Soil organic matter is important to good plant performance. Adding organic matter can improve any soil, no matter how compacted. Learn how to check your soil for organic matter and improve its quality with amendments.
Neil Bell, Dan M. Sullivan, Linda Brewer, John M. Hart |
May 2003 |
Extension Catalog publicationPeer reviewed (Orange level)
Photo by Flickr:Doug Beckers. (Cropped from original)
An inventory of all the different kinds of soils in many Oregon counties is available. These inventories were made starting in the 1970’s by soil scientists of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service in ...
Brad Withrow-Robinson, Debra Zaveson |
Dec 2007 |
Article
Wet soils and soil compaction can reduce plant growth, crop yield and animal utilization of pasture forage. Learn how to identify problems with excessive soil moisture and to know when it's safe to cultivate soils or turn out pasture animals.
Elizabeth Murphy |
Jun 2013 |
Article
Photo provided by Nick Andrews (Cropped from original)
Choosing a cover crop for a particular field involves keeping the purpose in mind. Is it to stabilize soil and reduce erosion? Or to increase organic matter or suppress weeds? Here's how to weigh the options.
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
Photos provided by Nick Andrews (Cropped from original)
Planting cover crops on commercial farms is a good idea that is often difficult to execute. But with the right crops and proper timing, it can be done. The effort will be rewarded with improved soil for future crops.
Cover crops can provide many benefits: weed suppression, erosion prevention, increased water infiltration and water-holding capacity, improved nutrient cycling and pollinator habitat. Each species provides different benefits and requires ...