CHANDLER SOIL

Increases Yields by Building Soil Fertility and Tilth

Chandler Soil is a liquid biological soil conditioner that is formulated to improve soil fertility and tilth, reduce compaction, and improve crop yields. The product contains micronutrients, enzymes, and other natural organic compounds that support the growth and metabolism of these microbes. Chandler Soil may be may be applied directly on the soil with conventional spraying equipment, or it may be placed in or near the seed row with liquid starter fertilizers at planting time or when crops are side-dressed. Fields may be tilled after application but this not required, so the product may be used on hay fields, pastures, and no-till cropland. Chandler Soil is non-toxic when used as recommended and may be applied in a tank-mix with most liquid fertilizers or pesticides for a one-pass application.

Product Ingredients

Chandler Soil contains trace amounts of several micronutrients as well as enzymes and other natural organic compounds. These ingredients are designed to support the growth and metabolism of the beneficial microbe colonies that build soil structure and fertility and increase organic matter content. The nutrients are chelated with citric acid and partially hydrolized vegetable protein to increase bonding of the minerals, prevent nutrient tie-up, and improve nutrient availability. The minimum guaranteed analysis of these ingredients is:

• 1.0000 percent sulfur
• 0.5000 percent water soluble magnesium
• 0.1000 percent iron
• 0.1000 percent copper
• 0.0500 percent manganese
• 0.0500 percent zinc
• 0.0200 percent boron
• 0.0005 percent molybdenum

Please note that these trace elements are included to support the biological life in the soil and are not intended as a direct source of nutrients for plants.

Main Benefits

• Less soil compaction and deeper root penetration
• Applied fertilizers and soil nutrients are more available
• Better drainage and less surface erosion
• Soils warm faster and are easier to till

For more information, please refer to the following publications:

Are You Farming

Five Feet Deep?

The photo to the right was taken in a corn field owned by one of our early customers who farmed in Eastern Iowa. Before using Chandler Soil, his field had heavy compaction in the top 18-20 inches of soil, and the corn roots could not penetrate deeper than a few inches. After using the product for four years, he noticed that tillage operations were easier and the soil was better drained. To examine the changes in the soil, we dug this soil profile and traced the growing corn roots down over five feet. There was no evidence of soil compaction at any point in this soil profile.

The recommended application rate for Chandler Soil depends on the soil condition, frequency of use, and method of application. In general, we recommend that you apply 12-16 ounces per acre in most fields, and you should use 16 ounces per acre if the soil is very light, poorly drained, or compacted. After using the product for at least three years, some of our users drop back to 10-12 ounces per acre and have good results. Also, you can apply the product in a band over the row or in the seed furrow with a planter, and the recommended application rate in these cases is 8-10 ounces per acre. The table below lists the range of application rates and the associated per-acre cost. These cost values are rounded to the nearest $0.25 and are based on purchases of 2.5 gallon jugs at our regular retail price. These costs will be lower if you buy in larger volumes (30 gallon drums) or order under our early-season discount programs in the fall (September and October) or winter (December through March).

Application Rate

Acres per gallon

Cost per acre

8 ounces

16.0 acres

$5.75 per acre

10 ounces

12.8 acres

$7.25 per acre

12 ounces

10.7 acres

$8.75 per acre

14 ounces

9.1 acres

$10.25 per acre

16 ounces

8.0 acres

$11.75 per acre

Chandler Soil should be applied with enough water to get adequate coverage of the soil surface, and we generally recommend 10-20 gallons per acre. You may also use newer spray equipment that is designed to operate at lower flow rates. You should test all new tank-mix combinations, and you should dilute all other products in water before adding Chandler Soil to the sprayer tank.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Chandler Soil remove compaction from the soil?

Although most people blame soil compaction on using heavy machinery and working soils that are too wet, these practices only make soil compaction worse --- they do not cause the initial problem to develop. The main reason that soils become compacted is a lack of biological life in the soil. The beneficial bacteria and other microbes in the soil emit a mucus-like waste substance that helps to bind the soil particles into colloids or aggregates. As the aggregates form, spaces are left that allow air and water to penetrate into the soil. As a result, the soil will warm faster in the spring, roots can penetrate deeper into the soil, and there will be fewer problems with water drainage and surface erosion. When the biological life in the soil is depressed, this process reverses and the soil becomes colder, poorly drained, and harder to work as the spaces between soil particles disappear. Chandler Soil multiplies the beneficial microbes that build soil structure and reduce problems with soil compaction.

How long does it take to remove soil compaction from my field?

The time required to remove compacted soil layers depends on several factors, including the amount of biological life present, the soil type and composition, and the past farming practices used in the field (such as type of tillage or fertilizer and pesticide rates). In most cases, we have found that Chandler Soil can remove about 6-8 inches of compaction per year when used as recommended.

How can Chandler Soil help us make better use of fertilizer, manure, and other sources of nutrients?

The beneficial microbes in the soil also convert applied fertilizers and soil nutrients into a form that plants can use. As the amount of biological life in the soil increases, more of these nutrients will be available for growing crops, and you can actually apply less fertilizer and maintain or increase crop yields. We learned this in our first field tests of these products, and our users have seen this in several on-farm tests conducted in over the past 30 years. In our tests, the reduced-rate fertilizer plots (with and without the enzyme treatment) were replicated four times and then repeated for four consecutive years in the same location. We conducted annual soil tests on each of the replicated plots, and we also learned that reducing the fertilizer application rates for four consecutive years did not deplete the available soil nutrients in the treated plots.

How often should I apply Chandler Soil?

In general, we recommend that you apply Soil once per year, and the timing of the application largely depends on what is most convenient for you. For example, many of our customers find that the most convenient time to treat their field is when they spray pre-emergence or post-emergence chemicals in the spring. Others will include Soil in the sprayer tank when the apply liquid nitrogen or other fertilizers in the fall or spring. Also, an increasing number of farmers are putting Chandler Soil in the row with starter fertilizer when they plant or when they side-dress growing crops after emergence. If you want, you can make split applications throughout the year. For example, some people put on half of their Soil treatment when they apply Chandler Biocat 1000 to corn stalks in the fall and half with their burn-down chemicals in the spring.

Are there situations when Chandler Soil does not perform as expected?

There must be some biological life in the soil that Chandler Soil can multiply. We have found that the biological life in the soil can be depressed if the field has been treated repeatedly with heavy pesticide applications or if you have applied high rates of potassium chloride or anhydrous ammonia fertilizer. We don't tell people how to farm, and we would never recommend that you stop using these practices if they are working for you. However, we want you to know that it will take longer for Chandler Soil to work if the biological life in your soil is depressed. On the other hand, Chandler Soil will work very well if you have ample biological life in the soil, which may result from periodic applications of manure to the field or from growing cover crops.

Can I apply Chandler Soil in a tank mix with other products?

Yes, Soil is compatible with the other Chandler products as well as most other pesticides and liquid fertilizers. However, we always recommend that you test all new tank-mix combinations to be sure. Also, some pesticides and other products can generate heat when combined with water, and excessive heat can reduce the effectiveness of the enzymes in the Chandler products. For this reason, we also recommend that you add Chandler Soil to the tank after all other products have been diluted with water.

Do I have to incorporate Chandler Soil after it is applied?

No, you do not have to incorporate Soil to promote growth of the soil microbes, so it is ideal for conventional tillage farming systems as well as no-till, strip tillage, and minimum tillage systems. You can also apply Chandler Soil to pastures and hay fields at any time when the amount of foliage is limited and the product can reach the soil surface.

How does Chandler Soil help to reduce plant disease outbreaks?

Some of the most troublesome plant diseases (including Goss's wilt) are caused by harmful bacteria and fungi that reside in undecayed plant residue. As the amount of corn residue left in fields has increased in the past few years, these problems have intensified and spread farther throughout the Midwest. Chandler Soil can be used with Biocat 1000 to reduce this disease pressure in two ways. First, you can use Biocat 1000 to promote an early completion of the residue decay process, which removes this potential habitat for the disease organisms. Second, Chandler Soil and Biocat 1000 multiply the number of beneficial bacteria, fungi, and other microbes in the soil, and these organisms helps to control the harmful microbes that cause plant diseases.

Can I apply Chandler Soil on fields with growing crops?

Yes, the enzymes and other ingredients in Soil do not harm the growing crops but do multiply the beneficial microbes in the soil. However, the product is only designed to work in the soil, so you should try to apply Chandler Soil on fields with growing crops when the amount of foliage is limited and most of the spray can reach the soil surface.

Can I graze livestock on fields that are treated with Chandler Soil?

Yes, the product is completely non-toxic when used as recommended, and it will not harm livestock or other animals that graze on treated fields.

After a few months of storage, there is a small layer of sediment or residue in the bottom of my Chandler Soil container. Is the product still effective?

The ingredients in Soil may settle out of solution after some time in storage, and this is the sediment you notice on the bottom of the container. To return these elements to the solution, you should vigorously shake the jug for several seconds before use. If you are using Soil in 30 gallon drums, you can tip the drum on edge and shake it, or you can place the drum on its side and roll it on the ground to agitate the contents. In our warehouse, we use a stir attached to an electric drill to agitate the product in the drums. After the product has been thoroughly agitated, the sediment will return to the solution, and the product will remain to be fully effective.