Reducing Compaction with Roots

By James Hoorman, Hoorman Soil Health Services

Brian Doughtery, an Understanding Ag consultant, says compaction is a sign of a poorly functioning soil.  Soil compaction is not a natural occurrence; it comes from too much equipment (heavy axle loads, too much tillage), not enough biology (lack of roots and living organisms), and excess nutrients. 

Well-aggregated soil looks like black cottage cheese; soil crumbles easily in your hand, and water and gases move freely in the soil.  Well-aggregated soils have 50% solid materials made up of ground-up rock, minerals, and water, with the other half being pore space by volume.  Compaction means the pore space is reduced or eliminated, resulting in denser compacted soil. 

For good plant growth, roots need to penetrate the soil to get water and nutrients and have adequate gas exchange.  Roots need oxygen produced and released by the leaves to move down into the soil to break down the food produced by the leaves. … Continue reading