Our soil expertise runs deep
Our in-house Agronomist Linda Ferguson understands what is required to raise pasture and crop productivity through careful planning and agronomy. Fully qualified with a Bachelor of Agriculture and is a Fertcare Accredited Adviser so you can be sure you are getting quality advice that is backed by science.
Born and raised in Gippsland, Linda has grown up in a rural setting on a beef farm and worked on various dairy farms as a teenager and young adult. She understands customer requirements, whether it be dairy, beef, horticulture or cropping.
Soil & Tissue Testing
Soil testing is used to predict the likely response of pastures and crop to fertiliser and/or soil amendments; monitor soil fertility within a farm or paddock; and diagnose possible reasons for underperforming pastures and crops.
Tissue testing is used in pastures to monitor trace elements to determine if application is required to aid pasture productivity or animal health. In cropping situations tissue testing can diagnose deficiencies or accumulation of too much nutrient that may be reducing crop performance.
There are several key steps involved in soil and tissue sampling:
- Collection. This involves taking soil cores from a paddock or group of paddocks that is assumed to represent the area or farm sampled.
- Analysis. Samples are posted to the Nutrient Advantage Laboratory for testing. This state-of-the-art laboratory will efficiently and accurately test samples for a range of analytes pertaining to the desired pasture or crop. Nutrient Advantage are NATA and ASPAC accredited.
- Interpretation. Results are carefully read to determine if they are ideal for pasture or crop productivity and what is limiting production.
- Recommendation. Both results as well as the customer’s desired outcome is used to formulate a recommendation to improve pasture or crop performance. A full report containing the interpretation and recommendations are provided to the customer.
Fertiliser Strategy & Nutrient Management
Gippsland Bulk Spreaders agronomist can work with customers to develop a detailed fertiliser strategy that will target nutrient applications to ensure a high level of pasture and crop growth at vital times of the year.
Through our farm mapping program, Gippsland Bulk Spreaders can supply on request total nutrient application per farm or per paddock. This information is becoming more important for customers for lease or environmental auditing purposes.