Healthy Soil For A Healthy Garden
By David Chandler, Fri Dec 9th
All too often, soil composition is neglected. Every season, ourplants and gardens rob the soil of it nutrients. All gardenersare to be custodians of the soil, taking the time to replacefood and other elements as they are used. Since our soil is soimportant, we need to treat it, as we want to be treated, notlike dirt.
Soil is a composition of weather-beaten rock, minerals, decayedplant materials and other organic ingredients. All this takes along time to develop, but can be damaged by our action orneglect in a single season.
For soil to be healthy, it should contain a balanced mix of air,water, nutrients, and organic matter. There are a couple thingswe can do to protect this mixture.
Adding organic matter on a regular basis is probably one of themost important things we can do. Adding compost and animalmanure can do many things, for instance:
Increases the soil's capability to hold nutrients. Makes foodavailable to plants over a longer period of time. Lessens theamount of nutrients lost by erosion or leaching. Providesmicronutrients that are needed by plants in small amounts.Releases nutrients already in the soil by increasing the actionof beneficial microorganisms. Increases the water-holdingcapacity for sandy soils. Increases the drainage of clay soils.Saves money.
Do not apply fertilizer to lawns until we get a good soakingrain, and for best, safest, long-lasting results use organicfertilizers. The wet soil puts the nutrients into a solution andhelps distribute the nutrients to the plant roots to beabsorbed.
The ability of soil to drain water is important. However, whenyou read phrases like "plant in a well-drained soil" or "doesnot like wet feet", they are talking about the plant's need forair. The roots of plants require oxygen and any soil that iswaterlogged will be lacking oxygen.
Many plants will put up with high moisture-conditions during thegrowing season, but when the plants are dormant, the sameconditions may kill them. By improving the drainage, the plantwill have a better growing environment.
Another problem is soil becoming compacted by tractors and otherequipment or just by tilling it year after year. You will findsoil compaction in most soils, from gardens to farm fields.
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