Soil Science
CEC and BioChar
Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) and BioChar are mentioned together in soil improvement discussions – How are they connected? Negative & Positive Attractions Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) is the soil’s ability to attract, retain and exchange positively-charged cations (cat-i-on). Like a magnet’s attraction to iron, the negatively-charged soil particles will attract and hold the positively charged…
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Hidden Connections within the Soil
I discovered this albino beauty in the northern Midwest woods while looking for a wayward golf ball. This ghostly plant is a flower called the Indian Pipe (Ghost Plant or Corpse Plant). It is related to the blueberry plant and has many medicinal uses such as a pain reliever and eyewash. The Indian Pipe is…
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Improving Tree Survivability along the Razorback Greenway Part I
VITAL Blend was used during the transplanting of approximately 450 trees last year along the Razorback Regional Greenway in Arkansas. The Razorback Regional Greenway is a 36-mile, primarily off-road, shared-use trail that extends from the Bella Vista Trail in north Bentonville to south Fayetteville.1 The purpose for using the soil amendment was to increase the survivability…
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Natural Synergy in Soil Microbiology and VITAL Blend soil amendment
Synergy This is the interaction between two or more components whose results are greater than the sum of their individual parts. A good example of synergy is how sea anemones are benefitted (and vice versa) by the presence of clownfish – each protecting the other. Another example is our bodies need for both vitamin D…
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