Soil health and fertility are often overlooked despite being major input costs for farmers. But as this number continues to rise, more and more farmers are looking for ways to lessen the blow. Between 2022 and 2021, average fertilizer costs in Canada rose from $65 per acre to a staggering $140 per acre—over double the price in one year!
Fortunately, there are proven strategies for farmers to increase crop yields while protecting their bottom line. Read along with us here at Norstar Agriculture as we explore a few of these methods and more.
Prioritize Soil Testing
According to an Ag Access study, newer farmers generally test their soil often—being multiple times a year. In contrast, farmers with high levels of expertise are less likely to do so. But in many cases, testing this frequently is unnecessary, as the full effects of soil amendments often need years to take place.
So, how often should you get soil testing done? The answer varies from field to field. If you’re content with your crop yields and soil health, you may only need testing every 2 to 4 years. But if you’re actively looking to increase crop yield or are facing a soil fertility issue, you may benefit from annual testing.
The Nitrogen Trap
One common mistake we see farmers make when looking to increase crop yield is adding an excess of fertilizer, as a means of increasing nitrogen. While traditional NPK fertilizers should be applied during the season, excess nitrogen won’t help with other nutrient imbalances, pH changes, or soil structure issues.
Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for healthy crop development and is critical to support and facilitate key crop functions. From the creation of amino acids and protein formation to being a component of chlorophyll production, ensuring sustained nitrogen levels is essential for Canadian farmers. In order to find out if your soil can benefit from additional nitrogen, seek out a professional agronomist.
Feed the Soil, Not Just the Crop
When looking to increase crop yield, it’s important also not to overlook the healthy growth of organic matter in soil. Organic matter in soil is essential, supporting microbial flora and its activities. In soil, this looks like improved water retention, aggregation, and soil structure stability. Another key benefit is the natural, sustained source of nitrogen in organic matter, which breaks down and provides nutrients over time.
When there’s a severe lack of organic matter in the soil, crops aren’t able to hold onto essential nutrients as easily. Sufficient organic matter is necessary for CEC (Cation Exchange Capacity), which allows negatively charged soil ions to attract positively charged nutrient ions, including calcium and magnesium. Without CEC, nutrients are more likely to leach out of the soil.
While adding nutrients can help, they’ll have little impact if they’re unavailable to absorb or have been leached from the soil. This is where an organic soil-revitalizing amendment, like humic acid, can help. Humic acid soil inputs, like NOR-Hum, have shown impactful results to increase crop yield and field productivity. In fact, studies have found that when properly applied, the use of humic acid reduces chemical fertilizer use by up to 30%.
Grow Better with Norstar Agriculture
Getting your fields into shape is a long-term process, and it’s never too early to begin. Take the guesswork out of your soil health and increase crop yield with science-backed agronomy solutions. Reach out to us today to book your appointment with one of our agronomist experts.
