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A major priority for successful vegetable farming is the need for sustainable year round production. When planning field operations it is critical to consider the health of your farms greatest asset … its SOIL. Hussey and Co., Market Gardeners at Pearcedale, applied 25t/ha of compost to their sandy soils last year, (more than 800 tonnes). “The fields with compost had better capacity to withstand climatic and environmental challenges than those without the compost additions”, said Mark Bell, General Manager of Operations.
The amount of organic matter in the soil is reduced after several cultivations. Growers can rebuild the soil organic matter using a variety of composts and green manure crops, to help maintain productivity and good soil structure. The success and long-term improvements to the soil health within the farming enterprise will have economic benefits both in sustaining the production of quality produce to the customer and maintaining soil health. Compost contains a range of nutrients that contribute to crop growth. Increasing soil organic matter also improves soil structure and exchange capacity, reducing fertiliser and irrigation losses and producing a more uniform crop.
Other vegetable growers should consider the use of composted material as part of their farm soil management plan. Congratulation to Hussey and Co. for showing the advantages of using compost, we can all benefit from this success. For more information contact :
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