Setting up a nutrient monitoring and maintenance program. This workshop will dive deep into the steps and tools used to monitor crop health. We will introduce you to proven method to rapidly build soil health by ‘jump-starting’ the health of your plants through a simple 3 month foliar spray and soil building nutrient regime. As part of this workshop you’ll learn how to conduct a leaf tissue analysis, incorporate info from a soil fertility and soil health test (see Workshop 3), how to use a Brix meter, how to create a 3 -month nutrient regime for your plants to address any nutrient imbalances identified from your lab tests and how to monitor improvements in crop health. We’ll also briefly go over methods for addressing sucking and chewing insects through nutrient applications. Although this workshop is focused on nutrient management, we’ll also touch on what will be covered in Workshop 6, to develop your own on-farm fertilizers and soil amendments. The cost of this workshop is $150 and includes a Brix meter. (The cost of the workshop is $85 for those who have signed up for the complete Growers Network Series).
Nutrient & carbon management
Tissue testing (See Workshop 3 on Soil Testing)
Maintaining C:N ratio in compost & fertilizer applications
Supporting carbon and nitrogen-fixing soil biology through essential nutrients & soil properties;
Monitoring root nodules of rhizobia and other carbon & nitrogen-fixing microbes.
Sources of organic & carbon amendments and fertilizers;
Hydrolysates verses emulsions (fish, soy, and other seedmeals);
Humic & fluvic substances;
Foliar spray programs & Brix;
Calculating contributions of cover crops for plant available nitrogen;
Monitoring forms and fluctuations in nitrogen for key crops.
Monitoring & managing pest & disease:
Reducing fungal diseases
Reducing pressure from sucking insects;
Reducing pressure from chewing insects;
Managing weeds
Measuring brix of crops & weeds - What is your system feeding?
Field-assessment of soil health from reading weeds & roots.
Establishing a baseline & system to monitor crop health.