Crop Nutrient & Monitoring Programs
Our approach to building soil health and managing pest and disease begins by boosting the nutrient levels of your crops. Plants that are healthier produce more root exudates to feed soil biology and fuel nutrient cycling, have a more robust root system and rhizosphere, and produce secondary metabolites and higher lipid and protein profiles, triggering plants natural immune and defense systems. Based on our lab tests and initial consultation, we develop a 3 month to 18 month nutrient management program (depending on your main crop type).
Getting Started
We start our work with an initial one hour site visit. The $150 site visit includes a soil fertility lab test, recommendations for amending your soil and is the first step in developing your regenerative farm plan. Those interested in installation or maintenance services may schedule a consultation and estimate with our team during the site visit for an additional $100. Each additional consultation hour is $75.
What’s included in your Basic Crop Nutrient and Soil Health Report
Soil fertility sample collection and submission to lab (one sample based on up composite of up to 8 representative locations);
Plant leaf tissue sample collection and submission to lab (1 sample);
Soil sample collection and submission to lab to test for total carbon present and carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio in your soil (1 sample);
Map identifying areas sampled (based on diagnostic or prescriptive crop needs) and recommendations for a basic annual soil testing program to monitor improvements over time;
Recommendations for specific types of soil amendments and carbon amendments (e.g. vermicast, compost, biochar), application rates, frequency & methods. Recommendations are based on targets for growing food that is nutrient-dense.
Cost: $360*
*Shipping and tax not included
**Soil paste, sap analysis and soil or water toxicity lab results available upon request as an add-ons and not including in the cost of this report.
What’s included in your Soil Health & Crop Nutrient Management & Monitoring Program
All of the services available in the basic package above plus:
USGS Soil Survey Map and Summary of your soil properties and management challenges;
Summary of field health soil health indicators (e.g. compaction layers, amount of macro soil life, biopores and general rhizosphere health, soil aggregate structure and water holding capacity);
Our one year crop nutrient and monitoring program starts with a 1.5 hour consultation. During this first part of our consultation, we learn about your current soil amendment and fertilizer practices and do a general assessment of any crop nutrient deficiencies and/or pest and disease pressure.
During the second part of our consultation, we collect a standard soil fertility tests. (Soil paste, which includes your irrigation water, and leaf tissue analysis are available at an additional cost and based on the pricing of our labs).
Soil Health Field assessment, including an assessment of compaction zones over 200 psi and 300 psi (both indicative of restrictive plant root growth and nutrient availability), Electric Conductivity Field test, pH and nitrate field strip test.
Identification of limiting factors with soil health;
Recommendations for practices to improve soil health to address limiting factors (e.g. customized cover cropping plan);
Spreadsheet with annual crop nutrient program, identifying the source, rate, and timing for foliar spray and fertilizer applications for one main crop and based on the phenological stages;
Estimated cost of amendments and where to source;
Annual service to receive new information on the application rate, frequency and application method if you choose to try a different fertilizer or amendment.
*Soil paste, soil or water toxicity lab results (available as an add-on costs)
**Shipping and tax not included
COST: $725*
*Shipping and tax not included
**Soil paste, sap analysis and soil or water toxicity lab results available upon request as an add-ons and not including in the cost of this report.
What’s included in your Pro Crop Nutrient Management & Monitoring Program
All listed above from the packages above.
We provide the foliar spray and fertilizer products and apply them for you over a three month period. This is a great way to work side-by-side and learn from us so that you feel confident to do this on your own.
We conduct monitoring of nutrient deficiencies, crop pest and disease for you & record plant sap Brix levels .
Cost: This is a customized program based on the scale of your farm and customized needs of plant nutrient and fertilizer products. A cost-estimate for this service is provided after a two hour consultation is paid in advance (hourly rate for consultation is $75 per hour).
Testing for Toxins & Nutrient-imbalances from Irrigation Water
Soil paste and Irrigation water ($150 add-on) includes a site visit to sample the soil, irrigation water, lab submission of the soil sample, and recommendations. The soil paste test is especially important if your pH is already out of ideal range, as bicarbonates and other nutrients in your irrigation lines can contribute towards nutrient excess and imbalances in pH. Please inquire about a la carte pricing if you’d like to include tests for specific heavy metals, pesticides and other contaminants. Soil paste tests are a good indicator of the soluble nutrients that are available in the soil solution and readily plant-available. Soil paste tests also identify potential toxicity provided through your soil and irrigation water supply. In addition to the standard information provided on a soil fertility test, including macronutrients, pH, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), this test also includes micronutrients, EC, ammonium and nitrate tests. This shows the amount of plant available forms of nitrogen available in the soil (consider comparing this test with a sap analysis of the amount of nitrate, ammonium, urea and amino acids). Our recommendations focus on identifying stable forms of nitrogen, such as hydrosalts which provide nitrogen in a more complex form of amino acids and proteins, saving your plant up to 25% energy which can be used to boost plant growth and yields. The soil paste taste and nitrate testing can also provide a snapshot into the efficiently your source of nitrogen fertilizer. These tests may indicate the need of a more efficient source of nitrogen fertilizer is needed for optimal plant health and should be used along with management practices that use the application of organic matter with a C:N ratio of 15:5 to improve the ability of the biological system to fix atmospheric nitrogen and to encourage plant absorption of large molecules (rather than single mineral ions) and endocytosis. Based on the minerals lacking in your soil paste test, we often recommend a foliar application of nutrients, ensuring an adequate supply of nitrogen, manganese, iron, magnesium and phosphorus to to increase photosynthesis and enough molybdenum and iron to ensure nitrogen-fixing microbes can make atmospheric nitrogen available for your plants.
Soil and Water Toxicity: Thank you for your patience as we update our lab in order to provide you with the most timely and relevant results. *Lands historically in pineapple production should be tested for the presence of Hepatchlor and Dibromochloropropane (DBCP).
Bulk Amendments & Custom Foliar Blends
We supply bulk soil amendments that are not readily available at other local ag supply retailers and custom blends for foliar spray applications based on your soil test and leaf analysis test. Please inquire about these products if you have an existing and recent soil or leaf tissue lab reports. You can also visit our ‘regenerative systems’ service page if you’re interested in growing your own fertilizers and amendments.