Toodyay Land Conservation District Committee



	Publications Weeds Soils Species Lists Catchments Phillips Brook Wattening Jimperding Boyagerring Community Friends of the River Seed Orchard Naturalists Club Issues Salinity Sodicity Revegetation Erosion Livestock Management Advice for the Small Landholder Small Landholder Information Service Spatial data Shared Land Information Platform Pest Plants and Animals Feral Rabbit data Our Strategy For the Future		SOILS Soil is a dynamic medium made up minerals, organic matter, water, air, and living organisms such as bacteria and earthworms. Soil was formed and is changed by time, parent material, climate, topography and organisms present. The way we manage the soil will have an influence on its character. Soil is not uniform but divided into layers or horizons. The topsoil is horizon A which contains all the organic matter and plant roots and is the most fertile. The B horizon or sub soil is below, it is less fertile and often contains more clay, iron and aluminium which has been washed down through the profile. Below the sub soil is the parent material from which the soil is formed. Soils in valleys and flat areas tend to be deeper than those on slopes due to erosion. Western Australian soils are some of the oldest and most weathered in the world, as a consequence they are some of the most infertile. In order to produce crops such as wheat, barley etc fertilisers need to be added. Conversely our native vegetation has produced a huge diversity of plants which are perfectly adapted to these infertile soils. SOIL TESTING Many farmers face dilemma in deciding whether or not to test soil. The returns are not always clear (unless you are an expert) so why bother doing it at all? There are good reasons for soil testing: the soil is your most important asset, to get the most out of it you need to manage it properly; you cannot manage what you cannot measure; changes in the soil can go unseen until it is too late; and prevention is better than cure. Fixing problems always works out to be far more expensive and time consuming than prevention. The main cost benefit lies in saving money that might need to be spent in the future. This is hard to quantify. The fact is that most Australian soils are degraded. Rejuvenation has the potential to greatly increase their productivity; the trouble is that proper rejuvenation means more than just throwing on a heap of phosphorus. What is needed to generate good sustainable returns is a strategy? Start on a typical paddock and use it to monitor progress; Make sure any soil test includes all exchangeable cations and trace elements not just pH and major nutrients; Work to improve one paddock at a time. Returns from this will fund work on the next one; and Make sure other management issues are properly addressed. It is no use improving soil to grow more pasture if you lack animals to utilise it. Independent soil analysis (not connected to any fertiliser supplier) can be obtained from SWEP Analytical Laboratories, Post Office Box 583, Noble Park VIC 3174. Phone (03) 9701 6007 Any one contemplating organic or bio dynamics will find them very useful. Email: tmswep@connexus.net.au Website www.swep.com.au. A selection of informative fact sheets are available for down loading from this site. Live as if you may die tomorrow, but farm as if you will in 1,000 years.This is the objective for those who strive for true sustainability in farm production. (taken from SWEP website fact sheet). Email Swep analytical laboratories Back to the Home Page

SOILS

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