This week we invited Lawrence Mayhew, our EarthWorks chemist, to discuss the third leg of the three-legged stool: the one that focuses on soil biology. Lawrence helps us better understand how sodium works in the plant and ways we can buffer excess sodium using soil biology. He explains his thought process when he helped us formulate our newest liquid product and rising star, KVantage.
“Sodium can work like high blood pressure in the plant” according to Lawrence, and excesses will lead to sodium-induced wilt stress. Many sources of irrigation waters in the turf industry are very high in sodium, and the constant flush through the soil profile causes plant and soil issues. Lawrence talked us through ways we can offset these problems with biological buffering, backed up as always by a deep well of research.
Sodium can work like high blood pressure in the plant...” ~ Lawrence Mayhew
This podcast is a follow up to our earlier conversations with Bill McKibben. Bill is the author of The Art of Balancing Soils, and when it comes to this particular art, he is undeniably a true master. He talked about the importance of soil chemistry and how it can affect soil physics.