Fertility planning: a nutrient budget for the whole homestead

In short

• A budget asks three questions: how much the crop needs, how much the soil and fertilisers supply, and what is short or in surplus.
• Count available nitrogen, not total: compost gives about 10 % in the first year, cattle manure about 25 %, urine about 90 %.
• Upper limit: the crop's need, and no more than 17 g N per m² a year from manure.
• If the soil test shows high phosphate, add nitrogen with legumes and urine, not with even more compost and manure.
• A soil test every 3–5 years, from the same spot, at the same time of year.

What's inside

Chapters

1. What a nutrient budget is
2. Starting point: the soil test
3. How much crops use
4. What soil and fertilisers supply
5. A bed budget, step by step
6. Phosphate and potash: don't overdo it
7. Humus: the soil's capital
8. The farm-gate budget
9. A plan by homestead zone
10. Common mistakes
11. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Crop need calculator
• Available nitrogen calculator
• Budget by plot
• The farm-gate budget
• Soil tests over the years
• Fertility calendar