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Soil Health Workshops

🌱 Soil Health Quickstart

Actionable guidance for using compost tea, planning winter cover crops, and applying Effective Microbes (EM) safely and effectively.

Workshop Schedule

Friday, October 31 — Starts at 4:00 PM

Saturday, November 1 — Starts at 1:00 PM

🍵 Fresh Compost Tea

Benefits

  • Boosts soil life (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes) for better nutrient cycling
  • Strengthens roots and stress tolerance; helps outcompete pathogens
  • Improves nutrient availability and uptake; chemical-free and sustainable
  • General nutrition boost for vigorous plant growth

How to Use

  • Soil drench: Mix 1:1 (tea:water) for heavy feeders or dilute 1:4–1:5 (e.g., 1 gal tea in 5 gal water) for larger areas
  • Foliar spray: Dilute ~1:5 with filtered water and mist leaf surfaces
  • Other uses: Compost accelerator, lawn booster, transplant shock reducer, and activator for amendments or mulch

🌾 Cover Crops (Fall/Winter)

Overwintering Mix

Purpose: Erosion control through winter; resumes growth early to outcompete spring weeds. Terminate and plant directly into residue.

Ingredients: Balansa Clover, Winter Peas, Cereal Rye, Winter Barley, Black Oats, Rapeseed, Hairy Vetch. Pre-inoculated with Elevate'd Fungi & RhizoBac X-Tend.

Use this mix to: Reduce erosion, add diversity, suppress weeds

Ideal for: Gardeners, homesteaders, farmers, ranchers

Note: Seeds are certified organic, non-GMO, and not pesticide-treated.

Cool-Season Soil Builder Mix

Purpose: Builds organic matter, improves aggregation/infiltration, cycles nutrients, breaks compaction, attracts beneficials.

Ingredients: Spring Forage Pea, Common Vetch, Crimson Clover, Spring Oats, Spring Forage Barley, Rapeseed, Radish, Turnip, Brown Mustard, Sunflower, Flax, Phacelia. Pre-inoculated with Elevate'd Fungi & RhizoBac X-Tend.

Use this mix to: Build soil OM, add diversity, improve nutrient cycling

Ideal for: Gardeners, homesteaders, farmers, ranchers

Note: Seeds are non-GMO, not pesticide-treated. Both inoculants are organic.

Inoculant Details

Elevate'd Fungi — >90 beneficial fungi (mycorrhizal & saprophytic). Expands root access to water/nutrients; boosts vigor.

RhizoBac X-Tend — Rhizobia + free-living N fixers (Azotobacter/Azospirillum) + P-solubilizers (Pseudomonas/Bacillus). Broad-spectrum seed inoculation; strong shelf life.

Timing Tips

  • Plant when soils are ≥ 40 °F
  • Optional: gentle starter (e.g., fermented willow seed starter) for improved emergence

🦠 Effective Microbes (EM)

What is EM?

A beneficial microbial blend (e.g., Lactobacillus spp., Rhodopseudomonas palustris, Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that suppresses pathogens, supports nutrient cycling, and can act as facultative endophytes.

⚠️ Safety First

  • EM is naturally low pH — never use undiluted
  • When possible, dilute so irrigation water is near pH 6.5–7

Application Rates

Soil drench / Foliar: 1–2 Tbsp per gallon (≈ 6 Tbsp per 5 gal). Apply 1–4× per month or as needed.

Compost acceleration: ~1:100 dilution (≈ 2.5 Tbsp/gal, or 12.5 Tbsp/5 gal)

Compiled from provided handouts for easy sharing and printing.

DVC Horticulture | Sustainable Growing Practices