Soil Amendments
At Midwestern Bio-Ag, we recommend applying soil amendments to correct any mineral deficiencies in your soil in order to bring your soil fertility into balance. The soil amendments you need will be unique to your farm and your soils. Talk to a Midwestern Bio-Ag consultant to get specific recommendations for your farm.
Three of the most common soil amendments we recommend are:
Pelletized Chicken Manure
The analysis of our organic chicken manure pellets is 5% nitrogen (3% water insoluble 2% water soluble), 3% phosphorus, 2.5% potash and 9% calcium. Midwestern Bio-Ag uses only OMRI listed pelletized chicken manure.
To make our pelletized chicken manure, MBA uses poultry manure from layer hens. The poultry manure is dried, pasteurized and pelletized to create a pellet that can be used as a stand-alone organic fertilizer or in conjunction with an existing nutrient program. Poultry manure has long been recognized as a rich, natural source of nutrients and organic matter. In addition, manures supply other essential plant nutrients and serve as a soil amendment by adding organic matter. Poultry manure can deliver nutrients in a slow-release formulation that improves soil aeration and water filtration and prevents leaching, run-off and soil erosion.
Chicken manure pellets are more cost effective to ship than wet manure and can be spread with any spreader cart. Pelletized chicken manure is a better source than wet manure because fewer trucks are needed to haul it, less storage space is needed, and less time is spent filling up spreader carts. Pellets also allow for a uniform spreading pattern which puts the desired nutrients where you want them. Because pelleted chicken manure is stabilized, the smell is diminished and is much less offensive to you and your neighbors.
Tennessee Brown Rock Phosphate
Tennessee Brown Rock Phosphate has an analysis of 3% water soluble P2O5 with a total phosphate (both soluble and insoluble) of 21-25%. Tennessee Brown Rock contains about 20% calcium along with a full spectrum of trace minerals at low levels. It is OMRI listed and allowed for use in organic agriculture.
Tennessee Brown Rock (TBR) is one of the cleanest phosphates of any source tested by Midwestern Bio-Ag.
TBR is slow-release phosphorus, primarily used as a soil corrective by farmers who are trying to increase phosphorus levels in their soil. It is generally applied at a rate of 300-500 lbs per acre each year until soil phosphorus levels improve. A soil test can tell you if you are going in the right direction and when you have sufficient phosphorus levels in your soil.
Application tip:
TBR should be spread with a lime or wide apron spreader. An apron width of 18" or greater on a spreader cart should be used to spread this material effectively.
Sulfur Plus
Referred to as Super Sulfur Potash (SSP) by the company that mines it, this product is an all natural mined material and meets the National Organic Program (NOP) requirements for organic agriculture.
SSP, or Sulfur Plus, is a naturally mined material that comes from the surface of the earth in an ancient volcanic cone located in Nevada. It has a pH of about 3. This product is milled to a very fine to 1/8 inch particle size in order to maximize the amount of Sulfur Plus that comes into contact with the soil.
Without the use of acidified commercial fertilizers, organic farms can have trouble with rising soil pH. Farms using gypsum find that over time it will lose some of its effectiveness. Sulfur Plus, an acidifier, will help bring down pH without overloading the soil with sulfur. Once the soil pH is lowered to 6.5 to 6.7, other fertilizers work better as soil nutrients are more available at a lower pH.
If you are looking for a way to acidify your soil naturally and get the most out of your fertilizer dollars, try using Sulfur Plus. We think you'll like the results.
Application tip:
Sulfur Plus will usually spread using standard fertilizer spreaders. If the product becomes moist then bridging could occur in narrow apron carts.
