Dr Elaine Ingham - Soil Workshops

[BAW]

How much compost would you need to spread per acre and how much manure would you need to make this compost?
Or does it not work with fixed rate for all soils?

 

[Farmersdaughter]

How much compost would you need to spread per acre and how much manure would you need to make this compost?
Or does it not work with fixed rate for all soils?

I think the usual application is 1 ton an acre, but have not done it yet to know. It is all about getting the soil biology right, and then using the right compost with the right microbes in. I am not sure how often you need to apply compost, it might be that you use it to help correct your soil, then if you maybe able to feed the soil by the correct use of crop residues, cover crops and topping up the soil biology with compost teas. I am just learning about it so I think only giving it a go will really tell how much and how often you need good compost. I think you can get to the same health soil without compost with the right cover crop, mob grazing no till etc but that compost route could be faster. I am looking at it as I want to find a better way of using slurry on the farm, so will be coming at it from the other way, how much compost can I make with the muck on the farm then work out which fields it best to apply to.

 

[NielsC]

Saw the post neilsc ,

Will the volume off compost needed cause probs ?
Where will the big tillage units only get there supply ?


It reads and sounds logical , but will anyone give it a trial

Don't think compost vols will be an issue
Arables can make it from straw and green crop, windrowed at a field margin

 

[part timer]

This correct compost that they are making, what is the correct balance and components?

 

[NielsC]

This correct compost that they are making, what is the correct balance and components?

It depends. And this is where the complexity of the method starts to show.
It basically depends on what your starting soil organism biomass is and what your target is, based on what you want to grow. This is all easier to achieve if you're not rotating. As then you don't have to keep reammending the soil.
Anyway. That's the the theory.