Nutrient density

[redback]

G'day I'm new and writing from Australia. I have watched utube videos on the microbiome. Apparently our gut has the same microbes as the soil. Because various agricultural chemicals have killed the soil microbes, our food is now low in nutrients.
I am intending to increase the nutrient density in my home grown vegetables. Are there others in this forum with a similar aim?

 

[Meadowlark]

Howdy.

Nutrient density is a key measure, perhaps the key measure, of a soil's ability to yield nutrient dense produce. I strive for a nutrient density score of above 90% without the use of any synthetic fertilizers or agricultural chemicals. My garden generally achieves above 90% rating.

Ancient farming practices are the tools I use that enable high nutrient density scores such as crop rotation, cover crops, adding high levels of organic matter including highly composted cow manure, use of legumes to add nitrogen, etc. etc. The results are crops that taste unlike any commercially grown veggies, virtually pest free gardening, no need for any chemicals, and minimum weed problems.

Recent soil test with nutrient density in upper right-hand corner.

 

[redback]

I like the sound of your garden meadowlark. Mine is similar with a new emphasis on allowing weeds to flourish as 'companions'. This should allow the soil life to flourish. I haven't done any soil testing apart from the taste test you mention. I was interested in the Brix testing meter than Dr. Christine Jones uses. I am hopinfgto get one somehow.

 

[Meadowlark]

Amazon has an aichose Brix Refractometer for less than $20. Do you know anything about it? I might give it a try. Thanks

 

[redback]

Amazon has an aichose Brix Refractometer for less than $20. Do you know anything about it? I might give it a try. Thanks

It requires the use of a stainless steel garlic press to extract a drop of sap from the plant's stem or leaf. The sap is placed in the meter which is held up to the light and gives a nutrient density reading through the view finder. Hew Richards (no-dig British gardener/podcaster) used one and got a reading of 5! He was being very honest because readings vary between 5 (poor) up to 30 (good). If his compost rich garden is giving poor readings then a different strategy is required.

 

[YumYum]

I like the sound of your garden meadowlark. Mine is similar with a new emphasis on allowing weeds to flourish as 'companions'. This should allow the soil life to flourish.

Weeds will eat nutrients intended for the crop and can also make blight or soil borne fungus worser for the plants like tomatoes or cucurbits, etc. Allowing weeds directly in the vicinity of the crop isn't a good ideal to me. Weeds off to the side isn't as bad but they will produce seed and then you have multitudes of weeds that will sprout, a real PITA.

Cover crops are a great ideal! That will fit your frame of thinking. @Meadowlark has grown several cover crops and studied their input to the soil in detail. Me, I just sow Crimson Clover about September when I get the majority of my crops out of the way or sometimes annual ryegrass depending on when it gets sown, and then till it in the next Spring. That has kept my weeds down quite a bit and added carbon and nitrogen to my soil. I also use compost and chicken manure amongst other things.

 

[redback]

Thanks for your ideas YumYum . Last year I grew my best ever peas completely crowded out by weeds. The pitiful little pea stems were protected and completely hidden by the strappy leaves to a height of about 12 inches (300mm). So, this year my broccoli and broad beans and potatoes are surrounded by stinging nettle, and yet are growing well and without any signs of pest damage.
It's my first time doing this. It's an experiment. If I have problems I will revert to the well weeded garden.

 

[YumYum]

Peas are a legume. Legumes will pull nitrogen from the atmosphere and put it in the roots as nodules so they are a little less prone to a nitrogen deficiency which is usually the one thing that is hard to keep in the soil. If you live in a very dry environment then weeds may actually "mulch" the soil by slowing evaporation. I live in a humid environment.

 

[redback]

Yes, that is the pea secret - they have their own fertiliser and they grew above the weeds on six -foot- high trellises. The stinging nettle is about the most nutrient rich plant in existence and so, it too might work. I am in a dry climate. It's winter now, but in summer we get high temps and low (5%) moisture. I can't use dry straw mulching because of the wildfire danger.

 

[YumYum]

I am in a dry climate. It's winter now, but in summer we get high temps and low (5%) moisture. I can't use dry straw mulching because of the wildfire danger.

What about wood chip mulch? If not then weeds might be the next best thing. I think I would try to keep some separation from the plants leaves though.

 

[Meadowlark]

I assume you guys are talking about green peas, aka sweet peas?

Redback, you might take a look at cow peas (varieties include black-eyes, purple hull, crowders, etc,). They taste wonderful, easy to grow, great at nitrogen fixing, but the one trait I really love about them is they reseed themselves easily.

The way I use them is as a hot weather soil building cover crop...plus eat some along the way. From an initial planting in spring, they grow to maturity and then I shred them, and they literally reseed themselves. The next cycle is the same grow to maturity and shred. I've completed 4 cycles in one growing season with only a few ounces of seed to get the process started. This adds incredible amounts of organic matter not to mention Nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil. It is incredibly effective and easy to execute.

I've got one 75 ft row just starting its second cycle now.

Here it is shredded:

About 6 days later hundreds of seedlings are up starting the second cycle.

 

[redback]

What about wood chip mulch? If not then weeds might be the next best thing. I think I would try to keep some separation from the plants leaves though.

I will photograph it but the stinging nettle has also blanched the celery so if I get the timing right I get nutrients, water control, blanching, staking, pest control and a green mulch in spring. Not bad if it works. The new wave of soil scientists are saying that high-density polyculture creates the most active soil biology.

 

[redback]

I assume you guys are talking about green peas, aka sweet peas?

Redback, you might take a look at cow peas (varieties include black-eyes, purple hull, crowders, etc,). They taste wonderful, easy to grow, great at nitrogen fixing, but the one trait I really love about them is they reseed themselves easily.

The way I use them is as a hot weather soil building cover crop...plus eat some along the way. From an initial planting in spring, they grow to maturity and then I shred them, and they literally reseed themselves. The next cycle is the same grow to maturity and shred. I've completed 4 cycles in one growing season with only a few ounces of seed to get the process started. This adds incredible amounts of organic matter not to mention Nitrogen and other nutrients to the soil. It is incredibly effective and easy to execute.

I've got one 75 ft row just starting its second cycle now.

Here it is shredded:

View attachment 97827

About 6 days later hundreds of seedlings are up starting the second cycle.



View attachment 97828

My jaw drops at the 75 foot long row Sweet peas are a picked flower here. I used sugar snap and snow peas on a couple of ten foot (three meter) long trellises. I prefer eating the pod and all. The local ground pea is 'greenfeast' and it profusely reseeds.
I do have a back acre that is unused and your broadacre ideas would be good if I ever decide to garden it.

 

[Meadowlark]

... The new wave of soil scientists are saying that high-density polyculture creates the most active soil biology.

Scientists are always coming up with fancy names for gardening techniques that have been proven hundreds of years. I call it companion planting and have practiced it forever. Now I proclaim I'm using high-density polyculture, LOL.

 

[redback]

Scientists are always coming up with fancy names for gardening techniques that have been proven hundreds of years. I call it companion planting and have practiced it forever. Now I proclaim I'm using high-density polyculture, LOL.

The soil scientist who is working with farmers and ranchers to stop 'desertification ' says that if they plant a cover crop of 16 different grasses it will self fertilise. You are right, it is also an old practice called 'wildflower meadow'.