2nd Edition (2009)

Download entire manual [64-page, 32 MB .pdf]

Compressed version [11 MB .pdf]

Buy hard copy [$15 from NYSAES online bookstore]

Contents:

Basics: [19-page, 2.8 MB .pdf file]

• Cover, front matter, table of contents
• Purpose of manual
• What is soil?
• What is soil health?
• Common soil constraints
• Cornell soil health team
• In-field soil health assessment

Soil health testing: [30-page, 3.3 MB .pdf file]

• Scoring functions
• Soil sampling protocol
• Soil texture
• Aggregate Stability
• Available water capacity
• Field penetration resistance
• Organic matter
• Active carbon
• Potentially mineralizable nitrogen
• Root health assessment
• Chemical analysis
• Soil health report

Management strategies for improving soil health: [15-page, 2.3 MB .pdf file]

• Cover crops
• Organic amendments
• Tillage
• Crop rotation
• Managing soil constraints
• Additional resources

• Provides an overview of the concept of soil health.
• Describes soil constraints and soil quality issues common to soils in New York and the Northeast region, especially in vegetable and field crop production systems.
• Provides guidelines on how to conduct in-field qualitative and quantitative soil health assessment.
• Provides a how-to guide for proper soil sampling.
• Provides an overview of laborabory methods used to assess the health status of soil, the soil health report and their interpretation
• Identifies management strategies for improving soil health based on measured constraints.
• Provides links to additional soil health and soil management resources.