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.
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.
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.
