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Soil health has deteriorated considerably in recent years as soils have become more and more compacted, a leading soil fertility expert has said.
“The only way you can tell if your soil is compacted is by looking into it,” Dr David Atherton from Thomson and Joseph said.
“The spade is one of the most effective tools on the farm … you have to get in there and examine what the soil is like. I find digging a hole is quite useful,” Dr Atherton added, saying that silage quality has also deteriorated in the past 20 years as a result of deteriorating soil health.
Dr Atherton was speaking at a Lakeland Agri grassland walk in Clones, Co Monaghan, on Wednesday.
Some 200 farmers attended the KT-approved event which took place on Alan Mackeral’s farm. Other speakers included Stan Lalor from Grassland Agro as well as crop companies Goldcrop, TP Whelehan and Germinal.
You physically have to disrupt it, you have to go in with a ripper or an aerator and break up that compacted soil
Dr Atherton said compacted soil had a very tangible consequence for farms – a reduction in grass growth.
“Moderately compacted soil reduces grass growth by 20% to 25%, while seriously compacted soil reduces grass by as much as 40% to 45%.
“There’s a goldmine of nutrition locked up in soil. There’s phosphorus and potassium locked up in soil needed to get that extra kick of grass.
“If you can bring seriously compacted soil to moderately compacted soil, you’ll be able to grow that extra 20% or 25% of grass,” Dr Atherton said.
The best way to improve the compaction of soil is to break it up, Dr Atherton said.
“You physically have to disrupt it, you have to go in with a ripper or an aerator and break up that compacted soil.
“The machine needs to be driven at speed. It’s not just about making a cut but disrupting that soil,” he said.
He added that the soil needs to be dry and the best time to do it is outside the peak grass growing season of April, May and June as an aerator will damage the grass itself.
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