Smart Farming Solutions

Plant growth can vary significantly depending the soil composition. This is perfectly illustrated with the basil plants in the picture. The two pots to the left have muck soil, rich in organic matter. The two pots to the right are filled with sand. The pots were seeded at the same time. As you can see, the growth rate difference is nothing short of remarkable.
Organic rich soils, those containing humus, are the best soils to grow most plants. They retain both moisture and nutrients. Humus particles are both positively and negatively charged. As a result, positively charged ions such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, as well as negatively charged nitrates and phosphates bind to their surface. Water is also held to the surface of the humus colloids. This physical property of humus prevents leaching of nutrients and retards water evaporation. Humus soils are also rich in microbial life, essential for the transport of nutrients to the root zone, and nitrogen fixation.
Sandy soils on the other hand have no physical means of retaining water, nutrients or bacteria. Nutrients are rapidly leached with rain; and the soil also rapidly looses moisture. Nevertheless, some plants (such as cucumbers and tomatoes) thrive in this environment as long as moisture and fertilizers are available.
I find that most potting soils on the market are too light of a mix to grow garden vegetable without constant watering. This can be remedied using Hydretain. Hydretain is a remarkable liquid humectant, which retains moisture at the root zone and limits moisture evaporation. Unlike polymer beads that must be incorporated in the soil at time of planting, it can be sprayed on the lawn or pot at any time. Hydretain is a huge hit with golf course superintendents because they can cut their water use by 50% to 70%, saving them tens of thousands of dollars in water cost every year.
Another solution is to make your own mix, specific to the plant you want to grow. For example, for tomatoes, I combine an equal mixture of potting soil, backyard sand and topsoil (muck). This gives me a good balance between drainage and nutrient retention. I also add Inoculaid at planting and every two weeks thereafter. Inoculaid is a newly available strain of beneficial bacteria, that create moisture in the soil and turns nitrogen in the atmosphere to ammonia that the plants uptake. As a result, I cut my fertilizer use in half. Another reason for using Inoculaid is that the beneficial bacteria attack harmful pathogens. I no longer use fungicides, even during our hot and wet summers.
So before buying any potting soil, first determine the plant’s needs in term of water and nutrients and also consider your climate. For example, if you live out west in a desert or semi desert conditions, a typical peat potting soil will fail to provide the necessary moisture. In such case, making your own mix may be more appropriate.

***Image Courtesy of Purdue University***

If you are experiencing a drought and do not sufficiently overhead irrigate your lawn or garden your plants may suffer a double blow. First, the stress from the lack of moisture in the soil; and secondly, the toxicity of excess salts in the soil. Moisture is necessary to dissolve inorganic fertilizers; and to trans-locate these nutrients to the root zone for absorption. In drought condition, the capillary force from moisture evaporation will bring salts up to the surface. Some salts can be quite toxic to plants such as the ions of sodium, chlorine and carbonates. For example, sodium competes with the essential nutrient potassium, thereby making it difficult for plants to uptake potassium. Symptoms of salt damage include stunted plants, small dark bluish leaves and scorched, white leaf margins. These appear first in the older leaves which have been transporting and accumulating salts for the longer time. Salinity can also be a problem for potted plants, which remain in the same pot for a long time.
The easiest way to measure salts is with an EC meter. EC stands for electro conductivity. Salts increase electrical conductivity of water. The type of soil can also affect the EC reading. For example, clay or humus rich soils will have higher readings than sand due to their colloid charges and their ability to retain water.
Plants vary in their tolerance to salts. For examples onions, tomatoes, cucumbers strawberries are very sensitive to salts above an EC reading of 2 dS/m. However, damage can result at a much lower salt level when the plant is also exposed to heat stress. Most lawn grass varieties are tolerant to a much higher level of salt. Nevertheless, without overhead irrigation with water low in salts, the grass will suffer. This is becoming an issue with communities and golf courses using recycled water.
This is where Hydretain comes in. It is a liquid humectant, which is easily sprayed on plants and sod. It makes a moisture barrier around the root zone, absorbing soil moisture and preventing it from evaporating into the air. In addition, it contains bivalent ions (with two positive charges ++), which displace sodium (+), thereby neutralizing its detrimental effects. Hydretain is a proven and powerful antidote for drought and salt build up on the soil surface.
For more information, go to http://www.smartfarmingsolutions.com/

What is causing the soil to turn white on the surface? Can you guess the conditions which would create this problem?

This soil is from South Florida muck. We have been having the usual winter/spring drought, with sunny days and low humidity. The sample was obtained from a region which has been intensely farmed for many years. In addition, irrigation is via seepage, not overhead. The water comes from below. Combine years of fertilization and low soil moisture and you get a situation where fertilizer recrystallizes as moisture evaporates, with the lighter metals depositing on the surface.

Depending on the plant's tolerance to salts, this can be a big problem. Interestingly, this plant has been potted for two weeks and watered every two days. Yet, the salts are having difficulty dissolving.

One more bit of information, the soil sample lab result revealed calcium levels beyond the chart.

How do you resolve this problem? Short term, hope for rain or irrigate from overhead.

Long term, reduce fertilizers by applying beneficial bacteria which turn nitrogen in the air to ammonia. Inoculaid will do the trick. Hydretain will also help by providing a moisture barrier around the root zones to limit evaporation and to retain soil moisture.