Producers have questioned the conventional advice to apply lime to change the pH of coastal soils. We look at one set of data on ryegrass pastures that shows the return on investment may indeed be modest.
What do we know about heavy metals in soil? What do we know about lead exposure through soil and garden plants? What do we know about cadmium and arsenic in soils? What can I do if I’m at risk for heavy metals in my garden soil?
Lorin Grigg grows onions and sweet corn under sprinkler irrigation in Quincy, Washington. In this publication, Grigg discusses his strategy for cover cropping to protect seedlings from windblown sand and reduce wind erosion.
This fact sheet describes recent discrepancies between SMP and Sikora buffer pH lime requirement tests for western Oregon soils and provides recommendations for what to do. Many soil testing labs in the U.S. are switching from ...
Nicole Anderson |
Sep 2019 |
Article
Photo Credit: Alyson Yates (Cropped from original)
Q: I have heard about applying lime to my lawn and garden to improve my soil. Can I use the pictured product, and how would I apply it? There are no application directions.
Discusses results of on-farm research conducted in the Willamette Valley from 1996 to 2001 to compare strip tillage with conventional tillage systems. More than 30 large-scale field trials were conducted on a ...
Pacific Northwest blueberry growers must identify and control a number of bacterial and fungal diseases in order to ensure the highest yields. Fortunately, only a few of the diseases that occur on highbush blueberry in this region cause significant losses when left unchecked.
Jay W. Pscheidt, Jerry Weiland |
Mar 2015 |
Article
Photo Credit: Alicja Neumiler - Adobe Stock (Cropped from original)
A collection of articles for growing vegetables in Central Oregon. Include general information, recommendations, soil temperatures, rhubarb, potatoes, cucumbers, beets, carrots, radishes, onions, tomatoes and tomatillos.
This collection of links and publications are compiled information about managing nutrient levels in your pasture. This includes soil testing and assessment, application of fertilizers and minerals, and nutrient cycling in a forage pasture.
The Oregon State University Soil Fertility Program has completed a formal evaluation of the Sikora buffer to replace the SMP buffer for estimating lime requirement in Oregon. Twenty-four acidic soils from Oregon were tested for actual lime requirement using a lab incubation of lime and soils. The actual amount of lime needed to reach pH targets of 5.6, 6.0, and 6.4 was highly correlated to the SMP buffer (r2 = 0.91-0.93) and the Sikora buffer pH (r2 = 0.91-0.93). These correlations are the basis for new updated lime recommendations for both Sikora and SMP buffer pH methods (Table 1) and will be used to update OSU extension guides containing lime recommendations. The new SMP recommendations are included for the time being for the remaining labs still using the SMP method, but may be phased out over time as more labs switch to Sikora. We thank the Oregon Tall Fescue Commission for providing the necessary support to complete this project.