The Musgrove family has used the services of an agronomist for many years. It’s vital for us to know and understand the soil that our willow is being planted in. Otherwise, how can we expect to grow the best crop with minimal chemical intervention?
An agronomist tests soil samples regularly here to ensure, amongst many other things, a balanced pH, a good level of microbial activity and a high organic matter content.
Growing willow in Somerset
There is a very good reason why the Musgrove family has been living and farming on the Somerset Levels for nearly a century. It’s a fantastic area for growing high quality willow. That being said, the soil differs immensely over the 200 acres that we farm. (More on that a little later…)
Our aim is to work with nature rather than against it, so pesticide use is kept to a minimum. This can be tricky as some of the varieties of willow grown here are not fully disease resistant. The advice and reports from our agronomist are a great help.
The role of an agronomist – reporting
The agronomist’s reports are incredibly detailed. They show how the properties of our soil vary greatly across the fields that we farm. In some areas, half the physical soil property is silt, 37% sand and 13% clay. Move a few miles down the road and the silt content drops below 30%! The way in which the soil is treated has to take these (and many other) differences into account if we are to get the best from the land.
Back to school
On first inspection, an agronomist’s report can evoke memories of school chemistry lessons. A report usually begins with the pH balance. From this, we are able to begin to ascertain what the soil is rich in and what it is lacking.
Keeping the pH balanced is crucial to nutritional availability, however it is also particularly important to the microbial population below ground. A balanced pH is key to allowing the populations of fungi and bacteria to remain in good balance. This ultimately assists in supplying nutrients to our willow crop and maintaining good soil structure. It’s about maximising the ‘free’ nutrients and unlocking the potential of the soil. The less we have to intervene the more money we save!
Next in the report is a long list of chemical properties. Each chemical plays a part in how our willow grows. A chemical such as molybdenum is required for optimal nitrogen and phosphorus utilisation. (Probably not a chemical many have heard of…)
Then come the biological properties. The agronomist will detail the percentage of organic matter (our soil has an extremely high percentage) and the physical properties (how much sand/silt/clay there is). As previously stated, these percentages vary enormously despite our land all being in Somerset.
Good soil really matters
Soil texture determines the key soil characteristics that influence plant growth. These include drainage rate, ease of workability, inherent fertility and water-holding capacity.
The vast majority of us appreciate that trees are good for the planet, however good soil also makes a difference. Therefore, we also consider ‘active carbon’. Active carbon is the amount of carbon being utilised by the microbial population to make (amongst other things) carbohydrates, nucleic acids and peptides. If a soil has good levels of active carbon, microbial respiration and organic matter, then it can more readily sequester carbon from the atmosphere. And that’s good news for our planet. If microbial activity is low it can be improved with the application of a liquid carbon fertiliser.
Knowing the make-up of the soil and its structure helps us to intervene in the right ways. Additional nutrient applications can be applied at the right time and in the correct quantities. It gives us a good understanding as to how well the soil can retain moisture. (Very important given the current heatwave!)
From the complex to the straightforward
There are also many simple steps we take to improve our land. While we can’t change the geology, hydrology or topography, it is easy to minimise the amount of traffic travelling across our willow fields. Tractors compact earth, so soil is only mechanically moved when absolutely necessary. Our specialist harvesting machinery has caterpillar tracks and these make a real difference.
Our drainage and irrigation structure is designed to optimize efficient water use. A good number of our fields are flanked by water ditches and rainwater is harvested in huge tanks around our farm.
Treat your soil well and you will reap the rewards. Less chemical intervention, less watering and a healthier, higher yielding crop.
While the Musgrove family has been growing willow for nearly a century, we still need some specialist help from time-to-time. The role an agronomist can play should not be understated.
