Monthly Archives: May 2025
Compost Extracts Part 2
With Memorial Day this weekend, grateful for all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and to the families left behind.
Last week, I shared some information on compost extracts. Curt Arens, editor of Nebraska Farmer magazine, responded sharing an article he wrote of a group in northeast NE working with compost extracts: https://www.farmprogress.com/soil-health/1113f1-1400-slideshow.
The “why” behind using compost extracts is to build a diversity of locally grown biology. The goal is to reduce synthetic nitrogen and other nutrients on their farms by allowing the biology to process the currently unavailable nutrients in the soils. The hope is to also increase microbial activity to naturally ward off insect and pathogen pests to reduce chemicals in the system.
The extraction process of removing the microbes from the compost has been done a number of ways. One farmer used 5 gallon buckets of compost, paint screens, water in a stock tank and an air hose to agitate. I’ve seen other farmers agitate and screen 5 gallon buckets of compost various ways into cleaned out plastic totes or cone bottom tanks. Extraction equipment can also be purchased. It does take time and is often made the morning or night before of planting and/or foliar application.
A tool I use more often is my microscope. Until a few years ago, I never thought to look at soil under my microscope; it takes practice and time. It’s opened my eyes to a whole new world of understanding and questions. With the compost extracts, I’ve seen great diversity: bacteria are common, but also fungal spores, amoebas (protists), and nematodes. I’ve learned by dunking seeds and looking at how chemical seed treatments interact and don’t interact with biology. I’ve looked at various products from a jug. I’ve dunked roots of young seedlings. It’s incredible how some biological products provide much life to the roots with microbial diversity while also viewing how chemical seed treatments did their job and the minimal associations with microbes formed. It’s a tool that I think more farmers would find helpful if time was scheduled to observe and learn.
The on-farm research studies with compost extracts were complicated studies including various nitrogen rates. So, I will share highlights and you can view the full reports beginning on page 162 of the 2024 on-farm research book.
Seward Study 1 (pg 171): In this 3-year study, the grower had two years of corn and one year of soybeans with a Check treatment, compost extract treatments, Pivot Bio (in the corn years) on the same strips. In 2022, there were no yield differences between the Check and the two compost extract + 106 lb N/ac nitrogen rates. In 2023, there were no yield differences for any of the treatments in spite higher and lower N rates. In 2024, there was no yield difference between the Check and Johnson Su compost extract areas. Encouraging is no lower yield with the reduced N and compost extracts.
York Study 2 (pg 167): In this 2-year study, there were no yield differences between any treatments in 2023 in spite of a 20% reduced N rate. The grower questioned if he was going low enough with N, and in 2024, did a nitrogen ramp study with compost extract. There were no differences between the 190 lb N/ac full N rate, 120 lb N/ac reduced N rate, and 120 lb N/ac + compost extract. Analyzing just the 120 lb N/ac rate vs. 120 lb N/ac + compost extract resulted in the a significant yield advantage to the compost extract, which was encouraging to the grower.
Lancaster Study 3 (163): In this non-irrigated study, nitrogen was the primary limiting factor amongst the treatments. The conclusion was biology needs moisture in the midst of drought.
Grateful for all who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom!
Compost Extracts Part 1
During the winter months, farmers often called asking if we had research on X biological product. I heard a few of them deem 2025 as “the year of the biologicals” with how often different products would show up in ads and be discussed in meetings. It seems like the majority of companies are adding some type of biological or biostimulant to their product line. Why? I think mostly because there may come a day when we have to rely less on chemicals for ag production. We also have an increasing number of growers who are trying to reduce the amount of chemicals and synthetic fertilizer they use. Maybe there’s something to “it feels right or good” as well.
While we don’t have research on the majority of the products on the market, we are gaining more on-farm research results in homemade biologicals called “compost extracts”. If you search for this term, you will find the terms “compost extracts” and “compost teas” which are often mentioned for gardening settings. In recent years, some farmers seeking a regenerative ag path are trying this on a commercial scale for ag as well. I’ve been following Jay Young for years (YoungRedAngus on YouTube) if you want to learn more about what he’s doing.
Compost is defined by Merrium-Webster as: “a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land”. There’s many different methods of making compost and various materials can be used. Gardeners may use materials like vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells, leaves and grass clippings. Farmers may use materials like manure, straw and hay, deceased animals, leaves, and wood chips. For ag, you may hear terms such as turned compost, windrow compost, Johnson-Su compost…there’s a number of methods that farmers are using to make compost on their farms.
Compost is known to improve soil by adding organic material, nutrients and micronutrients, soil microbes and earthworms. Hundreds to a thousand pounds of compost would be added to ag ground to improve it. Most farmers don’t have that amount nor access to that amount of material.
Thus, the interest in “compost extracts” and “compost teas” in which a small amount of compost (2 lb/ac) is used. The compost is added to water in a tank with a way to agitate it to allow the nutrients and microbes to move into the muddy water solution. For compost extracts, the solution is agitated for 20 minutes to 2 hours (depending on the farmer’s system), filtered, then the liquid is pumped to a tank for the farmer to apply to the field.
We’ve had 7 on-farm research studies in this part of the state using compost extracts as seed treatments, applied in furrow or via foliar application thus far. We kept these studies (other than seed treatment) on the same strips over time. The growers have appreciated “growing their own biological diversity” with costs ranging from $1-6/ac, depending on what else is added. Their desire is to use the extracts to lower nitrogen and other fertilizer use in addition to reducing chemical apps on their farms.
I only have room to share on the compost extract seed treatment for this column. The grower has used compost extracts for years and chose to do a seed treatment study in 2024. The corn had a commercial ShieldCoat seed treatment. He compared that to the ShieldCoat + compost extract seed treatment. This field was impacted by greensnap in July and also Fusarium crown rot. The compost extract seed treatment (215 bu/ac) statistically out-yielded the Check (206 bu/ac). The cost of the compost extract was estimated at $1/ac. There will be another compost extract seed treatment study in 2025. To determine the quality of his compost, the grower sent it in for DNA analysis from Biome Makers and it was microscopically analyzed by Living Soil Compost Lab LLC. This study can be viewed in more detail on page 167 of the 2024 On-Farm Research Results Book.
JenResources 5/11/25
Drought: While it’s sometimes difficult to write a column each week, the record of information on my blog through the years has been of help to me. I was thinking about this spring…how the rye and pastures weren’t growing, and now how the rye and wheat went to head in non-irrigated ground weeks earlier than normal. Why are they heading so early this year? I think it’s because we’ve had such warm soil temperatures coupled with low surface and subsoil moisture in non-irrigated fields. I think the plants are stressed and went into reproductive mode.
I’m concerned that pastures will also be short and head out early too. It’s good to be prepared in the event that livestock producers need additional forage. In mid-April, a Drought Preparation Webinar was held and the recording can be found here: https://go.unl.edu/2025_drought_prep_webinar. There’s also a recent CropWatch article by Aaron Berger, Livestock Educator, sharing the economic tradeoffs of grazing wheat vs. taking it for grain for those with non-irrigated acres that are drought stressed or dealing with virus diseases. You can find the full article here: https://go.unl.edu/mrny.
I know irrigating crops like what is occurring is reminiscent of 2023 in watering crops up and activating herbicide. No one wants the irrigation season to start this early. For curiosity, I pulled the Drought Monitor maps from this week in 2023, 2024, and 2025. 2023 is the year I think of most closely to 2025 so far, even though the drought monitor map in 2023 was much more severe than what 2025 shows. For a planting season, 2025 reminds me more of 2012 with how early everything went into the ground with a warm growing season and no cold snaps. The drought monitor map for the area of the state I serve is similar to 2024, but we also know that mid- to late-May rains changed conditions from dry to too wet in areas north and east of here. Curious as to what year(s) any of you would compare this year to?
Ultimately, we’re not in control of the weather. For the livestock producers in particular, it may be wise to have a forage plan in place in the event that forage resources run short for your operation.
Seed Swap: On a lighter note, we have some interesting on-farm research projects this year! One we’re calling a Seed Swap. This will be my 10th year with the York Co. Corn Grower plot. Any extra seed that we vacuum out of planter boxes is mixed together and planted out. While it’s not a part of the official plot, that area has always beaten the highest yielding number in the plot by 5-10 bu/ac. And, it may not always work this way, but a handful of others also commented they’ve seen something similar. One farmer who had hosted the plot in the past had the idea of trying this via on-farm research. A group of farmers also liked the idea and they all decided on a “seed swap” where they each contributed a hybrid to be mixed together. The mix is compared to each farmer’s hybrid(s) of choice. So in 2025, we’ll have non-GMO and GMO seed swap studies. There’s also a grower who wanted to try this with soybeans, so he has a study combining different maturity groups.
A 2009 study in Ohio compared 5 hybrids vs. mixes of the hybrids. “No significant difference was seen when comparing the yield of a mixed hybrid stand to the average of the two hybrids that were used in the mixed planting. However, there was an observed tendency for the mixed hybrid treatments to out yield their single hybrid counterparts by an average of 4.2 bushel per acre.”
I realize the concept perhaps goes against what many are trying to do with increasing uniformity in fields. My hypothesis in what we’ve seen in the corn grower plot is that the range of maturities (110-120 days) allowed to catch any stragglers for pollination, there was increased diversity in disease/insect packages in combination with more defensive and racehorse hybrids. For those interested in soil health, I also think there’s something to diversity of root structures resulting in more sharing of nutrients and different microbial associations with roots. Those are just hypotheses and we’ll share what we see for results next winter!
JenResources 5/4/25
Crop Updates: I was reminding myself to count my blessings that we have received any rain falling from the sky! The rainfall has been spotty and I can appreciate it’s been frustrating and tiring with the winds and lack of rainfall. We’ve also been blessed with incredible planting conditions this season. It’s interesting to hear a number of farmers share they were completely done with planting in April this year. It’s also nice to see the green crops emerging in fields.
Have heard reports of alfalfa weevils being higher incidence in Kansas and the southern border counties of Nebraska. Please be scouting alfalfa. More info. here: https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/alfalfa-weevil.
For wheat, there’s been very little rust (stripe or leaf rust) found in Kansas through Texas. With recent rains and dew, it’s good to be scouting for these diseases. While I’m not aware that we have any wheat flowering yet, wheat development does vary throughout the area receiving this information. To check on the Fusarium Head Blight (scab) risk, check out this tool: https://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/.
I’ve had some questions on what to expect for insects this year. No one can know for sure, but our Extension entomologists shared on this topic a few weeks ago in a CropWatch article found here: https://go.unl.edu/2zmn. The following are some excerpts from the article:
“Soil Temperatures: Despite frigid temperatures in February 2025, Nebraska soil temperatures at insect overwintering depths (around 4 inches) remained relatively stable due to insulating snow cover and crop residue. The cold event likely had minimal impact on most overwintering insect pests, as the soil didn’t freeze deep enough or stay cold long enough to kill them.
Unfortunately, temperatures at most locations where western corn rootworm, western bean cutworm, and wheat stem sawfly typically overwinter have not reached sustained periods of low enough temperatures to cause considerable mortality. The exception would be the chance for higher mortality of WCR and WBC in January in the Scottsbluff region.
We recommend that scouting and management practices are continued as planned in 2025, and as informed by pest pressures observed in 2024, rather than relying upon this winter’s weather to provide adequate control of pests. However, weather between now and summer could still impact insect survival; for example, very wet soil conditions in spring can reduce WCR survival as larvae hatch out and potentially drown.”
Crabgrass preventer in lawns: With the warm soil temperatures, it’s time to get crabgrass preventer on lawns if you’re interested in doing this and haven’t already done so.
Field bindweed has been another pest people have asked about. It produces deep roots and it spreads by seeds, rhizomes and stolons. For homeowners, Kelly Feehan shared that “If hand-pulling or hoeing is the chosen control, studies show if bindweed is pulled before it grows five leaves, you may have better success. It may take up to three or four growing seasons to kill a plant, but it’s possible if one stays on top of removing plants before they have five leaves. If herbicides are used, spot treat weeds before they bloom and avoid getting herbicide on desirable plants. Tryclopyr and glyphosate can be used carefully in landscapes on bindweed.” Another tip has been to apply glyphosate to a nitrile glove and run the gloved hand on the vine so the herbicide is applied to the vine and not the desirable plant. That also takes diligence but can help over time.
JenResources 