Summer Pests and Soil Conditions.

Summer Pests and Soil Conditions.

19th October 2011
Peter Burton

An important concept to grasp is that clover flea and weevil, along with grass grub and beetles of various colour arrive in abundance because conditions favour them.  These conditions typically come with warmer late spring and early summer temperatures.
 
Every season the pest pressure varies with some seasons bringing more of one and less of another.  This is because each year our climatic conditions differ from previous.
 
Interestingly pests never take out all plants.  Careful observation will show that even in the worst situation some plants survive and even flourish.  Pests need food for the future so to wipe out all vegetation would lead to their demise and this doesn’t occur.
 
Pest damage can be limited by creating as best we can conditions that favour the beneficial insects and soil dwellers essential for strong resilient plant growth and these conditions are different to those that favour pests.
 
As the health of any farming operation is dependent on the soil, creating a healthy soil becomes the priority, and the most effective way of limiting pest damage.  Over twenty years ago there were a large number of animals affected by facial eczema in areas of the Bay of Plenty with many deaths as a result.  Although weather conditions were the same for all properties spore counts varied widely from property to property.
 
Soil tests along with records of past nutrient inputs provide the information necessary to formulate sound nutrient programmes however that data provides little information on the health of the soil.
 
The best means of determining soil health is by digging holes.  This doesn’t need to be an arduous exercise, an hour with a spade will provide sufficient information to know whether the health of your most valuable asset is good, bad, or indifferent.
 
The first clue is the ease with which a strong sharp spade blade is able to be sunk to its full depth typically 25cm.  Should it penetrate easily and a sod removed without difficulty soil health is probably OK.
 
Break open the sod and look to see whether plant roots are growing directly downwards with plenty of fine white root visible at the bottom of the sod. Are roots matted in the top 5 – 7.5cm of the surface or is there a hard layer at about 10 – 12cm causing plant roots to grow sideways?
 
Should there be a hard layer or matting of roots near the surface, soil health is less than ideal and an infestation of flea, weevil, grass grub or beetle could occur this summer.  By creating conditions more favourable to beneficial soil dwellers possible damage this summer can be reduced.
 
DoloZest and CalciZest are soil improvers developed and sold by Eco-Logic Soil Improvement that rapidly improve the health of soil.  Typically CalciZest, based on high quality lime, is applied at this time of the year and a single application at 400kg/ha will immediately provide the impetus necessary for improved soil health and a reduction in damage by pests this summer. 

Call 0800 843 809 for more information.