The Importance of Soil

Soil: the groundwork for healthy plants

After the sun, and equally as important, is the soil that your plants will grow in. Soil is the medium that will provide your plants’ roots with the water and nutrients they need to grow and be healthy. Plants get all they need from the vascular system connected to their roots. Healthy soil supports a diverse community of microorganisms, which play a vital role in nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, and plant growth. These microorganisms enhance soil, improve water retention, and help suppress diseases, ultimately leading to more resilient crops.

 

Here are some considerations for determining your soil needs:

• Are you going to grow directly in the ground, in raised beds or in containers?

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Planting directly in the ground has pros and cons. It may require you to rent some heavy equipment like tillers or sod cutters. Also, it’s more difficult to protect your plants from gophers. moles and voles, without at least putting all your plants in wire baskets. You will have to test your soil for type to determine its nutrient needs, and you should know something about soil types. In-ground planting is preferred for trees, shrubs, large vining crops like pumpkins and many plants thrive in the ground because they like to spread their roots. Consider yourself very fortunate if you happen to already have the right kind of soil for successful food growing!

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There are four basic types of soil: 

Sandy: Sandy soil consists of large gritty particles with large spaces in between, and this type of soil is not going to hold any water or nutrients, so everything will flow right through it. The roots of most plants won’t survive in sandy soil because the air pockets are too large.

Clay:  Clay soil consists of molecules like playing cards, flat and closely packed.  It is hard packed when dry and muddy when wet. Although there are lots of natural minerals contained in clay soil, roots of plants become smothered because of lack of the air space that they need.

Silty:  Silt soil has very fine molecules like clay but not as tightly packed. An advantage of silt soil is there are a lot of nutrients in it since it comes from river runoff.

Loamy:  Loam is a mixture of clay, sand and silt.  It is the closest to the kind of soil that is plant- friendly. However, there are variations of loamy soils and most often you will need to balance out the mixture.

The problems with sandy, silty, and clay soils can all be fixed with compost. Compost adds the “sponges’ to these soil types that allow them to hold water and nutrients, as well as providing the right form of air pockets. Compost also adds nutrients and microorganisms that create nutritious, healthy and disease- resistant plants. Link to


COMPOST

SOIL TESTS

This is a test for evaluating your soil type:

1. Fill a tall jar about one-third full of soil.

2. Add water until the jar is three-quarters full.

3. Add a teaspoon of non-foaming detergent.

4. Seal the jar and shake vigorously for 10–15 minutes.

5. Let the jar sit undisturbed for several days.

6. Mark the levels of the sand, silt, and clay layers.

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Results:

The soil particles will separate and form layers. The heaviest particles, like gravel or coarse sand, will sink to the bottom, with smaller sand on top. Silt particles will be above the sand, and clay will be at the top. Depending on the soil particle distribution, you now know your soil type have a better idea of what amendments you need. Once again, compost will fix most of your soil- related problems!

If you have concerns about whether there may be any toxic products in your soil or the PH is unbalanced or other concerns, there are local companies where you can have your soil tested. Many times, this is at the local University, garden center as well as private companies.

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TEST FOR FRIABILITY

Friable soil is soil that crumbles easily when squeezed. It is ideal for plant growth because of its crumbly structure that allows for root growth and underground activity. 

Grab a handful of soil and squeeze it. If it falls apart immediately then it is too sandy, if it stays together in a tight ball and compresses then it’s too clay, if it holds together for a bit but then loosens, then it is a good consistency.

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PLANTING IN RAISED BEDS AND CONTAINERS

Most plants are happiest grown directly in the ground, but there are many reasons people choose to plant on top of the existing soil. Raised beds and container gardens offer the advantage of easier access if getting down on the ground is inconvenient.

 

Raised beds If your soil is-sandy, clay, silty, rocky, or otherwise unsuitable for growing, you can build a bed on top of what is there.  People have been very creative in building raised beds, using wood, metal, or bricks and then adding suitable soil on top of the native, poor, existing soil which then becomes richer (Magic, amazing!!!)

Container gardens are readily available and come in many sizes and prices. They have many pros for beginning gardeners, including ease of adding protection from pests.

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Soil for raised beds and containers

An easy, albeit the most expensive way, to get soil for your raised beds or container garden is to purchase it ready made. Shopping for soil can be confusing because there are many types of soil products.

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Guide to understanding bagged soil products:

• Any product with the word soil in it is going to be a heavier product. It is meant to spread around and mixed in rather than planted in directly.

• Potting mix is often a product that is a combination of non-soil ingredients such as coir, peat moss, perlite, and fertilizer. It is lightweight for pots.

• A great soil product will contain a source of nutrition such as earthworm castings, fish and crab meal, bat guano, and the like. It will also contain composted forest humus, sandy loam, peat moss and other products that give the soil light, aerated texture.

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There are several companies that make great growing mediums for your plants: Happy Frog, E. B. Stone, and Fox Farm. I personally avoid anything with Miracle Grow, even if it says organic.

A less expensive alternative for raised beds and container gardens is to buy a bulk product from a local composting facility or family nursey and have it delivered.

The most economical way to provide soil for your garden is to make your own compost.

See that section for more information