Soil | OSU Extension Service

Nutrient management

OSU Organic Fertilizer & Cover Crop Calculator: Predicting Plant-available Nitrogen

Describes the OSU Organic Fertilizer & Cover Crop Calculator and using it to predict plant-available nitrogen.

Dan Sullivan, Nick Andrews, Clare Sullivan, Linda Brewer | May 2019 | OSU Extension Catalog

Camelina Nutrient Management Guide for the Pacific Northwest

Camelina is a drought-tolerant, low-input, oilseed crop grown throughout the U.S. Pacific Northwest. This publication provides soil fertility recommendations—including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and soil pH adjustments—for ...

Amber Moore, Don Wysocki, Tracy Wilson | Feb 2019 | OSU Extension Catalog

Nutrient Management for Pastures: Western Oregon and Western Washington

Describes nutrient management practices for pastures to produce forage as a main feed source for western Oregon and Washington livestock.

Amber Moore, Gene Pirelli, Shelby Filley, Dan Sullivan, Melissa Fery | Jan 2019 | OSU Extension Catalog

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Soil organic matter as a soil health indicator

Testing for soil organic matter helps you monitor soil health over time. Good soil management practices can improve soil organic matter in three to five years. Learn about sampling, testing and how to interpret results for your soil.

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Soil erosion and conservation

Selecting successful cover crops for your hop yard

This fact sheet is designed to help guide commercial hop growers in selecting cover crops. The guide discusses pros and cons for four different cover crop strategies: annual fall-planted, annual spring-planted, annual re-seeding and...

Betsy Verhoeven | Sep 2019 | Article

Soil, Seedbed Preparation and Seeding for Hemp

Growers planting a successful commercial crop of hemp for seed, fiber, or resin will follow these guidelines for soil preparation, seeding, and irrigation.

Richard Roseberg, Valtcho Jeliazkov, Sam Angima | Aug 2019 | OSU Extension Catalog

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Soil sampling and testing

Soil Nitrate Testing for Willamette Valley Vegetable Production

A soil nitrate test measures the concentration of nitrate in the soil at a specific moment in time, including nitrate originating from organic inputs, fertilizer, and soil organic matter. This publication describes how to use ...

Dan Sullivan, Nick Andrews, Aaron Heinrich, Ed Peachey, Linda Brewer | Jan 2019 | OSU Extension Catalog

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Soil health

Nutrient and Soil Health Management for Sweet Corn (Western Oregon)

This guide integrates recommendations for nutrient management with cover cropping practices that promote soil health. Recommendations for nutrient rate, source, timing and placement for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, ...

Dan Sullivan, Ed Peachey, Aaron Heinrich, Linda Brewer | Jan 2020 | OSU Extension Catalog

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Latest Content

Five ways to improve soil

Soil: the literal and biological foundation upon which all gardens are built. Healthy soil provides nutrients, structure, and moisture holding capacity that contribute to plant growth. Ideally, it also contains a healthy microbiome ...

Nicole Sanchez | Mar 2019 | Article

How to Use Compost in Gardens and Landscapes

Compost is a soil amendment consisting of partially broken-down organic material. Use compost to improve soil for vegetable gardens, landscape areas and lawns. Learn how to apply the correct amount of compost and how to avoid common compost mistakes.

Weston Miller | Feb 2021 | OSU Extension Catalog

Soil: The Dirty Secrets of a Living Landscape

Soil is a living ecosystem that includes minerals, air, water, habitat for creatures and the creatures themselves. Soil provides plants with nutrients, water, physical support and air for roots. Soil also houses macro- and ...

Gordon Jones | Dec 2020 | OSU Extension Catalog

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Gardening Techniques

Water Management and Conservation

Upcoming Events

Mar 9

Dirt gone bad: When your soil amendment has been contaminated | Growing Oregon Gardeners: Level Up Series

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Mar 22

Weed Control and Soil Development Using Tarping and Solarization

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm PDT Online

Meet Our Experts

Amber Moore

Soil Fertility

Ruijun (Ray) Qin

Crop & Soil

Betsy Verhoeven

Assistant Professor of Practice

Clare Sullivan

Small Farms and Specialty Crops

Clare Sullivan is out of the office until April 2021 on maternity leave. She will not be responding to email.

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Are there pollution standards for bagged soil?

Q: Bagged garden soils have no information about their source or safety. I recently bought bags (big box store) and am concerned about where the soil was actually mined. There were some weird things included in each of the ...

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