compactions be addressed? Rolmako deep looseners, including a subsoiler and a chisel plow, are employed to remove them.
What is the color of the soil?
The color of the soil largely depends on its type and region. Chernozems and black soils are very dark, almost black. Brown soils are gray or brown-gray, and podsolic soils exhibit a rusty hue due to iron precipitation. Generally, darker soil is more fertile because it contains a higher amount of organic matter in the humus. However, even the most fertile soils can degrade due to mismanagement. Therefore, if your field is located in Poland, where chernozems naturally occur, and the soil is light in color, agrotechnical measures should be implemented promptly to restore the fertile arable layer.
Regenerative farming practices are utilized to rebuild humus. Recommendations include eliminating plowing (no-plow and ultra-shallow cultivation), maintaining plant cover throughout the year (as mulch, forecrops, catch crops), and enhancing biological activity. Rolmako offers a variety of agricultural machines to support these objectives: harrows designed for different soil types (light for light soils and heavy for clay soils), cultivators, chisel plows, and cultivating units.
The most desirable factor is the presence of earthworms. These small invertebrates are considered a farmer's best ally for good reason. The tunnels they create facilitate water infiltration and provide an excellent environment for young root development. Additionally, earthworms convert organic matter into nutrient-rich natural fertilizer, surpassing all mineral fertilizers in quality. Their ability to loosen the soil effectively replaces the need for expensive mechanical plows. The number of earthworms is a crucial indicator of soil biological activity.
How to Enhance the Well-being of Earthworms and Other Organisms in Your Field?
First, discontinue plowing. This practice disrupts the natural habitat of earthworms. Additionally, the absence of plant cover forces beetles and other small predators to abandon the field due to a lack of shelter. Plowing also damages the delicate mycelium network. Utilizing Rolmako tools for no-plough cultivation, such as cultivators-grubbers, disc harrows, and tillage rollers, promotes efficient and environmentally friendly farming while increasing biological activity in your field.
What does the plant cover look like?
Plant cover protects deeper soil layers from the adverse effects of raindrops and erosion. The roots of cover plants function similarly to reinforcement in concrete, enhancing soil stability. Consequently, they maintain soil condition, prevent water erosion and evaporation, and facilitate movement within the field. Additionally, soil protected by plant residues or cover crops retains warmth longer in winter and warms up faster in spring, allowing crops and forecrops to commence growth earlier.
In addition, maintaining plant cover provides sustenance for earthworms and other beneficial organisms, thereby fostering the biological life of the soil. Harvest residues serve as effective autumn-winter cover for the earth. Ensure their even distribution over the entire field surface, using tools such as a Rolmako SpringExpert mulching harrow or a combination of a cultivator with mulching harrow a ComboTill. If plant remains do not decompose but rot, this indicates either improper cutting and mixing with the soil or low biological activity.
Are soil aggregates stable?
Soil aggregates are particles combined into larger structures that adhere to plant roots and mycelium hyphae. Their stability can be assessed through a simple test: if the soil resembles cottage cheese after digging, it indicates the presence of stable aggregates. The absence or instability of aggregates significantly increases soil erosion as water flows off the field surface, leading to soil crusting when water drops fall on unstable aggregates. The solution is to maintain an even plant cover, which helps disperse large drops during heavy autumn rains, allowing them to soak into the surface without damaging the soil aggregates.
Are there any soil compactions?
Excessively compacted areas arise in the field due to vehicle wheels during plowing, years of cultivation at the same depth, or cultivation of overly moist soil. Thickenings obstruct plant roots, forcing them to grow parallel to the field surface rather than vertically. This hinders water retention in the soil and reduces its availability for plants. How can one assess if there are compactions in the field? Ponding water is a likely indicator of such an impermeable layer at some depth. To confirm, a soil penetrometer can be used. How can soil profile compactions be addressed? Rolmako deep looseners, including a subsoiler and a chisel plow, are employed to remove them.
What is the color of the soil?
The color of the soil largely depends on its type and region. Chernozems and black soils are very dark, almost black. Brown soils are gray or brown-gray, and podsolic soils exhibit a rusty hue due to iron precipitation. Generally, darker soil is more fertile because it contains a higher amount of organic matter in the humus. However, even the most fertile soils can degrade due to mismanagement. Therefore, if your field is located in Poland, where chernozems naturally occur, and the soil is light in color, agrotechnical measures should be implemented promptly to restore the fertile arable layer.
Regenerative farming practices are utilized to rebuild humus. Recommendations include eliminating plowing (no-plow and ultra-shallow cultivation), maintaining plant cover throughout the year (as mulch, forecrops, catch crops), and enhancing biological activity. Rolmako offers a variety of agricultural machines to support these objectives: harrows designed for different soil types (light for light soils and heavy for clay soils), cultivators, chisel plows, and cultivating units.
What does the plant cover look like?
Plant cover protects deeper soil layers from the adverse effects of raindrops and erosion. The roots of cover plants function similarly to reinforcement in concrete, enhancing soil stability. Consequently, they maintain soil condition, prevent water erosion and evaporation, and facilitate movement within the field. Additionally, soil protected by plant residues or cover crops retains warmth longer in winter and warms up faster in spring, allowing crops and forecrops to commence growth earlier.
In addition, maintaining plant cover provides sustenance for earthworms and other beneficial organisms, thereby fostering the biological life of the soil. Harvest residues serve as effective autumn-winter cover for the earth. Ensure their even distribution over the entire field surface, using tools such as a Rolmako SpringExpert mulching harrow or a combination of a cultivator with mulching harrow a ComboTill. If plant remains do not decompose but rot, this indicates either improper cutting and mixing with the soil or low biological activity.
Are soil aggregates stable?
Soil aggregates are particles combined into larger structures that adhere to plant roots and mycelium hyphae. Their stability can be assessed through a simple test: if the soil resembles cottage cheese after digging, it indicates the presence of stable aggregates. The absence or instability of aggregates significantly increases soil erosion as water flows off the field surface, leading to soil crusting when water drops fall on unstable aggregates. The solution is to maintain an even plant cover, which helps disperse large drops during heavy autumn rains, allowing them to soak into the surface without damaging the soil aggregates.
Are there any soil compactions?
Excessively compacted areas arise in the field due to vehicle wheels during plowing, years of cultivation at the same depth, or cultivation of overly moist soil. Thickenings obstruct plant roots, forcing them to grow parallel to the field surface rather than vertically. This hinders water retention in the soil and reduces its availability for plants. How can one assess if there are compactions in the field? Ponding water is a likely indicator of such an impermeable layer at some depth. To confirm, a soil penetrometer can be used. How can soil profile compactions be addressed? Rolmako deep looseners, including a subsoiler and a chisel plow, are employed to remove them.
What is the color of the soil?
The color of the soil largely depends on its type and region. Chernozems and black soils are very dark, almost black. Brown soils are gray or brown-gray, and podsolic soils exhibit a rusty hue due to iron precipitation. Generally, darker soil is more fertile because it contains a higher amount of organic matter in the humus. However, even the most fertile soils can degrade due to mismanagement. Therefore, if your field is located in Poland, where chernozems naturally occur, and the soil is light in color, agrotechnical measures should be implemented promptly to restore the fertile arable layer.
Regenerative farming practices are utilized to rebuild humus. Recommendations include eliminating plowing (no-plow and ultra-shallow cultivation), maintaining plant cover throughout the year (as mulch, forecrops, catch crops), and enhancing biological activity. Rolmako offers a variety of agricultural machines to support these objectives: harrows designed for different soil types (light for light soils and heavy for clay soils), cultivators, chisel plows, and cultivating units.
Are soil aggregates stable?
Soil aggregates are particles combined into larger structures that adhere to plant roots and mycelium hyphae. Their stability can be assessed through a simple test: if the soil resembles cottage cheese after digging, it indicates the presence of stable aggregates. The absence or instability of aggregates significantly increases soil erosion as water flows off the field surface, leading to soil crusting when water drops fall on unstable aggregates. The solution is to maintain an even plant cover, which helps disperse large drops during heavy autumn rains, allowing them to soak into the surface without damaging the soil aggregates.
Are there any soil compactions?
Excessively compacted areas arise in the field due to vehicle wheels during plowing, years of cultivation at the same depth, or cultivation of overly moist soil. Thickenings obstruct plant roots, forcing them to grow parallel to the field surface rather than vertically. This hinders water retention in the soil and reduces its availability for plants. How can one assess if there are compactions in the field? Ponding water is a likely indicator of such an impermeable layer at some depth. To confirm, a soil penetrometer can be used. How can soil profile compactions be addressed? Rolmako deep looseners, including a subsoiler and a chisel plow, are employed to remove them.
What is the color of the soil?
The color of the soil largely depends on its type and region. Chernozems and black soils are very dark, almost black. Brown soils are gray or brown-gray, and podsolic soils exhibit a rusty hue due to iron precipitation. Generally, darker soil is more fertile because it contains a higher amount of organic matter in the humus. However, even the most fertile soils can degrade due to mismanagement. Therefore, if your field is located in Poland, where chernozems naturally occur, and the soil is light in color, agrotechnical measures should be implemented promptly to restore the fertile arable layer.
Regenerative farming practices are utilized to rebuild humus. Recommendations include eliminating plowing (no-plow and ultra-shallow cultivation), maintaining plant cover throughout the year (as mulch, forecrops, catch crops), and enhancing biological activity. Rolmako offers a variety of agricultural machines to support these objectives: harrows designed for different soil types (light for light soils and heavy for clay soils), cultivators, chisel plows, and cultivating units.
What is the color of the soil?
The color of the soil largely depends on its type and region. Chernozems and black soils are very dark, almost black. Brown soils are gray or brown-gray, and podsolic soils exhibit a rusty hue due to iron precipitation. Generally, darker soil is more fertile because it contains a higher amount of organic matter in the humus. However, even the most fertile soils can degrade due to mismanagement. Therefore, if your field is located in Poland, where chernozems naturally occur, and the soil is light in color, agrotechnical measures should be implemented promptly to restore the fertile arable layer.
Regenerative farming practices are utilized to rebuild humus. Recommendations include eliminating plowing (no-plow and ultra-shallow cultivation), maintaining plant cover throughout the year (as mulch, forecrops, catch crops), and enhancing biological activity. Rolmako offers a variety of agricultural machines to support these objectives: harrows designed for different soil types (light for light soils and heavy for clay soils), cultivators, chisel plows, and cultivating units.
Related articles
Recommended articles
