Soil Health Index Item Clarification -

Written – Written directions help your operation start right, and help keep you centered on what you want, and will help keep your intentions paid for. Ecosystem means historical vegetation and animals (pre-agriculture) – the context of your agricultural choices, similar to history, or else needing continued inputs. 0 – 10
Soil maps – Any soil maps, moisture maps and records, written measures of soil fertility, or a Haney type Soil Test to tell you of organic carbon available for plants. 0 – 10
EC, pH map – Electrical conductivity, pH maps allow recognition of your soil’s ability to grow plants, and to support the soil life that moves the nutrients to the plants. 0 – 10
Biologicals, micronutrients, biochar – while you maybe built up these factors long ago, using bio-mixes plus biochar is a fast way to build up your soil, after testing. Biochar is very long lived, hosts microbes, moisture, soil structure, aids soil mycorrhizae. 0 – 10
Many soil building cover crops – Carbon storage is mainly from plant roots and plant parts growing, dying and being broken down by microbes. Your goals in growing crops can put organic carbon in your soil for fertility and plant growth, control weeds and overcome growing problems. These complex crop choices are the foundation of our food supply nutritional integrity. See sare.org 0 – 10
No pesticides – Many pesticides can kill soil life, greatly reducing fertility, as well as killing the enemies of pests, may persist into food and are costly. 0-10
Plowing not used – Plowing is like a soil tornado – twirls the soil life. Soil health can be built back, but why plow? Use that no till drill. Little soil helpers thank you. 0 –10
Plant tissue monitoring – immediate knowledge of soil and plant health may come from field testing of plant sap – may be low cost. 0 – 10
Soil moisture monitoring – irrigation necessity, maybe less useful in non-irrigated crops- often vital in deciding planting or harvest dates. Find simple sensors. 0 – 10
Animals – Cattle, sheep, hogs, chickens can be rotated onto cover crops and cropland by fencing, forage volume, animal units plus operator skill, increasing fertility and profits. 0 – 10
Organic carbon monitoring – See satellite maps showing organic carbon of large areas. New measures may be coming. Try Haney type tests now – worth knowing. 0 – 10
Biosolids stabilized – treating or spreading your biosolids a soon as possible, uses nutrients that age out rapidly. Why pay twice – use your own. 0 – 10
No high-salt or soluble inorganic – Hard on your soil life, reduces nutrient transfer that your soil life offers to your plants. Soil content analysis shows you own that fertility already. No glyphosate– why kill something you grew and your helpers? Roll the problem or crimp it, get those plants to contribute to the soil. 0 – 10
Compost program – Carbon is the basis of photosynthesis or plant growth. Use your waste, your biosolids. Organic carbon is where your plant growth profit begins. 0 – 10
Soil covered three seasons – Feed the soil helpers, supporting soil health. 0 – 5
Soil carbohydrates 2% – That’s organic content, roots mainly. It would be a minimum amount for soil fertility, possibly enough to feed your little helpers. 0 – 5
Soil covered all year – Multiple trillions of little helpers will thank you. Your soil water absorption will amaze you. Your soil fertility will surprise you. 0 – 10
Soil is alive and changes daily, and roots feed the soil. If the roots die, the soil cycle is broken. Soil life and plants suffer. Nature attempts to cover all the soil, all the time. You will profit by doing the same. A scientific team measured the roots and root hairs of one single cereal rye plant – six thousand, four hundred and ninety-five miles! From Roots Demystified by Robert Kourik
Emergency chemical herbicide treatment – To be avoided by cover crop choices, but there can be a situation. Here is a cutting edge of no-till. Weeds are usually friends, pointing out problem areas in the soil. An example being thistle growth pointing out anaerobic conditions due to wet soil. Mow thistle when it blooms and increase soil structure. Operators face difficult choices, often. Never used is a 10.
Aerial monitoring – get that drone. Record your viewing or just observe. Save time and money. Check out the satellite map for you location’s general organic carbon photo map reading. Many problems and also your progress can be seen from above.. 0 – 10
Soil carbs 3% – This 3% is good, more is better! Think of historical prairie soils reaching 12%! Carbs (carbo(n)-hydrates) have the organic carbon plants require to grow. 0 – 10
Knowledge of nutrients and ionization – soil chemistry is basic for growers. Don’t leave it to someone else. You may know more than you think. 0 – 10
1. 1. https://grabngrowsoil.com/blog/understanding-basic-soil-chemistry/
  2. https://www.soils4teachers.org/chemistry
  3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0933363097000020
  4. https://deepgreenpermaculture.com/2022/07/24/what-is-soil-cation-exchange-capacity

Soil maps – Any soil maps, moisture maps and records, written measures of soil fertility, or a Haney type Soil Test to tell you of organic carbon available for plants. 0 – 10

EC, pH map – Electrical conductivity, pH maps allow recognition of your soil’s ability to grow plants, and to support the soil life that moves the nutrients to the plants. 0 – 10

Biologicals, micronutrients, biochar – while you maybe built up these factors long ago, using bio-mixes plus biochar is a fast way to build up your soil, after testing. Biochar is very long lived, hosts microbes, moisture, soil structure, aids soil mycorrhizae. 0 – 10

No pesticides – Many pesticides can kill soil life, greatly reducing fertility, as well as killing the enemies of pests, may persist into food and are costly. 0-10

Plowing not used – Plowing is like a soil tornado – twirls the soil life. Soil health can be built back, but why plow? Use that no till drill. Little soil helpers thank you. 0 –10

Plant tissue monitoring – immediate knowledge of soil and plant health may come from field testing of plant sap – may be low cost. 0 – 10

Soil moisture monitoring – irrigation necessity, maybe less useful in non-irrigated crops- often vital in deciding planting or harvest dates. Find simple sensors. 0 – 10

Animals – Cattle, sheep, hogs, chickens can be rotated onto cover crops and cropland by fencing, forage volume, animal units plus operator skill, increasing fertility and profits. 0 – 10

Organic carbon monitoring – See satellite maps showing organic carbon of large areas. New measures may be coming. Try Haney type tests now – worth knowing. 0 – 10

Biosolids stabilized – treating or spreading your biosolids a soon as possible, uses nutrients that age out rapidly. Why pay twice – use your own. 0 – 10

Compost program – Carbon is the basis of photosynthesis or plant growth. Use your waste, your biosolids. Organic carbon is where your plant growth profit begins. 0 – 10

Soil covered three seasons – Feed the soil helpers, supporting soil health. 0 – 5

Soil carbohydrates 2% – That’s organic content, roots mainly. It would be a minimum amount for soil fertility, possibly enough to feed your little helpers. 0 – 5

Soil covered all year – Multiple trillions of little helpers will thank you. Your soil water absorption will amaze you. Your soil fertility will surprise you. 0 – 10

Aerial monitoring – get that drone. Record your viewing or just observe. Save time and money. Check out the satellite map for you location’s general organic carbon photo map reading. Many problems and also your progress can be seen from above.. 0 – 10

Soil carbs 3% – This 3% is good, more is better! Think of historical prairie soils reaching 12%! Carbs (carbo(n)-hydrates) have the organic carbon plants require to grow. 0 – 10

Knowledge of nutrients and ionization – soil chemistry is basic for growers. Don’t leave it to someone else. You may know more than you think. 0 – 10