Certain plants thrive in certain environments and struggle in others. That is to say if one sees a paddock full of weeds and little in the way of perennial grass, then one can assume that the soil
environment is better suited to growing weeds than it is to growing high quality pastures.
As grass succumbs to inappropriate management practices, opportunistic weeds move in to start reconditioning the soil for the ultimate return of perennial grasses. What we refer to as weeds are in fact plants that nature puts in place to re-balance the soil to enable perennial species to re-establish. e.g. dandelion brings up calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, silica and potassium.
Unless we can balance the soil and make the soil environment better suited to desired plant species, we are throwing money away and are in fact exasperating an already desperate situation within the soil itself. Soil science is not what is needed here, but rather, observation and an understanding of processes that occur in nature and then adopting a ' System ' that complements and enhances those natural processes.
By increasing Organic Matter in the soil you will :-
- improve moisture penetration, absorption
& retention
- balance the soil and reduce acidity
- substantially improve the soil structure
- provide food for worms, dung beetles
& microbes
- increase nutrient re-cycling for plant growth & vigour
If you want full-on results within 6 months ...keep looking ...you’re in the wrong place.
If you want to see your land start the healing process within 6 months and marvel at the strength and resilience of nature as it repairs and transforms itself back to a healthy landscape & environment ..... you are in the right place !
Initially we thought we would need to reduce stocking rates by ~30%.
Sustainable Agriculture Systems experience has demonstrated however that we in fact increase stocking rates by as much as 80% in some cases
[ 20 to 30% average ]
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