|
How to Keep Soil Healthy
For soil to be healthy it should
contain a balanced mix of air, water, nutrients and
organic matter. There are a couple things we can do
to protect this mixture.
Soil is a composition of weather-beaten rock, minerals,
decayed plant materials and other organic ingredients.
All this takes a long time to develop, but can be damaged
by our action or neglect in a single season.
Plants can obtain nutrients from the
soil using their roots and change them to usable materials
to grow new roots, leaves and flowers.
All gardeners are to be custodians of
the soil, taking the time to replace food and other
elements as they are used. Since our soil is so important
we need to treat it like we want to be treated, not
like dirt.
Adding organic matter on a regular basis
is probably one of the most important things we can
do. Adding compost, cover crops and animal manure can
do many things:
+increases the soil's capability to hold nutrients.
+makes food available to plants over a longer period
of time.
+lessen the amount of nutrients lost by erosion or leaching.
+provides micro-nutrients that are needed by plants
in small amounts.
+release nutrients already in the soil by increasing
the action of beneficial microorganisms.
+increases the water-holding capacity for sandy soils.
+increase the drainage of clay soils.
+saves money.
Do not apply fertilizer to lawns until
we get a good soaking rain, and for best, safest, long-lasting
results use organic fertilizers. The wet soil puts the
nutrients into a solution and helps distribute the nutrients
to the plant roots to be absorbed.
The ability of soil to drain water is
important. But when you read phrases like "plant
in a well-drained soil" or "does not like
wet feet", they are talking about the plant's need
for air. The roots of plants require oxygen and any
soil that is waterlogged will be lacking oxygen.
Many plants will put up with high moisture-conditions
during the growing season, but when the plants are dormant
the same conditions may kill them. By improving the
drainage the plant will have a better growing environment.
Another problem is soil becoming compacted
by tractors and other equipment or just by tilling it
year after year. You will find soil compaction in most
soils, from gardens to farm fields.
Tilling the soil when it is too wet
will clump and ruin the composition of the soil. This
condition takes a long period of time to bring it back
to health. To tell if the soil is too wet take a handful
and squeeze it, if it crumbles in your hand then it
is ready to till but if it clumps then it is too wet.
Some people now believe that tilling at all is not good
for the structure of the soil. It exposes the helpful
microorganisms to the environment and they are destroyed.
However, gardeners may wonder if it
is best to till the garden in the fall or spring. Tilling
the soil in the fall has advantages over springtime.
When spring arrives it allows for earlier planting since
the basic soil preparation is done. Tilling in the fall
allows a large amount of organic matter to be turned
into the soil and start decomposing because the microbes
are active currently.
An excellent source of organic matter
is the fall leaves. Try tilling a thick layer of leaves
into the soil this fall and by spring it will have decomposed.
Sowing a cover crop, like winter rye,
is very beneficial by adding valuable nutrients and
organic matter when tilled into the soil the following
spring. Fall tilling will disrupt the bad insects, diseases
and weeds, reducing their population.
Fall is a good time to test your soil
and should be done every couple of years. In conclusion,
doing all the previous steps should be done the organic
gardening way. It's back to basic.
1howto.com
Please
Share Your Tips with Us
|
