No Till Food Plots - So Easy

[at1010]

One of the best parts of owning this company is getting to meet folks like you all! This is from a customer in Ohio - loving the diversity.

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[at1010]

Summer time foodplots -

Often we want to see a huge buck - who doesn’t?! However, what is the goal of a summer time foodplot?

Here at Vitalize our goal is to produce a ton of biomass and fast. We want to fix N and balance the C:N. We want to feed our local herd and prep our soils for Fall plantings via biological activity.

With a 5 weeks left to go before planting - this field is rocking and feeding deer and soil - as good as we could dream, regardless of the earlier drought.

 

[at1010]

Even when a plot looks lush - the importance of an exclusion fence is so critical.

- YouTube

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[at1010]

Here is another small field on the farm - planted in NitroBoost. This 13 way diverse mix is providing a ton of browsable forage for wildlife and a pile of nutrients for our soils.

Soon this field will be planted with our 16 way fall blend that will feed soil and wildlife from the time it’s planted to next Spring when we plant NitroBoost again.

The system is easy and flat works to cycle nutrients, feed soil, and feed deer.

Thanks to all who support us - we greatly appreciate you all!

 

[at1010]

Carbon load!!

I am so excited about this mix!

Triticale
Rye grain
Winter wheat
Oats
Austrian winter peas
Buckwheat
Hairy vetch
Crimson clover
Chicory
Frosty berseem clover
Fixation balansa clover
Daikon radish
Winfred forage brassica
Purple top turnip
Barkant turnip
Pasja forage turnip

Maximized diversity and maximized balance. Feeding soil and wildlife from planting to next planting (be it next Spring or even Fall!)!!

 

[at1010]

Healthy plants have healthy roots. Healthy roots communicate with a healthy microbial system including fungi and bacteria.

In the last two years we’ve seen so many highly degraded systems we decided we wanted to add our Seed Armr+inoculant free of charge for all Vitalize Seed orders.

However - we also want to offer to customers who don’t use our product but still want to give their biology, seeds and soil a jump start!

From helping nutrient uptake, N fixation, germination, and more - checkout our newest offering!

Seed Armor + Innoculant | Vitalize Seed Company

$24.99 per bag FREE SHIPPING ***Might be a little dusty, please wear a mask.*** This product is an insurance policy to ensure you have the right bacteria in ...

vitalizeseed.com

 

[at1010]

This picture may not look like much to some but to me - it shows months of hard work and planning.

When starting Vitalize Seed we wanted to offer the best quality, diverse mixes we could, help excite and educate folks on soil health, and most importantly - never stop learning.

Today we sent off a pile of soil samples and tissue samples of a very controlled experiment to further educate ourselves, friends and customers on what is having having quantifiable impacts on our biomass creation and biological activity below our feet - To be continued……

 

[at1010]

Busy time of year with a lot of content. Hope y’all don’t mind! Thanks for following along!

 

[at1010]

Always keep learning!!

I was so impressed to see the N fixation on this root mass from our Spring cover crop mix - NitroBoost, so deep in the soil profile. Much continued even deeper but wasn’t showing up well in photos.

This is why including deep tap rooted planted like radish - as we do in our Fall Carbon Load, is so critical.

Diversity and balance with a purpose!!

 

[bowhunter1023]

Help a brother out, Al. What are we looking at here and how can you tell the N fixed down to that level. Maybe explain why depth of N is important too if you would.

 

[at1010]

Help a brother out, Al. What are we looking at here and how can you tell the N fixed down to that level. Maybe explain why depth of N is important too if you would.

Hey man!!

So legumes are able to fix nitrogen on their own with a symbiotic relationship in the soil with a bacteria called rhizobium. This bacteria converts N2 from the air into plant assimilable Nitrogen. Often when we pull a bean or pea - we only get a small view of roots and see the white or pink nodules at 1-3inch depth. As I’ve continued to drive to learn more and push limits with testing and such - I continue to find more unique situations occurring, such as the depth in which I found these nodules.

Now - let’s say this plant was ate before all the N in those little factories was up taken - that is nitrogen deep in the soil profile. This is where and why having the N scavengers in mixes is important. They go find that deep and leachable Nitrogen. They keep it in the cycle and bring it back into the roots zone!!

This is recycling of free, atmospheric sourced fertilizer.

Here is a close up of the N fixation

 

[bowhunter1023]

So am I correct in saying that the deeper the N in the soil profile, the greater "return on investment". In other words, a great yield of the actual N sequestered by the plants doing that work. Otherwise, there's no incentive to pull it deeper?

 

[at1010]

So am I correct in saying that the deeper the N in the soil profile, the greater "return on investment". In other words, a great yield of the actual N sequestered by the plants doing that work. Otherwise, there's no incentive to pull it deeper?

Oh the rabbit hole we can go down! Haha

So the more N we are seeing is typically indicative of a good microbial and plant communication basis. That’s why we offer innoculant with our products now to act as “insurance” for the crops N and biological needs.

As for depth of N fixed - it’s important to note we would want N nodules all over the roots from top to lower areas. Now N is a leachable nutrient and will become nitrate if not assimilated before hand.

So having N at various depths is helpful not only for the current crop but the future crops grown.

this is why and where crop rotation (we preach our 1-2 system) is so critical. We have root structures and non legumes at various levels of the root zone to ensure we are grabbing as much N as possible to keep the N in the cycle.

now - I’d you produce too much N and don’t have a root to grab it 1 of 2 things happen or both.
1. N leaches and we waste a lot of spent energy that was used for N to be leached.
2. Microbes use the N but in turn they now need C - if they don’t have adequate C where do they go?!?! Humus or organic matter. That’s right - without balance we can consume our OM right out of our soils.

phew - I’m out of breath lol!!

 

[at1010]

This is a quick video we put together that highlights the simplicity behind the Vitalize Seed 1-2 System

 

[bowhunter1023]

So if I terminate a deep-N producing plot ahead of a N needing crop, I'm $ ahead on my fertilizer bill because presumably, my soil sample will indicate the N sequestration?

 

[at1010]

So if I terminate a deep-N producing plot ahead of a N needing crop, I'm $ ahead on my fertilizer bill because presumably, my soil sample will indicate the N sequestration?

So that depends on the sample - if it’s a standard test with a nitrate reading, you’ll get some available N. However, not all. This is why we often (specifically for deer) can get away with WAY less fert than recommended. Some of the N in the ammonium form or in organic forms not yet mineralized will not show up or be calculated on a soil test. This is why understanding your ground, fertility, consistency in soil testing, etc. all plays into managing fertility needs and expectations for that specific field.

in short - the test gives us an idea but not entire picture.

 

[at1010]

I’ve been blessed to be on a lot of podcasts.

I must say getting the opportunity to speak with the @dirtonflowers girls is way up at the top of my lists. Talking soils with farmers who are focused on yield and profit is absolutely an honor. Thank you @bloomhillfarm and @wildroot_flowerco - can’t wait to talk to you all soon! Get those cover crop plans solidified!!

EP 61: Feeding your soil with cover crops. Albert Tomechko of Vitalize Seed

Podcast Episode · The Dirt on Flowers · 07/14/2023 · 1h

podcasts.apple.com

@bowhunter1023 - she’s in your backyard - you should check her out. I bet the girls would love her farm.

 

[at1010]

Update on the light tillage plot

 

[at1010]

Every field can vary in fertility, browse pressure, size, biological activity and plan. This is why we rely so heavily on soil testing from our friends @wardlabs!

if we stick to the soil health principles to the best of our plan and get a few timely rains - we can grow some amazing wildlife pastures with limited to no inputs. Especially when using the Vitalize Seed 1-2 system.

Lime has been the only input on these fields to help with PH and cation base sat balance for the last 6+ years.

We are maximizing photosynthesis capture and feeding the soil to get ready for fall Carbon Load!!

 

[at1010]

A little explanation on base saturations and how I handle nutrients in a low ph environment - where I don’t want to change the PH.