Browse Soil Stories

21 results found for Soil
Building rendering provided by USDA-ARS. CAES News
UGA-Tifton Groundbreaking
The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service have broken ground on a new state-of-the-art research facility housing the Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory and the Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit. the UGA Tifton campus, the research facility will include a new, 31,000-square-foot building housing university and ARS employees working on climate-smart agricultural research.
The University of Georgia's soil judging team placed third at the regional contest, qualifying them for the national competition in March. CAES News
Dirt Dawgs 2022
The Dirt Dawgs, the University of Georgia’s soil judging team, placed third in the recent 2022 regional soil judging contest against 11 other universities. They will move on to compete in the national soil judging competition held in Oklahoma in March.
Understanding your soil composition is the first step to fostering an optimal soil ecosystem. A basic soil test measures the level of organic matter, pH, and macronutrients — nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). CAES News
Healthy Soil
The winter months are a great time for gardeners to start catching up on projects they have postponed or to begin planning crop rotations and ordering seeds for the upcoming year. One of the most critical steps to ensuring a productive growing season is to test and prepare the soil, as it will be the foundation that your plants — and success — depend upon.
Examples of a living mulch (top) and cereal rye cover crop terminated prior to planting (bottom). CAES News
Cover Crops, Living Mulches
For most row crop producers in Georgia, corn, cotton and peanut are planted in the spring and harvested in late fall. After harvest, the ground is left relatively bare, with the residue of the harvested crop the only organic material left on the ground. This is where cover crops come in.
When implementing grazing management strategies, one of the key tools to success is using temporary fencing technology. This technology is a fantastic advancement that allows us the opportunity to adjust our grazing paddock size multiple times throughout the year based on animal need and number, forage growth and availability. (Photo by Justin Burt) CAES News
Re-establishing Alfalfa
Alfalfa, once a dominant forage in Georgia, is the third-highest crop for economic returns in the United States. Combined with cheap nitrogen prices, difficulty growing the desirable forage crop in Georgia’s challenging climate led to a decline in alfalfa production in the state after its peak in the 1960s.
Georgia 4-H youth participate in the State Land Judging Competition at the C.W. Stripling Irrigation Research Park in Camila, Georgia. CAES News
4-H Land Judging
More than 25 Georgia 4-H youth participated in the 2021 State Land Judging contest at the University of Georgia’s C.M. Stripling Irrigation Research Park in Camila, Georgia. Four counties from across the state brought teams to compete.
Soybeans grow on a plant at a UGA lab in Athens. Soybean farmers will soon have a smart phone app to help know when to irrigate their crop. CAES News
Local Soil Inoculant
In developing countries, the sustainable production of nutrient-dense crops is a critical need. A team of University of Georgia researchers have identified an affordable and local organic practice that can increase nutrient density in soybeans, or edamame, and improve soil health.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences researchers tested biodegradable pots made from (left to right) wood pulp fiber, cow manure and coconut coir. CAES News
Sustainable Gardening
Professional and home gardeners alike can grow landscapes sustainably with the help of biodegradable plant containers, but gardeners may wonder whether these containers decompose quickly enough to avoid hindering plant growth.
Students in Glen Harris' Soils and Hydrology class pose for a picture at Providence Canyon. CAES News
Classroom Road Trips
Hands-on learning opportunities are a focal point for students in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) on the University of Georgia Tifton campus and a key part of its academic mission.
Henry Sintim joined the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences on Aug. 1 as an assistant professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. CAES News
Soil Scientist
Georgia feels like home for Ghana-native soil scientist Henry Sintim, and that’s what drew him to the University of Georgia Tifton campus.