HOW OXYGEN EASILY OPENS UP CRUSTED SOILS
Mike de Jong ©2023 www.loxyde.com
INTRODUCTION:
Soil crusting is an expensive problem to have and to solve using the current recommendations. From my experience it is also an increasing problem with more and more cases occurring each year… and that is not a good development.
To be honest I blame the Agri chemical industry and so called farm advisors who profit from selling chemical fertilisers to farmers without a care to their customer, soil health or the environment. Their method of thinking is that chemicals feed the plant so anything else is a waste. Meanwhile soil problems are increasing just as fast as soil organic matter content is decreasing and these so called farm advisors have absolutely no idea what the problem is.
TYPES OF SOIL CRUSTS:
There are three types of crusts:
Chemical - Chemical crusts are the result of encrusted salt on soils in arid or semi-arid regions
Biological - Biological crusts are primarily formed by cyanobacteria, algae, mosses, and lichens growing on soils when ponded water stands and retreats on soils with low permeability
Physical crusts - Physical crusts are the result of structural degradation of the surface soil and may be classified as structural or depositional. These crusts are formed when surface aggregates disintegrate due to the forces of raindrops or irrigation water.
Physical crusts are most common and are discussed here.
THE PROBLEM:
Crusting occurs when a heavy rain or irrigation strikes an unprotected soil surface, breaks down the aggregates, and turns the top layer of soil into a uniform surface seal.
The problem is greatest when a soil crust can occur directly after seeding as was the case in Figure 1.
A crust occurring right after planting means that seedlings cannot emerge as the crust is too solid for the seedling to grow through.
The recommended “solution” is to disk plough the affected area – this would lead to significant decrease in plants successfully growing as most would be damaged by the disks. Another recommendation is to flood the field for several days to soften up the crust which would also lead to complete crop failure.
Realistically when a soil crust occurs prior to seed emergence, it means that you have to start from scratch: ploughing, tilling, seeding etc..
THE COST OF SEEDING CROPS (example based on maize/corn):
In the Netherlands the costs of preparing the soil for maize/corn cultivation and then seeding are estimated to be around € 1.812,50 / Ha.
So if you have to start again from scratch after a crusting occurs you are looking to spend about the same amount again.
Besides the economic loss, there is also an loss of time which may affect the success of any successive crop that may have been planned following the maize/corn
LOXSOIL OPENS UP CRUSTED SOILS
Loxsoil is a stabilised liquid oxygen solution configured especially for soil applications. It only contains biodegradable ingredients and is free from any metals or silver.
Loxsoil softens up the soil crusts allowing seedlings to emerge. It also helps to restructure the soil, allows rain/irrigation water through. Runoff is stopped and although visually the soil still looks like it did when it had a hard crust, the soil itself if functioning as it would without a crust.
TREATMENT OF CRUSTED SOILS:
Dosage Loxsoil: 1 L/Ha (1.75 pint / 2.47 acres)
Water: 500- 1000 litres (132 – 264 US gallons)
Application method: Field sprayer
Time until soil softens: 6-10 hours
COST Loxsoil treatment:
< € 15.00/Hectare
< $ 15.00/ 2.47 acres
LOXSOIL IS FAST WORKING AND SAVES MONEY
Other cases of soil crusting / soil hardening.
Soil crust/soil hardening can also happen after seed emergence. Treatment with Loxsoil will soften/open the soil up allowing rain/irrigation water to penetrate and stimulates the soil to restructure.
Photo left:
left row untreated
Middle row untreated used as gap row to separate treated from untreated areas.
Right row Loxsoil treated
More information or interested in product distribution contact Mike de Jong directly on:
mike at loxyde dot com