Soils http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/category/soils.html en Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Impact of Changing From Nitrogen- to Phosphorus-Based Manure Nutrient Management Plans http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-310/442-310.html Animal manures are a good source of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) for agricultural crops, but they have an imbalance in their N to P ratio, so that if they are applied to meet crop N needs, then P is overapplied. For many years, manures have been applied to meet crop N needs, which has resulted in some soils containing more P than crops require, leading to environmental concerns. Regulations have been developed to limit P losses from manures and soils high in P by moving manure nutrient management from an N basis to a P basis.

]]> Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:46:46 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-310/442-310.html Virginia No-Till Fact Sheet Series Number Six - Nitrogen Fertilizer Sources and Properties http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2908/2908-1405/2908-1405.html Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:47:35 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2908/2908-1405/2908-1405.html Virginia No-Till Fact Sheet Series Number Five - Understanding Ammonia Volatilization from Fertilizers http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2908/2908-1404/2908-1404.html Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:32:11 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2908/2908-1404/2908-1404.html Soil Test Note 5: Fertilizing With Manures http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-705/452-705.html Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:21:32 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-705/452-705.html Building Soil Organic Matter with Cover Crops http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1381/2906-1381.html When growing vegetables and specialty crops, a soil high in organic matter is very desirable. When examining soils in Virginia, we struggle to find soils that are naturally high in organic matter.

]]> Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:44:57 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1381/2906-1381.html The Organic Way - Selecting Green Manure Crops for Soil Fertility http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1374/2906-1374.html In organic growing the philosophy behind soil fertility is to feed the soil and the soil in turn will feed the cash crop. Cover crops, green manures, animal manures and sound crop rotations are used to improve and/or maintain soil fertility. This article focuses on the use of green manures.

]]> Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:04:08 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1374/2906-1374.html A Powerful New Insecticide for the Organic Grower http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1340/2906-1340.html Entrust 80WP® is a new insecticide manufactured by Dow, and it will be available commercially by mid-April 2003. Entrust contains the active ingredient spinosad, which is in the naturalyte class of chemistry. Spinosad is a fermentation product produced by the soil-dwelling actinomycete Saccharopolyspora spinosa.

]]> Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:49:17 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1340/2906-1340.html Organic Production - Some Thoughts and Considerations http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1317/2906-1317.html Across the state, organic production of specialty crops is on the increase, particularly on small farms and direct market operations.

]]> Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:06:38 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1317/2906-1317.html Organic Matter Application--Can You Apply Too Much? http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1316/2906-1316.html Fall is an excellent time to clean-up fields and plan for future crop nutrient requirements as well as increasing soil organic matter content for your farm field management program.

]]> Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:56:55 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1316/2906-1316.html Agronomy Handbook, 2000 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/424/424-100/424-100.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/424/424-100/424-100.html Precision Farming Tools: Soil Electrical Conductivity http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-508/442-508.html Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is a measurement that correlates with soil properties that affect crop productivity, including soil texture, cation exchange capacity (CEC), drainage conditions, organic matter level, salinity, and subsoil characteristics. This publication discusses: 1) How, with field verification, soil EC can be related to specific soil properties that affect crop yield, such as topsoil depth, pH, salt concentrations, and available water-holding capacity; 2) Soil EC maps often visually correspond to patterns on yield maps and can help explain yield variation; and 3) Other uses of soil EC maps (Table 1), including developing management zones, guiding directed soil sampling, assigning variable rates of crop inputs, fine tuning NRCS soil maps, improving the placement and interpretation of on-farm tests, salinity diagnosis, and planning drainage remediation.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/442-508/442-508.html Soil Sample Information Sheet for Commercial Crop Production http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-124/452-124.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-124/452-124.html Soil Sample Information Sheet for Home Lawns, Gardens, Fruits, and Ornamentals http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-125/452-125.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-125/452-125.html Soil Sample Information Sheet for Commercial Greenhouse and Nursery Production http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-126/452-126.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-126/452-126.html Soil Sample Information Sheet for Surface Mined Areas http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-127/452-127.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-127/452-127.html Soil Sample Information Sheet for Golf Courses and Industrial Lawns http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-128/452-128.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-128/452-128.html Soil Sampling for the Home Gardener http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-129/452-129.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-129/452-129.html Compost: What Is It and What's It To You http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-231/452-231.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-231/452-231.html On-Farm Composting - A Guide to Principles, Planning & Operations http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-232/452-232.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-232/452-232.html Agricultural Land Application of Biosolids in Virginia: Production and Characteristics of Biosolids http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-301/452-301.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-301/452-301.html Agricultural Land Application of Biosolids in Virginia: Regulations http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-302/452-302.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-302/452-302.html Agricultural Land Application of Biosolids in Virginia: Managing Biosolids for Agricultural Use http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-303/452-303.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-303/452-303.html Agricultural Land Application of Biosolids in Virginia: Risks and Concerns http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-304/452-304.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-304/452-304.html Agricultural Management Practices And Soil Quality http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-400/452-400.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-400/452-400.html Soil Test Note #1 - Explanation of Soil Tests http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-701/452-701.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-701/452-701.html Soil Test Note #2 - Field Crops http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-702/452-702.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-702/452-702.html Soil Test Note #3 - Forage Crops http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-703/452-703.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-703/452-703.html Soil Test Note #4 - Trace Elements http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-704/452-704.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-704/452-704.html Soil Test Note 18: Lawn Fertilization for Warm Season Grasses http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-718/452-718.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-718/452-718.html Soil Test Note 19: Vegetable and Flower Gardens (Supplement to Soil Test Report) http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-719/452-719.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-719/452-719.html Soil Test Note 20: Home Shrubs and Trees http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-720/452-720.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-720/452-720.html Soil Testing for the Lawn and Landscape http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-540/430-540.html

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Soil Testing for the Lawn and Landscape, Publication #430-540

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-540/430-540.html Sources of Lime for Acid Soils in Virginia http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-510/452-510.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-510/452-510.html Soil Test Note 17: Lawn Fertilization for Cool Season Grasses http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-717/452-717.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-717/452-717.html Laboratory Procedures: Virginia Tech Soil Testing Laboratory http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-881/452-881.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/452/452-881/452-881.html Phosphorus, Agriculture & The Environment http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/424/424-029/424-029.html Phosphorus (P) is a naturally occurring element that can be found in the earth's crust, water, and all living organisms. Phosphorus (P) is one of 16 elements that are essential for plant growth. Soils in Virginia are naturally low in phosphorus, and most cropping systems on these soils require supplemental phosphorus to maximize their yield potential.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/424/424-029/424-029.html Nitrogen Soil Testing For Corn in Virginia http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/418/418-016/418-016.html An adequate supply of plant-available nitrogen (N) is crucial for efficient corn production, and corn N requirements are greater than any other nutrient. For example, a corn crop yielding 150 bushels per acre typically contains about 165 lbs N in the grain and stover, or approximately 1.1 lbs N/bu grain. These calculations are based on actual N uptake, and allowances must be made for actual fertilizer use efficiency and soil N availability.

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