Blog Post
A successful growing season starts long before you see new growth in the field. Beneath your crop, your soil’s mineral particles, organic matter, microorganisms, water, and air interact to create the environment where roots establish and plants grow.
Every field is different, and understanding what’s happening beneath your soil’s surface can give you valuable context as you plan for your next crop. So, what should you know about your soil before the growing season begins?
Start with Your Soil
Have five minutes? Watch Episode 1 of the TriCal Group Soil Health Video Series for an introduction to the physical, chemical, and biological components of soil and how they work together.
Watch Episode 1: Soil Health
In this episode, you’ll explore several questions that can help you better understand your own field:
- What is your soil made of? Sand, silt, and clay determine your soil’s texture and influence how it behaves.
- Why does your soil’s structure matter? The arrangement of soil particles affects water movement, air exchange, and the conditions your roots encounter as they develop.
- What does organic matter contribute? Organic matter helps support soil structure and important processes within your field.
- What’s living beneath the surface? Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes are among the organisms that make up your soil’s biological community.
- Why should you protect your topsoil? Erosion can remove valuable topsoil and affect your field’s long-term condition.
- How can soil knowledge help you plan? Understanding your field’s characteristics gives you a better starting point when evaluating management options before planting.
What Your Soil Can Tell You About Pre-Plant Management
Before planting your next crop, it’s worth considering what you know about your field and what you may need to investigate further.
Your soil’s texture, structure, organic matter, nutrient availability, and biological activity all contribute to the growing environment. Together with your crop, field history, and known pest or disease pressures, these factors can help inform your approach to pre-plant management.
In certain crop production systems, pre-plant soil fumigation is used to address specific soilborne pests, pathogens, and other targeted problems. Whether it’s an appropriate option for your field depends on several considerations, including the crop you’re growing, your field’s history, the target organisms, soil conditions, and applicable product directions.
Understanding your soil is one part of that evaluation. Working with qualified agricultural advisers can help you assess your field’s specific challenges, explore appropriate management options, and determine which approaches align with your production goals.
Keep Digging Deeper
Episode 1 of the TriCal Group Soil Health Video Series is a starting point for learning more about the environment beneath your crop. Future topics include soil microbiology, crop performance, pre-plant soil fumigation, and other factors that influence soil management.
We believe that understanding what’s happening beneath the surface is an important part of planning for the season ahead. When you have a clearer picture of your soil and the challenges your field may face, you can ask more informed questions and have more productive conversations about your management options.
Have questions about pre-plant soil management?
Contact our team to discuss your questions and learn more about available soil management resources. Contact us at (669) 327-5076 or email [email protected].
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