Inheriting a dilapidated ranch in North America, he became a billionaire through animal taming and t

The rotary tiller returned to the site and worked repeatedly.

Mix the amendment thoroughly with the deep soil.

The soil turned up by the knife-like blades turned light brown.

The white powder of the soil conditioner was evenly distributed in every grain of soil.

Old Tom squatted down, grabbed a handful of the mixed soil, and kneaded it in his palm.

The clods of earth crumbled as soon as they were squeezed.

"It's mixed well."

Old Tom stood up.

"The more fully the desulfurizer comes into contact with the soil, the faster the reaction."

On the third day of construction, changes began to appear on the surface of the soil.

The amount of white alkali crystals decreased significantly.

In some places, the original color of the soil can already be seen.

Louis led the workers to dig simple drainage ditches on the edge of the wasteland.

The ditch is half a meter deep, forty centimeters wide, and about two miles long.

The purpose of drainage ditches is to prevent water from accumulating and causing salt back up.

Rainwater or irrigation water, if it accumulates on the surface and cannot drain away.

After the water evaporates, the salt will re-accumulate.

Workers used shovels to dig ditches, and piled the excavated soil along the edges of the ditches.

Louis took a measuring tape and measured the depth and width; anything that didn't meet the standards had to be redone on the spot.

Old Tom was holding a handheld soil tester, randomly sampling and measuring the pH value.

He inserted the probe into the soil, waited a few seconds, and then the display showed numbers.

10:50.

Old Tom frowned.

"The alkalinity is still high."

For soil, a pH value between 6.5 and 7.5 is considered neutral, which is the normal range.

Different crops have different pH requirements.

Most crops grow best in a pH range of 6.0 to 8.0.

After applying the desulfurizing agent, he took measurements every few hours.

By the afternoon of the third day, the pH value had dropped to 9.2.

Although it is still far from meeting the standards of a normal grassland, significant changes have already been observed.

Su Chen ordered the application of well-rotted sheep manure as organic fertilizer.

Combining organic fertilizer with microbial agents can rapidly increase the organic matter content of the soil.

Temporary workers spread fertilizer in sections to ensure a uniform thickness.

The smell of rotting sheep manure was quite strong; the wind could carry the smell throughout the entire construction area.

The rotary tiller came back in and mixed the organic fertilizer into the tillage layer.

The soil turned up by the serrated edges was a deeper color.

It changes from light brown to dark brown, and becomes noticeably softer to the touch.

Su Chen squatted down and grabbed a handful.

The soil was no longer as dry and loose as before, but had become slightly moist and sticky.

The veterinarian was passing by the ranch and made a point of stopping to take a look.

He squatted at the edge of the improvement area, grabbed a handful of soil, and examined it carefully.

"The soil is much better than when I last came here."

"With increased organic matter and good breathability, the foundation for planting grass has been laid."

My neighbor Anderson drove by in his pickup truck.

Seeing the bustling scene at the construction site, he parked his car on the side of the road and walked over to take a look.

"Su Chen, what kind of massive project are you undertaking?"

Su Chen briefly introduced the improvement plan.

Deep plowing, desulfurization, organic fertilizer, salt-tolerant grass seeds, and irrigation with spring water.

Five steps to turn wasteland into grassland.

Anderson was utterly astonished after hearing this.

He has lived in this area for over twenty years.

I've seen several ranchers try to move this land, but they all gave up in the end.

Unexpectedly, Su Chen started construction less than a year after taking over.

"Could you teach me this technique?"

"There's also a small piece of saline-alkali land to the east of my house, not much, about forty acres, and it's been lying fallow for a long time."

"Once this is finished, I'll have Old Tom come and take a look at your place."

Anderson nodded repeatedly and asked a few more technical questions.

Su Chen asked Old Tom to explain it to him.

Black Fang led a patrol at night and successfully drove away two wild foxes that were approaching the construction area.

Ling Feng spotted poachers in the distance and promptly issued a low-altitude warning.

Su Chen sent Hei Feng to lead a team to patrol the border.

Upon seeing the wolf pack, the poachers turned and fled, and the construction progress was unaffected.

Emma continuously records data on soil pH, humidity, and color changes.

She created a table of data and used different colors to mark the changing trends of various indicators.

The pH value dropped from 10.5 to 9.2.

The organic matter content increased from 0.3% to 1.8%.

The color changed from grayish-white to dark brown.

Every indicator is moving in a positive direction.

Old Tom estimated that the planting standard would be met in five days.

Juan regularly checks the condition of the machinery.

The blades of the rotary tiller were badly worn, so he took them off and replaced them with a new set.

The tractor's engine oil was changed, and the filter was cleaned thoroughly.

High-intensity continuous operation causes significant wear and tear on machinery, so maintenance must keep up.

Louis cleans his tools daily, rinsing the fertilizer spreader thoroughly after each use to prevent soil amendments from corroding the equipment.

The mud on the shovels and rakes must be scraped clean and put away properly.

Su Chen directed the laying of temporary irrigation pipes, extending them from the Lingquan Canal to the wasteland.

Workers dug trenches and laid pipes, ensuring the pipe joints were sealed tightly.

There was no leakage or blockage during the water pressure test.

Eighty acres of land were improved that day, almost a day ahead of schedule.

Old Tom decided to stop tilling the land the following day.

Wait for the desulfurizer and organic fertilizer to react fully in the soil.

This reaction process takes time and cannot be rushed.

Su Chen stood at the edge of the improvement zone, looking at the land in front of him that was changing color.

Of the 300 acres, nearly half have already been renovated.

In a few more days, we can plant the seeds.

......

Old Tom took a soil testing instrument and randomly sampled more than a dozen points in the improved area.

The pH value remained stable at 8.3.

Although it is still a bit far from the ideal value, it has already met the sowing standards for salt-tolerant grass species.

"You can broadcast it now," Old Tom said to Su Chen.

Su Chen gave the order to officially begin the sowing of salt-tolerant grass seeds.

The grass seed ratio was determined after repeated discussions between Old Tom and Luke.

Ice grass accounts for 50%, alfalfa 30%, and alkaline cogon grass 20%.

Ice plant has a strong tolerance to salt and alkali, and a well-developed root system that can help stabilize the soil.

Alfalfa is high in protein and is a high-quality forage.

Alkaline grass is drought-resistant and moisture-tolerant, and has a wide range of adaptability.

Sowing a mixture of three grass species can quickly establish a lawn while ensuring the quality of the grass.

With the seeder properly adjusted, Juan drove the tractor with the seeder attached, working back and forth in the improved area.

The seeding rate of the seeder is precisely locked at 15 pounds per acre.

Maintain a reasonable speed to ensure even seed distribution.

Su Chen followed behind the seeder to inspect it, squatting down to check the density of the seeds as they fell to the ground.

There were no missed broadcasts, no rebroadcasts, and no backlogs.

The seeds are evenly distributed, with about a dozen seeds per square inch.

The entire improvement area was divided into six blocks, each approximately fifty acres in size.

The advantage of using partitioned planting is that it facilitates later partition management.

If the grass in a particular area isn't growing well, you can replant it there instead of starting the whole area over.

After each block was broadcast, Louis would take temporary workers and use light rakes to cover and compact the soil.

The thickness of the soil cover should be strictly controlled to be one to two centimeters.

It's too deep; the seeds can't emerge.

If it's too shallow, it will easily dry out in the wind or be pecked by birds.

Old Tom followed behind, checking the thickness of the soil cover.

He squatted down and used his fingers to dig away the topsoil.

Locate the seeds and measure the thickness of the soil covering them.

"One and a half centimeters, just right."

Louis, along with temporary workers, used a compactor to compact the soil.

Allowing seeds to have full contact with the soil helps them absorb water.

On the afternoon of the fourth day, all six blocks were sown.

Su Chen stood at the edge of the improvement zone, looking at the land in front of him that had already been sown.

Three hundred acres, four days.

Deep plowing, desulfurization, organic fertilizer application, and sowing—all four processes are completed.

"Start irrigation," Su Chen said to Juan.