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Cornell Fruit Resources: Berries

Resources for Commercial Berry Growers

Berry Soil and Nutrient Management – A Guide for Educators and Growers

Download the entire Guide [11 MB .pdf] or view Webinars based off the following topics:

 


Chapter by Chapter:


Front matter – Acknowledgements, dedication, table of contents, preface.

1) Introduction to Soil Management – Understanding soil health, physical, biological and chemical properties of soil.

2) Soil Testing – Sampling procedures, test options, choosing a lab.

3) Understanding Your Soil Test Results – Soil test recommendations, interpreting results, checklist.

4) Correction of Preplant Soil Problems – Adjusting pH, preplant phosphorus, potassium, and other nutrients, organic nitrogen sources.

5) Foliar Testing and Sampling in Berry Crops, Visual Symptoms of Deficiencies – When to sample, which leaves to sample, advantages and shortcomings.

6) Interpreting Foliar Analysis Results – Standard nutrient ranges, interpretation checklist

7) Correction of Nutrient Problems in Established Berry Plantings – Nitrogen management, choosing N sources, timing, placement, phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients and micro-nutrients..

8) Applying the Cornell Soil Health Test to Berry Production – Soil aggregates, available water capacity, field penetration, biological indicators, other tests.

9) Improving Biological and Physical Soil Properties in Commercial Berry Plantings – Adding organic matter, carbon cycling, crop rotation, cover crops,

10) Environmental impacts of nutrient use – Runoff, leaching, Minimizing impacts, Management – Environmental loss processes, erosion and runoff prevention, strategies for reducing nitrogen losses.

11) Future Nutrient Management in Berry Crops – Fertigation, water monitoring, soilless media, diagnostic tools.

12) Soil Management Using Ecological Principles and Soil Health Management – Agroecology, whole systems approach, pro-active soil management.

Glossary

Appendices – How to determine your soil type, calculating fertilizer rates, fertilizer composition, micronutrient sources, nutrient content of organic materials, cover crops.


Project funded by the Northeast Region, USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Program (NESARE)


 


View Webinars on Related Topics:


Berry Soil and Nutrient Webinar Series – View and listen to online web seminars on berry soil and nutrient management:

 


Additional Resources:


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