b'7 Ways to Prepare Your Field and Improve Your Soil Health for Spring PlantingHOW YOU PLANfor spring planting this fall can make all themicrobes. Investing in organic fertilizer application in the fall difference in next seasons soil health and crop quality. Preparedto support microbial activity can also make the most of your growers start by analyzing soil quality and soil structure tosynthetic fertilizer in the spring and summer, even with current improve soil health. Soil quality is how well your soil functions, ormarket scarcities and extreme price increases. how well it does its job. Soil health is your soils ability to support an ecosystem, or the biological integrity of your field. Use theIncorporate a cover crop to improve soil quality andfollowing sustainable agricultural practices to support soil qualitysoil health.and soil health for a successful spring planting.Cover crops decrease erosion by 90%, and crops like legumes can add 100 to 150 lbs/acre of essential nutrients like nitrogen. Conduct a soil test.Select cover crop species or a mix to complement your crop Conducting a soil test to examine active, dormant, and/or miss- rotations. ing soil microbes, nutrient levels, and organic matter is critical to understanding the state of soil health on your farm. There are 1Choose a crop to best fit your crop rotation forbillion bacteria and 1 million fungi in a tablespoon of soil, but 75%spring planting. of those microbes are dormant due to starvation. Starving soilAvoiding monoculture can increase soil health through improved microbes cannot support efficient planting or effective residuesoil quality, and yield potential, all while decreasing greenhouse breakdown during the winter months. Consult with your cropgas emissions.adviser to select the right soil tests for your farm.Develop a robust seed treatment program.Make a plan to support your physical, biological, andCreate a customized seed treatment program by including chemical soil properties.innovative technologies with proven results to support a thriv-Meeting with your crop adviser can help develop a holisticing environment for your crops to promote germination, stand approach to improving soil health and soil quality. By support- establishment and vigor.ing each property of your soil, youll increase your yield potentialSustainable agriculture practices support soil health and soil and return on investments.quality, which compounds over timegenerating yield improve-ments and supporting long-term environmental benefits. Spring Address your fall crop residue on wheat, corn, and otherplanting season starts with a plan make yours sooner than later. small grain crops by feeding your soil microbes.The majority of residue decomposition is dependent on microbes. A carbon food source can wake up microbes and put them to work decomposing crop residue. Its an innovative way to break down residue to eliminate burning and reduce tillage for less challenges during spring planting, such as cold soil tempera-tures and piercing crop stubble that can puncture tractor tires. Additional returns can be seen through increased nutrient availability ($22 to $42/acre), warmer soil planting temperatures ($10/acre), tillage savings ($17 to $22/acre), and carbon credit for reduced tillage ($10/acre). Add compost and mulch to support your soil biology. Both compost and mulch act as a nutrient source for soil CASSIDY MILLIONDIRECTOR OF AG SCIENCE, HELIAE AGRICULTURECMillion@heliae.comwww.phycoterra.com26/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2022'