Can we manufacture fertile soil?

Question

or are we going to run out of fertile soil to grow crops in?

If we can manufacture it, is it being used today? How and where?

Answer 1

Yes you can, but I'm not sure 'manufacture' is the right term.

I have heard of several ways to enhance your preexisting soil and replenish it's ability to grow healthy crops.  The first of which is by composting.  Plants are constantly shedding their old leaves, branches, flowers etc. and normally these cast off elements are re-assimilated into the soil and decomposed as nature's perfect fertilizer.  But this is typically not allowed in commercial gardens and fields because of the less than aesthetic effect.  Hence the chemical fertilizer, but this isn't really the best solution.

One thing that I have found really useful in my own garden is to add all kinds of organic debris that I would normally through away to the soil and, making sure that there are plenty of worms present, let them decompose naturally.  I have added everything from banana and potato peels to manure to fish heads and raw organs.  Sorry if that sounds a bit gross but it really works.

I have a lot of friends that have compost bins or worm bins where they can put their organic debris and let it decompose first before adding it to the soil, and I really like this method for plant debris.  I wouldn't recommend it for animal waste, though, because it can become a health hazard.

Another thing that I have heard about but haven't tried yet is this stuff called AZOMITE.  It stands for 'A to Z Of Minerals Including Trace Elements' and it is comprised completely of ash from exploded volcanos.  It is supposidly extremely rich in natural elements that plants need and that get passed onto us when we consume said plants.  Most commercial farmers are able to fertilize their fields with a few common elements, but it is much too expencive to reestablish the trace elements into the soil, so the food grown there is lacking.  If grown in an enviornment rich in trace elements as well as the more common minerals then the plants are not only healthier but the food is more nutritious.  I saw AZOMITE online and I definately want to test it out.

So definately compost is the best I would say, and you can do it for almost nothing right at home.  Buying manure fertilizers are worth the investment, and to be really sure about the quality of the soil you can do soil tests to ensure it's nutrient levels.  (I'm about to have mine tested.)

Try not to worry about out soil running out of nutrients.  The nutrients are never really used up, they are just moved to different places.  If we reestablish them in the soil after we have depleted them then we can maintain the balance.  ^-^  

Answer 2

I don't know about MANUFACTURING it, but we can make soil be fertile.

1) Recycle last years crops.  Using a "plow", the farmer turns over the top layer of soil, thus burying the old (dead) plants under the soil to rot.  This puts their nutrients back into the soil.

2) Add fertilizers.  For example, grass crops (corn, wheat, etc) take nitrogen OUT of the soil.  So fertilizer is needed to put it back.

3) Cycle crops.  Grasses take nitrogen OUT of the soil, but beans and peas and peanut put it back.  So the first year plant corn, the second year plant beans, and the third year don't plant anything (let the soil rest).  But in that third year, you've got no income . . . . !

As for MANUFACRUTING it, I guess this could be done on a very small basis.  It's called POTTING SOIL.  But it it too difficult (and expensive) to do that on something the size of a farmers' corn or wheat field.

Answer 3

Compost is a way to "make" soil - it can't be done on a scale large enough to meet the needs of the world to grow crops on though.  The best bet for that is more sustainable farming practices that preserve the soil we have.

Answer 4

NEVER HAPPEN, BECAUSE CERTAIN COUNTRIES LIKE FRANCE HAVE STOPPED LISTENING TO AMERICAS COMMANDS TO STOP USING HEMP FOR ETHANOL THUS ENSURING THAT THE HEMP REPAIRS THE DAMAGED SOIL.THIS IS KNOWN BY AMERICA BECAUSE IT WAS ONCE UPON A TIME GROWN ALL ACROSS AMERICA AND WAS AN ARRESTABLE OFFENSE FOR A FARMER NOT TO GROW IT.