Foundations Series #5: Reading the Soil: Agronomy, Soil Testing & Crop Health with Lee Briese

Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast

Tad Hussey.

Grow, Leisure, Natural Sciences, Cannabis, Science, Cultivation, Gardening, Weed, Organics, Home & Garden, Growing, Marijuana

4.7 • 716 Ratings

🗓️ 10 March 2026

⏱️ 77 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, agronomist and crop consultant Lee Briese shares his practical approach to understanding and managing soil health. Drawing from years of field experience working with farmers, Lee explains why reading the soil requires more than just lab reports — it involves observation, interpretation, and understanding how chemical, physical, and biological properties interact. Lee discusses why he often prioritizes chemical soil analysis when making management decisions, and how tools like soil testing, visual assessment, and field experience help diagnose what crops truly need. He also emphasizes the importance of soil structure and aggregation, and why physically interacting with the soil — touching it, smelling it, and walking the land — provides insights that lab data alone cannot. The conversation explores how experienced agronomists approach soil much like doctors approach the human body: looking at multiple indicators together to identify underlying issues and guide effective interventions. Originally released as Episode 87, this conversation remains a valuable reminder that successful crop management starts with careful observation, sound data, and a holistic understanding of the soil system.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode wraps up the foundation series, a short run of conversations that still shape
0:05.5	how I think about plant health, soil management, and cultivation systems today.
0:10.2	Over the past few episodes, we've looked at plant physiology, cultivation systems, soil biology,
0:15.6	and applied horticulture.
0:17.2	To close out the series, I want to revisit a conversation that really focuses on how experienced
0:22.3	agronomists actually diagnosed soil problems in the real world.
0:26.4	My guest is Crop Consultant Lee Breeze.
0:29.2	Lee has a very practical approach to soil health that I think a lot of growers can learn from.
0:33.8	While biology is an important part of soils, Lee emphasizes that good decisions usually
0:38.4	start with understanding the chemical and physical properties of the soil, interpreting soil
0:42.9	tests, looking at soil structure and aggregates, and paying attention to what the soil
0:46.8	is telling you when you're actually out in the field.
0:49.9	We also talk about how experienced agronomists approach soil a lot like a doctor approaches the human
0:54.7	body, looking at multiple indicators together to diagnose what's really going on and how to correct it.
1:00.6	This conversation originally aired in 2021, but the principles around observation, soil analysis,
1:07.2	and understanding the physical structure of soil are just as relevant today as they were then.
1:12.0	And with this episode, we'll wrap up the foundation series. Up next, I'll be releasing a brand
1:17.5	new conversation with plant pathologist Dr. Zemir Punja, where we dive into plant diseases,
1:23.3	pathogens, and what growers should understand about managing disease pressure in modern
1:27.4	cultivation systems.
1:29.0	But for now, let's get into this conversation with Lee Breeze. Welcome to the Cannabis cultivation and science podcast. I'm your host, Tad Hussey of Kiss Organics.
1:55.5	This is the podcast where we discuss the cutting edge of growing from a science-based perspective
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