Plantation Farming

Using mineral supplements in natural (organic) or chemical tree plantations

SIMPLE SOIL SCIENCE

Understanding the soil we live on.

To most people: understanding of the soil or the earth’s crust that we live on, is what it can provide for them.

Example : foundation for buildings, extraction for bricks, road bases, minerals for manufacture and for growing products. There are many uses of the earth’s crust and far to many to mention here.

The soil is really decomposed rocks metamorphosed through time, washed and blown, mixed and deposited in our ancient valleys and crevices by the shifting of the earth land masses. They have been cooked, boiled, blanched and bleached a longtime before we began to use them.

Through this process the earth’s crust has delivered to us an amazing assortment of minerals for our use, of which we have utilised over the centuries, as outlined in some of the examples above, an interesting thing that came to notice some years ago was a “window sticker” when the green peace movement were condemning the mining industry and the exploitation of minerals. It read: “NAME 5 ITEMS OF DAILY USE THAT IS NOT DERIVED FROM MINERALS. LONG LIVE THE MINING INDUSTRY.”
The statement is clear for us. To survive, we need minerals on a daily basis, so does the rest of the inhabitants of the earth.

“From the smallest micro-bacterium to the largest tree on the planet they need minerals to survive.”

For plantation farming which is the growing of trees for fruit, nuts, oil, juice or leaf extracts the soil is required to contain good nutrients to larger depths than other farming practices. It needs to be well drained, stable and have the ability to covert nutrients to a large root mass for a long time.

There are not many soils that have this ability. The soils that meet this category have already been taken up as orchards and tree plantations or as native reserves along with state forests preserved for future generations. New plantations have to be satisfied with soils that have to be built up in nutrients to withstand long term plantation production. 

When looking for good soils for growing trees, soil testing is imperative. These tests should carried out on the surface and at depth to obtain nutrient content at both levels. There is also the need for a good water supply. This also requires testing for sodium and chlorides and other minerals as  all of these issues play an important part in good tree production.

Selection of tree species and its tolerances can be an advantage, as nursery care problems can be reduced in the start up period of a new plantation. 

Armed with this knowledge you can then select the soils required to grow the suitable tree products

Maddingley Minerals have based their conditioners and fertilisers on nutrients that are lowest available in the soil in the region, also balancing nutrients with pH to give a product that will interact with soil, give off nutrients and be beneficial to microbial life.

For tree plantations, preparing the soil for young trees is the most important part. Root stocks require a settling period as most trees are prepared in nurseries and in a lot of cases forced fed. The adjustment can be harsh, so a good planting medium is required around the root ball to relieve this stress. Also important, is the soil preparation or conditioning for a least a metre around the new tree to give the root zone active nutrients as it expands.

Maddingley Minerals have large range of  products that are blended and granulated to suit all types of tree plantations. The products also are suitable to most concentrated machinery being used today in mechanized tree plantations.

Maddingley Minerals can provide special natural blends for:

• Olive Trees
• Tropical nut trees
• Stone fruit
• Exotic trees
• Citrus

Please enquire with one of our distributors on how to select one of our conditioners or fertilisers suitable for your plantation needs.

“Remember the soil is the foundations of your living, preparation is the advantage that pays good dividends well into the future.”

When replanting tree plantations on old ground that has been used for horticulture or concentrated agricultural practices remember:

“Maddingley Minerals have natural products to assist in rebuilding these soils.”

Soil conditioners are an economical way of building tired soils. Once understanding the nutrients available in the tired soil by way of a comprehensive soil test, the task of building nutrient bases are relatively easy.

Conditioners are used to balance the soils nutrient base by building organic matter and carbon in the soil, appling minerals that balance with existing minerals and create micro-activity when water is applied. They are not fertilisers but do enhance the fertiliser use rate, which eventually reduces inorganic inputs in tree plantations.

In recent years not enough emphasis has been placed on conditioners as they are usually regarded as manure’s and waste effluents. These have a value in balance but are commonly applied vigorously which eventually adds to the imbalance. As the costs of fertilizers rises and with low commodity prices, soil nutrition has become a vital issue to stay viable in plantation farming. The rising freight costs and quality restrictions add more pressure to these fresh products. Things as shelf life, colour, skin texture and now taste testing means that soil and minerals, not fertilisers, will a play a major part in production in the future.

“THE GOAL POSTS HAVE MOVED AS THE GLUT OF PRODUCE INCREASES”

What type of soil is yours?

ACID or ALKALINE

Acid & Alkaline soils what is the difference and values?

The difference between acid and alkaline soils is a chemical measurement, the pH level of the soil. The soil is declared acid if the pH reading is below 7 and alkaline if above.
The soil pH controls nutrient availability and biological activity, so if soils are extremely acidic, lock-up of nutrients occurs and on the other side of the scale extreme alkalinity also locks up nutrients, so this indicator is a balance measurement to understand the soil level and awareness to neutrality.

Acid soils can be formed or man made, in each case the production of plants either have to be suited by biological nature of the species (e.g. natives ) or they require other nutrients to produce in these soils. N.P.K. fertilisers are usually required in large amounts to produce good production in these soil types, being acid or sulphate based these eventually add to the problem and slow nutrient and production down to  unsustainable levels. The same is for alkaline soils which is caused by nature when the soil is highly alkaline although acid type fertilisers are used, eventually the calcium and magnesium lock up vital elements, such as phosphorus and trace elements for plants, which again restricts certain species to grow.

The keys are:  understanding soil in its mineral structure and the values of nutrients and elements that are in the soil, this will form the basic knowledge and help to unlock these nutrients to produce products in a natural(organic )way.

The “Keys to your soil bank” lay with the understanding of the combination of elements that exist in your soil and how to use them for profitability and sustainability.

MADDINGLEY MINERALS HAVE INSTALLED “THE KEYS TO YOUR SOIL BANK” ON THIS WEB SITE.

CHEMICALS IN SOILS

Why did we need Chemicals?

Since the mid 1940’s technology has been applied to agriculture in order that higher yielding crops,vegetables,grains and other produce could be achieved. The nutritional requirements and growing needs for crops were determined; programs were devised which reproduced artificially the various nutrients which plants require for growth.

The problem of pests, diseases and unwanted weeds were looked at and powerful pesticides and herbicides were devised which they could apply to the plants and to the soils to eradicate these. In such a manner man could contribute to controlling yield and quality using chemical fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides.

Agricultural departments around the world welcomed with enthusiasm this new era of chemical control, and how production could be boosted. However, there were serious consequences from the use of these chemicals which are still evident in agriculture today. These are declining soil fertility, soil acidification, salinity erosion, nutrient lock-up, soil imbalance, loss of soil structure, reduced organic matter levels, increased pest and disease incidence and decreasing crop health. In short ,such soil is devoid of minerals and essential nutrients.

What has happened in 55 years?

Under the new chemical regime developed since the war our soil has become dead or lifeless in areas where large concentrated production has taken place; the population of micro organisms has decreased dramatically or even been wiped out. Good and bad have all been killed by the pesticides, Herbicides and artificial fertilisers salts. Levels of pesticides/herbicides which are completely non-biodegradable, have built up and are in our soils and transferred to our produce.

The use of mineral fertiliser which result in soil mineralisation, are essential to increase soil fertility, begin the process of breaking down selected residue formulas by increased micro-activity and improve soil health. With  the result that produce grown on these mineral fertilisers have increased taste and texture, pastures are more palatable and nutritious, crops are healthier with increased resistance to both pests, diseases and frosts, and the mineral supplements are transferred to our animals and to ourselves.

Healthier soils: result in healthier crops, pastures, animals and ultimately healthier humans.

Remember we are like the smallest bacterium or the tallest tree. Visit the “Keys to your soil bank” to find out how you can build healthier soils and plants.

INTERSTATE ENERGY GROUP. PO Box 1039, Bacchus Marsh VIC 3340. Ph. (03) 5367 0725, Fax. (03) 5367 0726.
© 2002 Copyright Maddingley Minerals. HumusPlus4 and OCCA are registered business names of Maddingley Minerals.