Southern CHICKENS

Organic Matter (O.M.)

• Increasing organic matter levels will help with the soils texture, structure, drainage, aeration, water holding capacity and dramatically improve soil biology. Working soil wet destroys organic matter. Organic matter (humus) holds three times more nutrients than clay.
• ​2% Organic matter is poor. Over 4% O.M. is ideal.

Phosphorus

• ​Phosphorus is most important in the storage and transfer of energy in the plant. It is essential in every metabolic process, protein synthesis, and nitrogen fixation. It is crucial for root development. Optimum phosphorus levels are needed for rapid seedling growth, winter hardiness, disease resistance, efficient water use, early maturity, and maximum yield.
• Phosphorus needs to be placed where it will be used, as it is less mobile in the soil than any other nutrient.
• Phosphorus becomes immobilized at low pH by large concentrations of aluminum, zinc and iron, and at high pH by too much calcium.
• Soft rock phosphate is the fastest working phosphate. 300#/acre is the minimum application.
• 2000#/acre of soft rock phosphate should supply enough phosphorus for decades.
• P1 tests immediately availability. 25 ppm is the minimum and above 40 ppm is ideal.
• P2 tests for future availability. 40 ppm is the minimum and above 60 ppm is ideal.

​Potassium

• Potassium is a regulator of metabolic activities. It is essential for photosynthesis and protein synthesis as well as carbohydrate transport and storage. It promotes root reserves, winter hardiness, cell development, strong walls, and reduces stalk lodging. Potassium improves water use efficiency, increases yield, improves crop quality, and reduces incidence of disease.
• Most soils have less than 1% of the potassium available. There are about 30,000 to 50,000 lbs. per acre of potassium in an average soil. It is possible to release small amounts of potassium over time by increasing microbial activity with compost.
• Apply sulfate of potash in April for orchard crops. Avoid winter and autumn applications as the potassium will be tied up in the soil before it can be used.
• Too much potassium ties up boron and manganese.
• 2% cation saturation potassium is the minimum and 5% is much better.

​Magnesium

• Magnesium is an essential component in the chlorophyll of green plants. It is also necessary for metabolic processes and in every operation involving phosphorus. Magnesium levels have important interactions with calcium, sulfur, and nitrogen. The ratio of magnesium to calcium should be around one to six.
• Having a soil with too much magnesium will take more nitrogen because the excess magnesium makes the soil too tight.
• The higher levels of magnesium in a sandy soil will help to tighten the sand. For sandy soil the optimum would be 16% to 20% and for clay soils closer to 12%. It will always be necessary to add more nutrients to a clay soil than to a sandy soil. 
• (Note: Two pounds of sulfur will take out one pound of magnesium when there is at least 60% calcium.

Calcium

• ​Calcium cation saturation needs to be over 60% before you add gypsum (calcium sulfate) to lower excess magnesium otherwise the sulfur in the gypsum will take out the calcium first. Add limestone first to raise calcium to 60%, and then add enough gypsum to raise calcium levels to 68%. One third of applied calcium will become available the first year and it takes 3 years to be completely utilized.
• ​Limestone applied to the surface of the soil will work its way into the soil at the rate of 1” per year.
• ​(Note: Applying more than 1 ton per acre of gypsum will put too much sulfur in the soil. Don’t add over 4 tons per acre of limestone in any one year.)

Sodium

• Widespread in nature, sodium is found in all plant material in amounts large enough to be analyzed. Yet although it does not seem to be necessary to the growth and development of plants, it is used advantageously, particularly when potassium is low. Sodium seems to be able to partly substitute for potassium.
• ​Excess sodium is a problem in many dry areas. Sodium toxicity to plants is often observed in saline and alkali lands and unfavorable soil structures can be present due to high sodium as well. Any time your sodium and potassium together are over 10% then the manganese won’t be able to get into the plant.
• ​With sodium levels below .1 % add 200 lbs. rock salt to raise levels to over .5%.

pH

• The acidity and alkalinity of soil is measured as pH . For the most fertile soil, the cation saturation is balanced and the pH will fall into a range of 6.3 – 6.8.

C. E. C.

• C. E.C. is the Cation Exchange Capacity and is a number which represents the soils ability to hold onto nutrients. A sandy soil has a C.E.C. of between 4 and 9 and cannot hold onto very many nutrients. A heavier clay soil would have a C.E.C. of over 16 and hold more nutrients than a sandy soil

Cation Saturation

• Cation saturation is the percentage of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and hydrogen on a soil test. The ideal calcium would be 68% to 72%. The ideal magnesium depends on how much sand or clay the soil contains. For sandy soil the optimum would be 16% to 20% and for clay soils closer to 12%. The ideal potassium would be at least 2% and 4% to 6% is better. The ideal sodium is at least .5% and not over 3%.

Nitrogen

• Nitrogen is an essential constituent of proteins such as chlorophyll, enzymes, and hormones. It has a predominant role among the soil nutrients and is needed in substantial amounts, but is also the most likely to be deficient. It is rapidly used by crops, can be volatilized into ammonia, and is easily leached. However, an excess of nitrogen can produce an imbalance in plant metabolism resulting in poor plant quality and susceptibility to pests and disease.
• ​Dangers of nitrogen overuse include: zinc deficiency, copper deficiency, burns out humus, drives out calcium but leaves magnesium and depletes sulfur. The more excess nitrogen that you use the more you will have to replace nutrients that were carried away by the leached nitrogen.
• ​Nitrogen and sulfur can leach out calcium. Nitrogen never leaches out magnesium, only sulfur does.

Sulfur

• Sulfur is a component of several amino acids which are essential for forming plant protein. It helps develop enzymes and vitamins, promotes nodule formation on legumes, aids in seed production, is necessary for good root development, improves taste, increases protein and reduces nitrates.
• ​Sulfur is often deficient in organically managed soils. Without sufficient sulfur the rate of organic matter decomposition is decreased. Humus helps hold sulfur in the soil. Sulfur feeds microbes and builds organic matter levels. Sulfur is very soluble and needs to be added in some form every spring.
• ​Two pounds of sulfur can leach out one pound of either calcium or magnesium.
• ​Sulfur can also leach out sodium and boron.
• ​Sulfur at 10 ppm. is the minimum and over 15 ppm. is ideal.
• ​(Note: Don’t apply more than 400#/acre sulfur or seed will have trouble germinating and soil biology will be damaged.)

Zinc

• Zinc is essential for the transformation of carbohydrates and formation of protein.
• ​Zinc should always be at a higher level than copper.
• ​36% Zinc sulfate is the best form to apply.
• ​10 lbs. of zinc sulfate will raise zinc levels 1.8 ppm.
• ​Don’t add more than 40#/acre of zinc sulfate to raise levels 7.6 ppm.
• ​Zinc is needed at a minimum of 4 ppm; 6 to 8 ppm is ideal and above 10 ppm is excessive.

Manganese

• Manganese holds and sets fruits, vital in many plant functions.
• ​Manganese sulfate is 23-27% manganese and it is the best form for raising soil levels.
• ​25#/acre of manganese sulfate will raise levels by 3.5ppm.
• ​Add a maximum of 200#s/acre of manganese sulfate to raise levels 28ppm.
• ​Manganese is needed at a minimum of 20 ppm, 40 ppm is ideal.

Iron

• Iron is essential for the formation of chlorophyll and for photosynthesis.
• ​Iron always has to be higher than manganese; when manganese is higher than iron it will tie up the iron. Over 75% cation saturation calcium will start tying up iron.
• ​Ferrous sulfate is the best form to apply. (Note: Don’t get it on the leaves or it will burn them. Ferrous sulfate will stain concrete.)
• ​100#/acre ferrous sulfate will raise iron levels 10.5 ppm.
• ​Don’t apply more than 400#/acre ferrous sulfate per year to raise levels 44 ppm.
• ​Iron is needed at a minimum of 20 ppm, over 50 ppm is ideal.  

Copper

• Copper is a enzyme activator and is a catalyst for respiration.
• ​Copper and boron are disease fighters. High organic matter soils tie up copper, most severe copper deficiencies are on high organic matter soils. Excessive copper can effect phosphate, zinc and iron uptake.
• ​Above 10 ppm, plenty of phosphates are needed because copper can tie up phosphorus the same way phosphorus can tie up copper.
• ​Too much nitrogen stops the uptake of copper.
• ​Add no more than 10#/acre of 23% copper sulfate every six months to the soil, this will raise soil levels .6ppm.
• ​Copper is needed in the soil at 1.5 ppm minimum and over 4 ppm is excessive.

Boron

• Boron promotes maturity with increased set of flowers, fruit, yield and quality.
• ​Boron is necessary for nitrogen conversion. Good boron levels make for good disease resistance
• ​Boron is the only micro-nutrient that once corrected will still need to be applied every few years.
• ​For excessive boron levels, make sure you have good calcium levels and then emphasize potassium. High calcium soils can cause a tie up of boron.
• ​Add no more than 10# Solubor per acre once a year to raise levels .2 ppm.
• ​For fungus control keep boron levels above 1.5 ppm.
• ​Boron levels of .8 ppm is the minimum, 1.5 ppm is ideal and 2 ppm is the maximum.

Formulas to determine the optimum nutrient levels.

• ​To figure desired calcium: CEC X optimum % (68%) X400 minus existing calcium.
• ​To figure desired magnesium: CEC X optimum % (12% to 18%) X 240 minus existing magnesium.
• ​To figure desired potassium: CEC X optimum % (5% to 7%) X 390 minus existing potassium
• ​An example for calcium would be a soil with a CEC of 10.0, and a desired calcium percent of 68%. Change from PPM to #/acre on soil test by multiplying by 2.
• ​10 X .68 X 400 = 2720 lbs. of calcium. If the soil already has 2120 lbs. of calcium, 2720-2120 = 600 lbs. of calcium needed. With 600 lbs. of calcium in a ton of limestone this soil would require a ton to raise calcium levels to 68%.