|
Home / Home / Gardening
Keeping Soil Healthy
By:Sintilia Miecevole
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. We need to treat it like we want to be treated, not like dirt.
Healthy soil should contain a mix of air, water, nutrients and organic matter. We can protect this mixture by:
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 the 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.
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.
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.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: gardening, horticulture, landscaping, flowers, soil, perennials, organic gardening, seeds, plants, pool
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Join Sintilia Miecevole, host of www.budsgardening.com for a great resource site all about gardening. Enjoy everything from news, tips, design, advice and landscaping to seeds, soil, flowers, water gardens, perennials and organic gardening. Be sure to visit www.budsgardening.com and enjoy!
|
|
| Top Gardening Articles |
- 1). Mulching Benefits / Organic And Inorganic Mulch Types By : Francis Kilkelly
Mulching is the practice of placing a loose surface onto the surface of soil in your flower or vegetable garden in order to protect, insulate and beautify the area. This loose covering is called a mulch and it can be either of an organic or inorganic variety. Examples of mulches include compost, stone and grass clippings. Every gardener should understand the many benefits of mulching the soil in their garden.
|
- 2). Beautiful Calla Lilies By : William Berg
The Calla Lilies are plants belonging to the Zantedeschia genus in the Araceae family. The genus contains seven plant species and they are all commonly referred to as Calla Lillies. Some of them have other common names as well. Zantedeschia aethiopica is also known as giant white arum lily and common arum lily. Zantedeschia albomaculata is sometimes sold as spotted arum lily, and Zantedeschia rehmannii is known as the pink arum lily.
|
|
|
|
|
- 5). Problem Free Patios, Paving And Paths By : James Kilkelly
If you are thinking of creating a patio, courtyard or path within your garden, then I have some helpful information for you.
Where to place a path
Have a good look at your garden, even if you are just viewing from the comfort of your kitchen, this may give you an idea of where paths should be placed. Viewing a curved pathway, particularly one that wraps behind a border will entice the viewer to exit the house and follow the path to discover what lies at its end.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 9). Getting to the top with flagpoles By : Tom
Are you in search of the most up-to-date help regarding flagpoles. When you are looking for excellent information about flagpoles, it will be eas
|
|
|
| New Gardening Articles |
|
|
|
|
- 3). Making Your First Garden By : Joe Bella
The first thing in garden making is the selection of a spot. Without a choice, it means simply doing the best one can with conditions. With space limited it resolves itself into no garden, or a box garden. Surely a box garden is better than nothing at all.
|
|
|
- 5). Dream Home Gardening By : Anna Woodward
Home gardening is tricky business. Do you ever wonder how you can get your garden to look like those in popular home-and-garden magazines?
|
- 6). How To Make Sure Your Wildflowers Survive In Your Home Garden By : Gregg Hall
If you have ever taken a walk in the woods you may have seen all the beautiful flowers that can be found right in nature. Did you think to yourself, I wonder what these would look like in my yard? If you have wondered this same thing, here are a few tips for you to make sure your flowers will survive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
