How to Identify High or Low Soil Fertility

Soil with high fertility is generally rich in humus and organic matter, mostly dark in color (e.g. black, brown, brown), deep (30-60 cm and above), loose, not sticky, not lumpy, not dry and hard, with good permeability and air permeability, also with more microbiota and earthworms underground, and more night tides. When the weather is dry, the soil surface has many tiny cracks, and when watering, water will quickly penetrate the underground, and the water surface will easily become cloudy. The soil in the Northeast is generally fertile. In addition, fertile soil, generally weeds grow early, grow more, grow faster, and wither later.

Low fertility soil, generally humus and organic matter content is relatively low, the color is mostly light-colored soil (such as light yellow, yellow-white, light white), the surface soil is shallow (30 cm or less), the soil is relatively dry and hard, permeability and poor water and moisture retention, after the rain or watering is easy to plate cracking hard, few cracks, large, deep, watering when the water penetration is slow and water quality is clear, the soil no night tide. Plots with few underground microorganisms and more ants in the field are mostly soils with low fertility.

Generally speaking, plots with thick soil fertility have good water and fertilizer holding capacity and sufficient nutrients, which are more conducive to crop root development and nutrient conversion, and grow better quality and higher yield crops. Plots with low soil fertility are just the opposite.

In addition, in addition to soil fertility factors, most crops grow best in a balanced acid-base or slightly acidic or slightly alkaline or slightly acidic and slightly alkaline soil environment, which is also conducive to the growth and activities of microorganisms. So after knowing the soil fertility, it is better to know whether your soil belongs to acidic soil or alkaline soil.