Healthy soil needs less fertilizer, pesticides and water to sustain healthy plants while at the same time reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. The Branch Creek® Soil Health Score is the central focus of everything we do. It allows us to make recommendations to improve soil health while using less water as well as chemical based fertilizers and toxic pesticides. The Branch Creek® Soil Health Score also provides a benchmark for us to evaluate improvement in the health of your soil.
Getting Started
Soil Testing
It all starts with a test. The Branch Creek Soil Health Test samples your soil and gives it a score between 1 (completely depleted) and 7 (healthy and sustainable – no intervention needed).
Soil Probiotics
Depleted soil has had its biology stripped by toxic chemicals. Branch Creek probiotics bring biology back, giving soil the digestive system it needs to absorb nutrition and grow healthier lawns.
Soil Prebiotics
Chemical fertilizers work like energy drinks, boosting plants temporarily at the expense of soil health. Our certified organic Prebiotics do better, nourishing the soil beneath plants so the entire ecosystem can reproduce and thrive.
Understanding Your Score
If your Soil Health Score is 1 or 2 your soil is heavily compacted which is causing water to run off versus penetrate into the soil. Your soil is also lacking the ability to support the biological life that will improve soil health. The only way to have an attractive lawn is to utilize heavy loads of chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides. When Soil Health Scores are a 1 or 2 the soil is not ready for us to eliminate all chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides, but we can take an aggressive step in reducing the usage. At the same time, we are working on improving the ability of the soil to be a home for the type of biology that will improve our soil’s health. We also want to begin introducing the right type of grass seed varieties that will allow you to further reduce the use of chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides.
= 8.5
= 1.94
= TBD
A Branch Creek Soil Health Score of 3 or 4 is indicative of soil that is on the way to being healthy. Once soil reaches a score of 3, we begin to see soil biology behaving the way Mother Nature intended. While we are still not at a point of self-sufficiency, we are able to further reduce the amount of chemical fertilizers and pesticides being used.
= 8.5
= 1.28
= TBD
A Branch Creek Soil Health Score of 5 is considered to be healthy soil. As a result, we are able to eliminate the use of all chemical fertilizers and can reduce pesticide usage to extremely low levels.
= 2.5
= 0.00
= TBD
Once soil reaches a Branch Creek Soil Health Score of 6 it has reached the level that Mother Nature designed. At this level all chemical fertilizers and pesticides are removed from the system. In the event there is a need for weed control a herbicide with a low EIQ may be used or steaming may be considered as a chemical free means of controlling weeds.
= 0.0
= 0.0
= TBD
Once soil reaches a Branch Creek Soil Health Score applications need to be made aside from annual over seeding in the Fall. You will want to visually monitor your lawn for any changes. In the event there is a need for weed control a herbicide with a low EIQ may be used or steaming may be considered as a chemical free means of controlling weeds.
= 0.0
= 0.0
= TBD