In this video, Helen talks about adding organic plant material to soil throughout the year instead of all at once.
These were:
- approx 2-4 tons per acre of mowed hay mulch added to soil each year
-high carbon pruned branches with high nitrogen leaves added from the 2 prunings each year after being chipped to bits
-and composted off-farm yard waste added 1-2 times per year (~2 tons per acre)
Emphasis was put on the need for at least 30% of the soil to be left uncovered in order to create a habitat for the beneficial insects and microbes.
The carbon to nitrogen ratios of these materials and the timing of the application are important.
When taking out trees in the orchard, the ground was tilled to prepare for vegetable growth. This was done for 2-3 years before new trees were added.
These practices are analyzed and the nitrogen numbers exceeded expectation.
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