Steve,
Paul Sachs ----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2003 12:41
AM
Subject: [compost_tea] Re: Soil
Sampling
Focus on turfgrass covereage, thickness, and
appearance. Many athletic fields suffer from inadequate turf care and
the vegetation is sparse. The goal is excellent
turfgrass establishment that is thick and durable. Good turn
reduces risk of injury to players.
Take pictures of the turf
with a digital camera mounted at a fixed height and location above
different spots in the field. Later, take digital pics from the
same location. A horticulture department can help you turn the
digital images into computer data that shows plant spread and soil
coverage, and to some extent composition in terms of grasses vs
broadleaves.
You may want to take a standard soil test showing
mineral elemental concentration, which is what most horticulture
people are familiar with.
But with CT you want to employ
microbial analysis parameters from SFI, for example.
You can also
use the NRCS Soil Health Test Kit to gain insight to compaction,
respiration, infiltration etc. as soil quality indicators.
A
sustainable turfgrass program would include mineral fertilizers, composts,
and CT's and/or related microbials and biostimulants.
ATTRA's
publication on sustainable turf care was recently updated and at 40
pages it is loaded with useful information and resources.
Sustainable Turf Care http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/turfcare.pdf
ATTRA's
resource list on alternative soil testing labs provides contact info to
soil test labs offering a range of viewpoints and analysis methods, and
it has references to soil fertility concepts and soil test
interpretation guides.
Alternative Soil Testing Laboratories http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/soil-lab.html
Best
wishes, Steve Diver NCAT / ATTRA
--- In
compost_tea@yahoogroups.com, "kevin john richardon" <kmagic@b...>
wrote: > We just recieved notice that the requisition is accepted and
to proceed with our first Muni Parks and Rec job; Hip Hip! Applying
TEA tomorrow to three baseball parks. COOL. > > We want
to develop a data set which will reflect the improvement applications of
TEA make to the playing fields. Before applying, we will be taking
soil cores from left, center and right field of each ballpark. We
will then pull cores three weeks after the initial application and three
weeks after each subsequent application (Full Season Applications are made
three times a year, 50 Gal TEA / acre and appropriate amounts of microbial
foods are put down with approx. 2K Gal H2O per application; dilution
dependent on weather and mood). > > This soil sampling aught to
help validate the continuation of the program. Data gives people
confidence to say, "Yeah, that stuff IS doing SOMETHING. The field is
BETTER." > > What should we test for to demonstrate
improvements? > > My thoughts are : > > *Total
Bacteria and Fungi (I think Active will change over the coarse of a season
and I would like numbers that reflect consistent progress, thats my
thoughts on not testing for Active ?) > *pH (does SFI test pH ?)(should
I do this myself somehow) > *OM (does SFI report OM % ?) > *Root
Mass, Depth (SFI ?)(or is this just a visual thang) > *Soil Structure
(How is this qualified ?) Porosity? > > Any other
suggestions? Feedback welcomed and appreciated. Samples to be
taken tomorrow and sent to SFI. > > Peace, Kev > >
Kevin John Richardson > Local Solutions > 19025 Villages Scenic
Pkwy > Anchorage, AK 99516 > (907) 522 0679 Land > auto
forwards to : > (907) 317 8455 Cell > kmagic@b...
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