Author: Peter Van Beek
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Bracewell pasture trials, significantly increasing Dry Matter with BioBooster
Bio-Booster, Sea Minerals and Humic acid were applied on two properties to sections of native pastures that had not been grazed One treated area showed increased growth and leaf Brix readings. Additionally, chicory seeded with the Bio-Booster show larger plants and flowers. The second trial on a nearby property was mulched, with the grazier reporting…
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Scientific Evidence of the Benefits of applying Sea Minerals to Pasture
Sea minerals were applied to pasture to study its effects on plants and soil microbiology. The trial addressed Pasture Dieback, a major challenge in Queensland grazing industries, the causes of which are still unknown. Soil and pasture samples were taken and showed improvements in yield, quality, taste and nutritional value of plants and beneficial changes…
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An Introduction to Sea minerals
Seawater contains almost every mineral that exists in the world. In Australia, table salt (sodium chloride) and Potassium chloride are extracted from it by letting the sun evaporate much of the water in huge flat bays at the coast. As a result, the concentrations of sodium and potash reach high concentrations and crystallise out first. Most…
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An Introduction to the Plant Health Pyramid
The plant health pyramid is a framework that explains the links between the health of a plant and its requirements for nutritional and biological support. It was developed by John Kempf and was presented as a talk in 2021 which can be found on YouTube. It highlights that a plant needs minerals from the soil…
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Building Crop Immunity: Understanding the Plant Health Pyramid
Lets explores the Plant Health Pyramid, an approach that helps farmers and agronomists strengthen plant immunity against diseases and insects by carefully managing plant nutrition and soil biology. It combines practical examples, science-based explanations, and key concepts on how balanced nutrition and robust soil ecosystems make plants naturally resilient. Why Focus on Plant Health? Modern…
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The Basics of Building your own Wicking Beds
Wicking beds can be purchased, but many sold as ‘wicking boxes’ do not actually wick. Before buying, read our article on the countless ways to make wicking beds and make sure to watch out for many of the common misconceptions and design flaws of commercialised and popularised wicking beds. Proper wicking beds are easy to make. Any container…
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Bigger Peanuts, how restoring soil biology led to a marked increase in Jumbo grade nut size
Humic acid and Liquid Sea Minerals were applied to peanuts. At harvest, the fruit weight was increased by 10%. By supplying soil biology foods, the soil structure and nutrient availability improved, thereby allowing larger nuts to be produced. Bio-Booster was not used in this trial. The Trial The trial was conducted near Bundaberg in 2020.…
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Grass Measurement Posts
Grass measuring posts can be used to show increased pasture growth, if any. Taking photos from the same position over a period of time is one reliable way of finding out. Improvement in pasture quality is shown by cattle consistently showing preference for one plot over the other. This too can be recorded on photos and/or in…
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Summary of Case Studies
This is a summary of all our tests on commercial farms. The surprise to us was that all responses were fairly quick and showed possible profits from the first crop. Equally, we have not yet had a failure to get a good response to our many small ‘Look and See’ experiments in our and friends’…
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Risk Assessments and Regulations of Wicking Beds in Schools
Any proposal to build wicking beds on school grounds requires the usual risk assessment. The information below is meant to assist the proposer. They are based on Queensland Government regulations and reflect Australian standards more broadly. While many rules apply nationwide, schools outside Queensland should confirm any additional local requirements. This information was last reviewed…