Not using muck

[Banana Bar]

For years we have imported sewage sludge and chicken muck. No doubt it’s increased our P levels, OM levels, I don’t know, probably very little from sludge. Cattle muck seems to be the best for OM imho.
By using rotational cover crops ahead of spring crops and although not yet setup for this using some catch crops across let’s say 60% of the farm every year could I avoid muck ( and TSP )?

BB

 

[Brisel]

1. Avoid oxidising OM with cultivations and high rates of N
2. Maximise biomass to harvest atomospheric carbon into soil carbon, which you're doing now
3. Add as much carbon as you can import. Compost is particularly good if you have a good clean source. Many shy away from deployment licences and there are cowboys about but these are cheaper than buying in high demand PAS100.
4. Get your soil biology in good order - consider pesticide option choice if possible to avoid products that damage soil organisms.
5. Join BASE UK if you haven't already
6. Fibrophos is a good cheap source of P
7. Edited to add: Ensure good soil structure and drainage. A waterlogged soil will burn OM quickly and anaerobically plus will never be productive.

 

[Banana Bar]

1. Avoid oxidising OM with cultivations and high rates of N
2. Maximise biomass to harvest atomospheric carbon into soil carbon, which you're doing now
3. Add as much carbon as you can import. Compost is particularly good if you have a good clean source. Many shy away from deployment licences and there are cowboys about but these are cheaper than buying in high demand PAS100.
4. Get your soil biology in good order - consider pesticide option choice if possible to avoid products that damage soil organisms.
5. Join BASE UK if you haven't already
6. Fibrophos is a good cheap source of P

Thank you, really good points there.

 

[Brisel]

I don’t mean to patronise - some obvious ones in there but worth considering the whole picture IMHO.

 

[Banana Bar]

I don’t mean to patronise - some obvious ones in there but worth considering the whole picture IMHO.

Not taken as patronising. [emoji106]