Skip to main content

To Till or Not To Till, that is the question? Part 2:

Another benefit, but not the only benefit of the mycorrhizal fungi No Till relationship is that of 'Humic Recalcitrant Carbon Molecule' production in the soil.  That's the stuff that's black in color and which gives a top soil its characteristic darker color.  It's also the stuff that by bad habit the entire industry generically calls humic acids.   The term humic acid (or acids) does not describe specific molecular structures and the term does not follow the rules of chemistry nomenclature.  However since our State Regulatory offices use this old fashion term and have very vague methods of measuring the stuff, we are stuck with using the term for now.    When Nature builds these amazing carbon molecules, or you supplement them by adding soil conditioners such as TerraPro by Soil Secrets, the molecules involved play a huge role in building macro-aggregate structure.  This is caused by the polarity value of the molecules causing a 'mechanism of action' (MOA).  See the image below which shows a collapsed, dispersed clay that has been reclaimed by using TerraPro, so it now has good macro aggregate structure. 


Being Recalcitrant, these carbon molecules have a long life expectancy in the soil as they do not decay back into CO 2 like compost, manure and mulches will do.   So back to the question of Till or Not to Till? Where do the Humic Recalcitrant molecules come from in the soil?  I'm convinced that they do not come directly from the decay of dead things, such as compost, manures and mulches.  More specifically I believe they are coming from the precursor amino acids of the proteins found in the hyphae of the mycorrhizal fungal tissues.  Another reason to inoculate with quality mycorrhizal products and Not to Till! 

Click on the following link to learn more about Soil Secrets “White Lightning” mycorrhizal inoculant: 

Click on the following link to learn more about Soil Secrets “TerraPro” Soil Conditioner:


Michael Martin Meléndrez
Managing Member of Soil Secrets LLC
www.soilsecrets.com
michael@soilsecrets.com


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Weed Identification: Goatheads or Stickers

Goatheads ( Tribulus terrestris ) are native to Southern Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. Goatheads are also called stickers, sticker weed, bullhead, devil’s weed, and puncturevine. Goatheads are easily recognized by their prostrate growth form, leaves with leaflets, yellow flowers, and stickers (Goatheads). If you miss’em visually then they will stab you painfully in the fingers as you work your garden, or stick to your clothing and shoes. Goatheads are the primary reason local bicyclists must get “thorn proof” tires for riding on area trails and streets. Goatheads have prostrate stems that radiate outward from one central point. Leaves are compound with smaller leaflets. Lemon yellow flowers form along the stems and fertilized flowers form fruits.   Fruits consist of several attached structures called nutlets (Goatheads). Each nutlet is a single seed that becomes hard or woody when mature. Each seed has two sharp spines that easily penetrat

Weed Identification: Sand Bur

Sand Bur ( Cenchrus longispinus ) is native to North America. It has other names like sand spur, long-spined sand bur, hedgehog grass, and bur grass . Sand Bur is an annual grass usually growing with a prostrate growth form. It is similar in appearance to other grasses prior to seed formation. Individual plants may be 3’ in diameter, sometimes larger. Sand Bur is a common weed of sandy soils but also grows well elsewhere. Sand Bur will often root at stem nodes that are touching the ground. The root system of Sand Bur is shallow and fibrous making them easily pulled (when immature). Sand Bur produces a flowering spike. As seeds begin to form Sand Bur is easily recognized by its numerous sharp or burred seeds or long spines. As the burred seeds mature they are easily separated from the mother plant and their sharp spines stick to virtually anything. Sand Bur can disseminate its seeds long distances because its sharp spines will hitch a ride on skin, animal hides,

Weed Identification: Silver-Leaf Nightshade

Silver-Leaf Nightshade ( Solanum elaeagnifolium ) is a perennial plant usually growing 8” to 20” tall. It is easily recognized by its silver green wavy leaves and stem color,   often thorny stems, and violet colored, star shaped flowers with protruding yellow stamens. Other common names for Silver-Leaf Nightshade are Prairie Berry, Silver-Leaf Nettle, and Satan’s Bush. Silver-Leaf Nightshade flowers from late spring into fall and is native to the Southwestern United States and into Mexico. It is considered a noxious weed in many states. Silver-Leaf Nightshade is poisonous and toxic to livestock. Silver-Leaf Nightshade propagates from both rhizomes and seed found in berries. Green striped berries turn yellow or orange at maturity and then dry to brown.   Silver-Leaf Nightshade has an extensive root system     and can form colonies, which makes it difficult to eradicate.   If you have time and patience, Silver-Leaf Nightshade can be e