How healthy is your soil?

Do you have a picture of what really healthy soil looks like? – good pore structure, dark, crumbly, teeming with life, with high humus content and containing the major and trace elements in good balance, to suit your production objectives.

We can advise you on how to activate soil life and balance soil minerals to improve the biological, physical and mineral aspects of your soil.

We follow principles recommended by Dr William Albrecht, who observed that animals and humans were healthier in some areas of natural grassland of the United States. He analysed the mineral content of soils in those areas and realized that it was the ratios of one mineral to another, as well as abundant soil biological activity, that is important for good soil fertility. Soil biology needs a range of minerals just as animals and humans do.

Calcium availability is often low in New Zealand soils, which reduces productivity. Calcium is an essential element for the development of soil biology. Soil biological organisms require access to a large range of minerals, just as we do, and also a good supply of air, water and warmth, if they are to thrive and develop the soil. Many of our pasture and orchard soils are also compacted, so there is insufficient air supply to support soil organisms.