Your soil and You
Rich and healthy soil is absolutely essential your plants
health. If you grow fruits and vegetables, your soils' health can have an
impact upon your health too! There are chemicals and micro-nutrients
present in all types of soils. Some are good and are essential for healthy
plant growth. There are chemicals which are bad and can harm your plants
or stunt their growth. What is in or not in your soil can get ingested by
your plants. Humans are one step up the food chain. What your plants
ingest gets into your system and your family' too!
So, learning a little about your soil and it's needs can
make you a much better gardener and keep you healthier.
Types of Soil:
There are several types of soil. Each one has different advantages and
disadvantages. Some plants prefer one type over another.
Sand- We all know sand. It is grainy soil which
holds little or no compost or humus. It drains very well and as a result,
does not hold water well at all. It is also lacking in minerals and
micro-nutrients needed by you plants. Roots of plants can easily grow and
expand through sand. We all know that Cactus grows in sandy soil. But, did
you know that peanuts prefer sandy soil also?
Clay- This is the second major type of soil. It is
largely the opposite of sand. It retains water, and does not drain sell.
Heavy clay soils can act as a pot holding water for days as rainwater ever
so slowly seeps through it. Roots can actually drown as there is no air in
the soil. Roots have a hard time pushing through it and tend to ball up.
Loam- This is soil contains a mixture of clay, silt
and sand as well as some organic matter. It retains water well, yet is
loose and contains plenty of air pockets for roots to breathe. Best of
all, it is rich in minerals and nutrients vital to your plants growth and
development.
Humus- Soil containing a rich mixture of decomposed
plant or animal matter. It is rich in minerals and nutrients vital to your
plants' growth and development.
Manures:
Manure is any animal excrement. It is usually mixed with
straw or sawdust that is laid down in the animal's stall, cage or
pen. Everyone agrees that well composted manure and plenty of it is the
absolute best amendment to your soil. But what kind of manure is best?
Most people will obtain whatever manure is available. The most common
forms are cow and horse manures. But there are also others such as chicken
and even pig.
Question: Is anyone out on there using Bat Guano?
Some people say that Bat Guano is the absolute best of manures.
Personally, I think my daughter's hamster produces the best manure. Now if
I can only get that little hamster to produce more..........
Unless you are well read on this topic, I'd suggest
sticking with the common horse and cow manures even though any kind of
decomposed manure will likely be good. Of these two options cow manure is
better in the sense that the cow processes it's food far more efficiently.
Horse manure contains many small seeds that have passed through the
horses' system and surrounded by all the rich compost will thrive in your
garden. To minimize this try to obtain an adequate amount well in advance.
Pile it high in your garden and let it cook(compost) over the winter or
for a few weeks prior to use.
Compost:
Compost is one the the best friends a gardener can have.
Just about all vegetation (tress, flowers, fruits, vegetables, shrubs,
etc) thrive on compost or mulch. Most gardeners have a compost pile where
we throw anything and everything from the plant world. Most of us are not
picky at what we throw in there and most vegetation are perfectly fine to
include in our compost pile.
It is difficult to make a long term mistake with the
compost pile. If you do not turn it and keep it moist, it will still
decompose. It will just take a little longer and may smell a lot more
along the way. A common error is to pile the grass clippings too thickly.
This results is a strong odor, but does not affect the eventual
decomposition.
Most people do not put meat and other table scraps
composed of animal matter into the compost pile. This is because they
attract other animals and pests. We encourage using table scraps that are
composed of plant matter and discourage others.
Make sure the things you put in the compost pile are clean
and free of bacterias. If you had bacterial wilt or other disease problems
with your crop, do not throw it on the compost heap. If the pile is not
hot enough, the disease will winter in your compost pile and re-infest the
next year's crop.
Leaves and Leaf Mulch(Black Gold):
Leaves are a frequent additive to the garden. Most(but not
all) leaves are fairly neutral in ph, and overall are healthy for the soil
and plants. I prefer Oak and Maple. Be cautious if you are getting them
from the side of the road. Some leaves such as Black Walnut emit toxins
that are harmful to many plants. In addition, on occasion people will put
other trash into the leaf bags. Watch for this trash and remove it as you
add the leaves to your garden or compost pile.
In my town, we have a yard waste recycling program. Leaves
are mulched at the town site each year. The resulting mulch, which my
neighbors and I call "Black Gold", are available for use by
residents. Everything we have ever grown in Black Gold has produced
stellar results. Try it on root crops such as carrots or beets. The roots
develop easier in the soft soil.
There are other mulches as well. These include pine mulch
and wood chips and lawn clippings. The drawback to some of these are
acidic ph levels, little nutrient value, or raw compost which can result
in burning your plant if piled too thickly. Unless you've done your
research on a particular material, use caution to apply them in small
amounts or avoid them all together.
Plastic Mulch
Black plastic mulch is a regular item for home gardeners
and the professionals. It is beneficial in warming the soil early in the
year. It also is very effective in keeping the weeds down between the rows
and helping to retain moisture.
However, plastic mulch, does not allow water and nutrient
into the soil unless it has many, many holes. If you use it, we recommend
a drip or soaker hose be placed under it for irrigation. A final dis-advantage
is it is not environmentally friendly, so pick it up and discard it at the
end of the season.
Some other possible amendments:
-
Ash from fireplace. Not only is it high in potash, but
is helps to raise the pH level.
-
Fish entrails are great fertilizers for any plants-
lots of nutrients(Caution: use well composted material or you may find
the neighborhood cats weeding your plants).
-
Coffee grounds, but it is hard to get a large supply.
Coffee grounds are rich in potassium.
-
Household scraps- vegetable matter only.
Ph Level of the Soil:
"Ph" is a measure of acidity or alkalinity. Each
plant in your garden or yard, has an ideal range that it will thrive in.
It is helpful to test your soil ph and adjust accordingly. Keep in mind
that the amendments you add could alter the ph.
Soil testing is not an absolute necessity, although it is
recommended. If your gardening area has proven productive over the years
and you are constantly adding amendments in some balance, you may opt not
to test it. Some gardeners have never tested their soil.
New growers and especially people who are experiencing
problems with growing other crops in the soil should definitely take this
test.
Your local agricultural agency can either perform test or
direct you to an organization that does. You can also ask your local
garden store how to have your soil tested.
Cover Crops
Professional growers will grow a "cover crop" in
their field over the winter. The most common crop is an annual or winter
rye grass. The grass sowed in the fall and plowed or roto-tilled in the
spring. Cover crops benefit the field in two ways. First the grass adds
nitrogen into the soil. Second, it reduces soil erosion due to wind, rain
and runoff during the long off season.
This concept is commonly practiced in professional farming
and is easily practiced in smaller home gardens. However, most home
gardeners do not practice this.
You Are What You Eat:
Pesticides, herbicide and fungicides are commonly used by
commercial growers and s regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Despite this regulation, many people still worry over residual chemicals
in the food supply. And, with just cause as it is our bodies that could be
absorbing those chemicals. A large number of home gardeners participate in
this great hobby to eliminate or control the possibility of chemicals in
their food. Organic gardening thrives on the concept of no chemicals and
only naturally sourced fertilizer and nutrients for the garden.
A home gardener will either avoid chemicals entirely or
use less harmful chemicals in limited amounts. In minimizing the use of
chemicals, it is important for gardeners to know what they are doing and
to follow the instructions carefully.
There are many other ways for unwanted chemicals to get
into your garden. Here are some of the major ways:
-
Seepage through the soil either underground or surface
water. This is especially a concern for lawn care products where
chemicals can seep through your soil. If your garden is uphill of a
treated lawn, you are more at risk.
-
Contaminated creeks. If you take your water from a
nearby creek, unwanted chemicals may be in the water. We recommend you
test it first, especially if you are in a suburban or urban area.
-
Compost material and amendments. Fireplace ash is a
good example. While wood ash is a great soul amendment, the things
people burn in fireplaces often contain harmful chemicals. Tops among
them are newspapers and magazines in color, plastics, and mixed
garbage. If you are going to put it into your vegetable garden, make
use it is pure...chemically.
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