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Home Renovations    -   Landscapping and Plants

      Spring Garden Preparation - Project # 2 Improving the Soil

Some scientists estimate there are more species of organisms in one cubic foot of soil than there are species of mammals ranging over our entire planet. Soil is alive with beetles, worms, bacteria, and a host of other visible and microscopic creatures which enhance the soil. It becomes a living medium rich in nutrients for plant life. Decomposing plant life then feeds this vast number of organisms. This cycle, repeated over millions of years, has formed a deep layer of topsoil on a planet which began as water and rock. The healthiest gardens are rooted in a good mix of organic and inorganic material and a respect for the life that fuels this ancient cycle.

How can you tell if your soil is healthy?
Pick up a handful of soil and rub it between your fingers. If it turns to powder it lacks organic materials, such as decomposed plant life, which hold moisture. If the soil is gritty and yellowish it may be too sandy. Slippery, sticky soil contains too much clay. Beware of black soil particularly if it has a sour odour-it may be too acidic for plants. If it is dark brown and crumbles into fairly large moist pieces it is rich in organic matter which is exactly what you want.

Also look at the health of your plants. If your plants are spindly they may be having difficulty establishing a good root system in hard-packed soil low in organic material. If puddles of water linger long after the rain and your plants are waterlogged, your soil may contain too much clay or the slope of your lawn is preventing drainage.

Five ways to improve your soil:

• Good soil is a balanced mixture of sand, clay, silt and organic matter. Sand provides drainage; silt and clay are the "glue" that holds your soil together and keeps nutrients from washing away; organic matter (material which was once alive) fosters the growth of micro-organisms which aerate the soil and provides nutrients. Creating a balance between these elements will ensure a healthy crop.
  
  
• Add "black gold". This can be in the form of backyard compost or you can purchase well-aged animal manure. If you are applying manure in the spring, you must be careful that the manure is at least six months old otherwise you may burn young plants. It is the nitrogen in manure that makes it "hot". Note that chicken manure is very high in nitrogen and should be used sparingly.
  
  
• Start a compost. Having a steady supply of pesticide- and heavy metal-free compost is the best thing you can do for your garden. This is especially important if you are growing edible plants. You can purchase a compost container, dig a hole for compost material or build a makeshift compost. . Compost is a great way to recycle lawn cuttings, leaves and vegetable peelings.
  
  
• Acidity is an important consideration. If you have pine trees near your garden you most likely have acidic soil. As well, some regions are naturally more alkaline or acidic. Either extreme will inhibit plant growth. Home pH test kits are available at some garden stores. Lime is one addition to correct acidity.
  
  
• Move your garden. After years in the same location, a garden can become exhausted of its nutrients. Certain plants have a large appetite for nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium (the basic ingredients of most fertilzers). Repeatedly planting the same annuals can cause a serious deficiency in a nutrient. Pick a new area of lawn or an area which has been laying fallow for at least a few years. Microbes need time to re-establish themselves and improve the quality of the soil.
  
  
• Salt contamination. Salt works wonders on snow but the aftereffects can be terrible for your garden. Plants growing near sidewalks and paths might develop dead crispy brown edges. The only solutions are to avoid salting in winter (try sand) and waiting for weeks of rain to dilute the contamination. Salt resistant plants include blueberry, juniper, bayberry, white oak and eastern red cedar.

Take a close look at your soil to decide if it is suffering from any deficiency or contamination. Remember that it's hard to go wrong by adding compost. Healthy soil will reward you with lush flowers, fruits and vegetables all summer!

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