Soil Health
Excess rains and droughts of the past decade pointed out the poor health and productivity of soils on many local vegetable farms. Coupled with high fuel prices and high fertilizer prices, growers have been eager to improve their soil management efforts. Reduced tillage leads to less fuel use and legume cover crops allow the farmer to grow nitrogen fertilizer, reducing their need for conventional fertilizer and the fuel and labor to apply it.
The Cornell Soil Health Test can be used to determine your field's soil management for percentage of water-stable aggregates. A soil with low % water-stable aggregates has poor crop emergence, more crusting, more runoff, reduced root growth, increased root diseases, and fewer beneficial microbes to cycle soil nutrients.
Vegetable farms using conventional tillage and few cover crops had an average of just 18% water-stable aggregates, while farms using reduced tillage or extensive cover cropping averaged 36-39%. Innovative growers are now beginning to adopt both strategies to improve soils even more.
In addition, the Cornell Vegetable Program is working with a number of conventional and organic vegetable growers on increasing the use of a wide range of cover crops to fill open niches in rotations to improve soil health and grow nitrogen.
SOIL HEALTH CATEGORIES
Management Practices for High Organic Matter Soils: Urban Case Studies
Lori Koenick, Extension Support Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
We are exploring management practices for vegetable farmers with high organic matter soils. These soils are usually found in urban growing areas as urban farmers typically grow in imported soil mixtures that have been constructed over time and in high tunnels where leaching events are limited. In both cases, we see that soil pH and calcium levels can increase due to alkaline irrigation water and with grower inputs such as high levels of compost and/or fertilizer. We commonly see limited plant nutrient uptake due to high soil pH. We have produced four "Management Practices for Urban Soil Health" case studies sharing project updates in our urban cover crop, pH adjustment, and bulk density adjustment work. In each case study, we are looking at the effect of the management practice on soil and crop health.
Factsheet: Greenhouse Gases and Soil Organic Carbon in Vegetable Production
Elizabeth Buck, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
The intersection of agricultural production and greenhouse gases is gathering increasing attention. This is an opportune time to consider how vegetable production interacts with carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions, and how using cover crops may alter this picture.
The factsheet, Greenhouse Gases and Soil Organic Carbon in Vegetable Production and the Role of Cover Crops, discusses:
- Sequestration of atmospheric carbon in agricultural soils as soil organic carbon (SOC). Is vegetable production impacting SOC?
- Net greenhouse gas emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) from the soil.
- Impact of cover crops on soil organic carbon, nitrous oxide emissions, and other GHG emissions.
Video: Farmer Ingenuity - Combining Plastic and Living Mulch
In this how-to video, we show how farmers combine plastic and living mulch to reduce weed pressure, improve soil health, and harvest cleaner vegetables. Now that's a win-win-win!
Video: Winter Cover Cropping in High Tunnels -- March 2021 Update
Judson Reid, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
To meet the year-round demand for locally produced food, vegetable farmers have embraced protected agriculture to extend their growing season, improve yields, and enhance crop quality. However, a statewide survey found that after several growing seasons, farmers struggle to maintain productivity due to challenges in long term soil health and fertility management. Cornell Cooperative Extension is exploring practices that high tunnel growers can adopt to better manage soil fertility and improve soil health.
One practice is including winter cover crops in rotations as a way to scavenge leftover nitrogen and/or fix nitrogen. In turn, this could lead to less fertilizer use and result in higher crop health, yield, quality, and profitability. As part of this work, we are investigating suitable cover crop species, seeding dates, and seeding rates. This video highlights this project's goals and preliminary updates as of March 2021.
How to Take a Soil Sample
Amy Ivy, Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Soil sampling is an important part of managing your crops, but it's important to do it correctly. In this video, ENYCHP vegetable specialist Amy Ivy demonstrates how to take a soil sample.
High Tunnel Best Management Practices for Long Term Soil Health and Fertility
Judson Reid, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
These best management practices were selected by experienced high tunnel growers and extension staff as a result of a four year project tracking economic, soil and irrigation water data from high tunnels across New York State. They can be used remedially, or implemented in a new high tunnel system.
Adding Cover Crops to Your Farm? Consider the Herbicide Rotation Restrictions
Darcy Telenko, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
One challenge to adding cover crops to your vegetable production system is that herbicides with residual activity may interfere with cover crop establishment and growth. Residual herbicides are a key management tool in vegetable production, especially for management of difficult weeds and their potential to help control herbicide-resistant weeds. Here are some questions to consider when utilizing a cover crop and how well it will work with your herbicide program.
Cover Crops for Vegetable Growers Website
Carol MacNeil, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
This website enables growers to use a broader range of cover crops to improve soil health in many ways. Cover crop descriptions, seeding, seed sources, cost and management challenges are included.
Soil Health Grant Offers Cover Crop Evaluations and the Cornell Soil Health Test
Carol MacNeil, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
The Cornell Vegetable Program just received a two year grant to work with vegetable, potato and dry bean growers in the Cornell Vegetable Program Region to increase or diversify their cover cropping, and/or to reduce tillage. For cooperating growers soil sampling, soil testing, and interpretation for the Cornell Soil Health Test (CSHT) will be free. Evaluation of biomass, weed growth, nitrogen produced, crop response, etc. can be done for new cover crop plantings being tried. Reduced/zone-tilled crops planted side by side with conventional crops can also be evaluated. Field days are part of this grant, as is assistance for grower discussion groups/grower-to-grower networking.
More money than ever is available as an incentive for adoption of good soil health practices!
SARE Cover Crop Topic Room: Current Research from Across the Nation
Carol MacNeil, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
A section of the Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) website, the cover crop topic room provides educational materials developed from cover crop research. Topics include selection and management, economics, establishment, rotations, soil and fertility management, water management, pest management, and no-till.
Making the Most of Cover Crop Mixtures
Cover crops are an important tool that farmers can use to generate benefits and services on the farm and for society, including improved soil health, nutrient supply to cash crops, weed suppression, insect pest management, forage production, pollinator resources, and clean water and air. There are many different cover crop species to choose from, and each cover crop species has different abilities to provide the services described above. Planting a mixture of cover crop species is one strategy that can be used to enhance and diversify the benefits that a cover crop provides. This article will describe some of the basic concepts to consider when planning a cover crop mixture, such as meeting different farm management objectives, selecting complementary species, and methods for establishing cover crop mixtures.
Preventing Muck Soil Erosion by Reducing Tillage in Onion Production
Christy Hoepting, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
The problem with using conventional tillage practices for onion production on muck soils is that it results in the subsidence of muck via wind and water erosion and oxidation of organic matter at a rate of one foot every 10 years, which is not sustainable for preserving these non-renewable natural resources for long-term productivity. Onions are one of the most valuable vegetable crops produced in New York State with the majority of the 13,000 acres being grown on muck soil. Producing onions using conventional tillage practices results in degradation of soil health and increased subsidence.
Asparagus
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Mushrooms
Onions
Parsnips
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
2025 Finger Lakes Auction Winter Growers Meeting
January 2, 2025
Penn Yan, NY
At this grower-focused meeting, ag industry experts will discuss pest control in vegetables, weed management strategies and best practices, seed germination, an introduction to foliar nutrient uptake in vegetables, and grouping flowers by growth needs. Plus we'll hear from a grower panel from Kutztown Produce Auction, moderated with NYS specific pest control from Judson Reid.
Intro to Food Safety and GAPs Training
February 19, 2025
via Zoom,
This virtual workshop will serve two purposes:
- For produce farms just interested in learning about farm food safety, this program will introduce principles and best practices.
- For produce farms look for a GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) training needed to meet buyer demands for audit/certification, this program will provide that as well.