How to Remove Compaction, Manage Nitrogen, and Build Soil Health Fast with Tainio and John Kempf

In this recorded webinar hosted by Tainio Biologicals with AEA founder John Kempf as the guest, John, along with Steve Becker and Dennis Warnecke from Tainio, engage in an informative discussion on soil health and effective methods to encourage healthy soil biology. They cover the specific roles of mycorrhizal fungi, how to deal with high salt concentrations, and the best soil-building practices for the fall. Visit the Tainio website at www.tainio.com to learn more about their biological products.

[@marynunn1708]

Exciting discussion and information. Thanks!

[@gopalkrishnajonnalagadda1650]

Very nice explained many many thanks John

[@ashwinpatel4537]

Great Thanks john

[@n5lul010]

Will be checking my compaction layer divisor in the next few days. Thanks for the hint! I took it as " just get your post hole digger and knife, get down on your hands and knees, and look for yourself". So simple.

[@jimmartindale]

It's even simpler to examine the root system of the plants. They will give a detailed account of soil density barriers and bio-chemical interference with normal development.

[@jimmartindale]

The clients in SW Kansas and John need to watch desert soils in central Victoria gain water content while growing a crop. In one growing season a soil which is only 5% clay, the balance silt and very coarse sand created a 2 inch layer of muddy soil between 7 and 9 inches in depth underneath a hairy vetch haycrop that yielded 25% more than the precipitation received would have supported. This soil moisture was retained and provoked to rise through capillary action produced by operation of the CurseBuster tillage tool to germinate a crop of barley the following year which set a farm record in a record dry growing season. The reason the vetch was able to contribute to residual moisture content was because the root system as able to achieve that depth. Crops had not done that much downward penetration for over 30 years or shortly after the farmer began direct seeding his crops.

[@manuelharms6933]

Hi John, would it make sence apply bradhyrizobium japonicum in a cover crop mix without or a little bit of soybean in de fall. And do you recommend adding molasses in the inoculating tank for bacteria and fungus for a better response?

[@xxpowwowbluexx]

Re that last question, would that mean applications of SeaShield with Rejuvenate and Spectrum in the soil around a house would kill termite populations, as well?

[@Banarama174]

Great info! Thanks

[@AdvancingEcoAgriculture]

Hi Juan, we're glad to hear that you enjoyed this webinar. Thanks for sharing! - The AEA Team

[@denniskemnitz1381]

Great presentation. Which genus ,species aerobic microorganisms in general on average are most desired for successful regenerative ag using aea methodology..

[@Mydas99]

I would like to ask: if Rejuvenate, and Spectrum, and Sea Shield are applied at recommended rates in the fall, for example to a 100 acre field (but purposely not applied on the area of a long 'test strip' that bisects that field) then what minimum width do you recommend that the 'test strip' should be?

[@AdvancingEcoAgriculture]

Our consultants recommend the 'test strip' be at least 100 feet wide at the minimum.

[@stevenjohnson7180]

Where can we get these products at.

[@AdvancingEcoAgriculture]

These products can be bought on the AEA website at www.advancingecoag.com. You can also call AEA's customer care team at 800-495-6603 for product information and access.

[@jimmartindale]

John, You clearly defined a compaction problem in the 4th to 6th inch depth as a major source of difficulty for plants and assumedly for the microbiology as well. Then you waltzed around solving this problem (4-6" depth) and focused on a ripper seemingly as the solution. Is that you really intended to do? That would be a different ripper than I have ever seen that we normally would call a ripper.

[@djpaz75]

Check out talks by Gabe Brown. He modified his strip tiller (I think) which he describes in more detail. I think it may be the same concept.

[@jimmartindale]

"Obsessed against fall tillage" comment by John. Obviously John believes that fall tillage must impact nitrogen content in the soil since he says that the microbiome can access all the N resources needed (I assume for decomposition but not stated to be so) without the benefit of fall tillage. There is a problem associated with this in climates where the water table is recharged during the winter period. If gas exchange is limited due to macropore occlusion by silt particles, whatever depth at which this barrier exists will greatly impact gas exchange or available O2 and N2 resources for the soil microbes to decompose plant materials. In fact, residual N from whatever source which remains in the root zone is subject to denitrification in waterlogged soils. I obsess over not running a CurseBuster in the fall of the year or anytime it is possible before spring conditions exist. Anaerobic soil conditions are the breading ground of soil pathogens and the graveyard for natural predatory microbes.

[@djpaz75]

I don't think you heard him correctly. He said don't till in fall, but the most important do not lay down nitrogen in the fall. Anyhydrous ammonia doesn't stay attached over the winter so you are ensuring it denitrifies or goes into the water table. The tillage point is that soil microbiome is most active over the winter. If you till in the fall, you ensure the organic matter stays there, is not broken down, goes anaerobic, creates unwanted artifacts in the soil. If you listen to enough of John's speeches you'll see the pattern.