Life in the Soil
Soil that teems with life is healthy soil. Organisms from earthworms to microscopic bacteria are one of the best signs of good tilth and fertile soil. They need the same soil conditions as plants do to thrive and become numerous. They also help to create the very physical and chemical conditions that constitute good tilth. Soil organisms are nature's great recyclers, but making leaves disappear is only part of the picture. As leaves and other plant debris are broken down, all the nutrients...
A GarbageCanComposter
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HINTS FOR SUCCESS Xpu
Apply foliar fertilizers early or late in the day when it's overcast but not rainy avoid applying in bright midday sunlight. Use either a watering can or a sprayer to apply. With sprayers, adjust the nozzle to give as fine a mist as possible. For more even and thorough coating, add one or two drops of dish detergent to a hand sprayer, or lA teaspoon 1.2 ml to a gallon sprayer. Drench both sides of leaves until they're dripping wet fertilizer that drips onto the soil can be absorbed by roots. A...
Info Ecr
Lobster shells 4.6-3.5-0 Milk 0.5-0.3-0.2 Good source of organic matter, nutrients, and a natural plant-growth stimulant triacontatoi good soil conditioner Use in compost or in mulch acidic, so add a little limestone or wood ashes to compensate Excellent source of organic matter and micronutrients great soil conditioner available at most garden centers Excellent source of calcium and micronutrients dry overnight and crumble onto soil or into compost pile Incorporate into soil or add thin layers...
A Dictionary of Terms
Fertilizer labels can be confusing. Balanced doesn't mean that nutrient levels are balanced it just means a fertilizer contains the big three nitrogen N , phosphorus P , and potassium K . Seeing organic on the label won t guarantee that all ingredients are derived from natural animal, plant, or mineral sources Here's a quick guide to different types of fertilizers. Most fall into more than one of the following categories. Simple fertilizer contains one major nutrient N, P, or K . ' Compound...
Using Fabric Paper an Plastic Mulches T
Landscape fabric, black paper, and plastic mulches are three varieties of inorganic mulrh. ll are great for pressing weeds but should be used over a topdressing that supplies organic matter. They're all easy tokv following the steps below. Each has characteristics that make it particularly suited to .pmfii usrs. Also called geotextiles, landscape fabrics are designed to be left in place for a long time They let air and water through, so they're better around permanent plants than either paper...
Secrits To Oreat Soil 1
A more involved form of leaching is needed to remove sodium. Treating the soil first with gypsum replaces sodium in soil reserves with calcium, freeing up the sodium so it's easily washed out. About 5 pounds of gypsum is needed for 100 square feet on loamy soil if your soil's heavy, use 10 pounds. Spread gypsum evenly over the area to be treated Mix it thoroughly into the top few inches of soil to eliminate any untreated pockets. This may take some effort in hardened sodic soils. Thoroughly...
Leaching to Remove Salts
Try leaching at the beginning or end of the growing season. That way you won't be washing fertilizer awav Do it as early as possible in the day to minimize evaporation of the water you're applying. Let soil dry out slightly before cultivating or planting. Set up an ordinary sprinkler in the center of the area to be treated. Place a rain gauge or bucket halfway between the sprinkler and the edge of the area. Adjust either until it's level. Turn on the sprinkler, adjusting the water pressure...
Perennial Flowers
Perennials like the same soil as most other plants well drained, evenly moist, enriched with ample organic matter, and with a good balance of nutrients. Since it's not as easy to build the soil around existing plants, it Replenishing Organic Matter pays to prepare beds well before planting. F J Since you can t grow a cover crop . or turn under chopped leaves, top- bertuizing dressing and mulching are your Light feeders should get only compost eacn year. Average ana neavy optjons for...
SECRETS TO GREAT SOIL Sqi
While health soil greatly increases your grass's ability to deal wi gfeeses sucb as drought, lt 1isea gt e. or nutrient imbalance, good manage ment can minimize those stresses for even better-l lt x gt king lawns. Instead of removing grass clippings, leave them on the lawn to replenish the soils organic matter and nutrients. Invest in a mulching mower. These chop grass finely, returning all those nutrients to the soil quickly without making your lawn look like a hayfield. , T p Grass can...
Compost
Compost is the best form of organic matter to add to your soil. It's a mix of organic materials, such as grass clippings, garden waste, and kitchen scraps, which have decayed into a crumbly, dark mass. A balanced, slow-release source of nutrients, compost can keep soils stocked with all the micronutrients plants need. It supplies small amounts of major nutrients and helps soil hold onto nutrients and water long enough for plants to use them. It increases the overall health of your garden by...
Making Manure Tea
Manure tea is a great liquid fertihzer that s easy to make. Use it full strength around plants for a quick nutrient hoc.,st, as When the soil cold ,n spring. Or, mstead of topdressing with composted manure use itforni feedings. Mute before usmg on plant leaves, though they don't like the strong stuff. You ran use the dlL l, as often as you want to water fast-growing, heavy-feeder vegetables such as broccoli and salad greens To 2 mix with 3 to 4 parts water until it's the color of weak tea. K '...
SECRETS TO GREAT SOIL Eyw
. dd new bedding to existing indoor worm bins if needed. . II you don't have a map of your garden, make one now before snow covers the ground. . Make a wish list for yourself of garden tools or other supplies, or a gift list for your gardening friends. Order tools, soil amendments, and special fert ilizers from garden catalogs when you order your seeds and plants. Order early to avoid disappointment. Buy or make a special garden calendar or notebook for yearly records of soil tests, soil...
Storing Tools
. ,.t. lt tnraffe makes it easy to find tools the instant you need them. You won't have to sort through a jumble op r gt ' gt u you root around. Keep tools out of reach of the elements, and keep them up off an earth floor to reduce rust and extend their useful life. , Inventory vour tools before designing a storage area. Lay long-handled tools side by side to measure how lone a board or rack you'll need for hanging them. Do the same for your short-handled tools. If you re building a shed, make...
Sand Silt or Clay
One of the most important characteristics to know about your soil, texture is simply the relative amounts of different-size mineral particles present. Soils contain a mix of different particle sizes and are described Dy the particle size that dominates their particular mix. While some people call sandy silty, or clayey their soil type, they're really describing its texture. Texture has a major effect on the physical properties of soil. As particle sizes get larger, the spaces between particles...
HINT FOR SUCCESS Efp
Spread a 3-inch layer of manure or compost. You can substitute chopped leaves, but try to include a little compost or manure. You'll need about half a cubic yard to cover 50 square feet. Spread more newspaper six to eight sheets thick or cardboard, overlapping edges, to smother any weeds or ds in the preceding layer. Cover with 2 to 3 inches ot wood chips, pine needles, or other attractive material fo improve appearance and hold newspaper in p.ace. bpnnwe water over this layer to help hold it...
Sicrits To Great
Micronutrients are also called trace elements because only a very small amount a trace of each is required for healthy growth. They include iron, boiftn, manganese, copper, zinc, and molybdenum. The importance of these nutrients has become more obvious with increased use of synthetic fertilizers. When farmers and gardeners had to depend on manures for major nutrients, they didn't have to worry about micronutrients. The current generat ion of synthetic fertilizers is so purified that few if any...
Calendar
Soil building is an ongoing process. It doesn't stop once you achieve fertile soil it just gets easier. The difference between creating and maintaining fertile soil is like the difference between losing weight and maintaining your target weight once you've achieved it. Periodic soil tests are like hopping on the scale to see if you're on the right track. If the results don't show what you'd hoped, review the appropriate chapters in this book and modify your approach. Once your soil tests give...
Supplying
Unlike other nutrients, phosphorus doesn't move easily in soil water. It travels at a rate of about an inch a year. That means any phosphorus fertilizers should be applied well before planting and turned under to mix them into the root zone. They can also be scratched into rows before sowing seeds. Soil must be slightly acidic to keep phosphorus from being locked up, so adjust the pH before adding organic or synthetic phosphorus. Cold temperatures suppress the activity of the soil organisms...
Fruits and Nuts
Good soil care is even more important for fruit and nut trees than it is for vegetables or bush fruits. The plants are more expensive, and they also live much longer. Poor soil can be costly in terms of time as well as money. On the brighter side, with these plants you reap greater benefits from good soil care over a longer time. Test your soil and amend to correct pH problems six months ahead of planting for the best results. Unless your soil is rich in phosphorus, it's a good idea to mix in a...
HINT FOR SUCCESS Unh
Use a garden fork to mix small areas. If the material is relatively fine, a small mechanical cultivator can handle it. For coar.-e, unfinished compost and unchopped hay or straw, use a larger rototiller. Calculate how much material you will need see 9e 96 . Unload the material in several equal-size piles spaced evenly over the entire bed. Rake out each pile to an even thickness, taking care to cover any gaps. on' rake the soil smooth until just before planting. neven 1 with large clods resists...
Woody Ornamentals
Soil care for ornamental trees, shrubs, and vines is essentially the same as for fruit and nut tree You're ing in more expensive plants that can't be moved once they mature, so it pays tot reat them well. Investigat i potential problems with drainage and pH before you buy plants so you have plenty of time ideally six month I or more to make any corrections. You won't be able to correct drainage after you plant. Also remember thatanjH soli improvement should extend over a large area. When soil...
Types of Hoes
peopl, think of tetf mMPW the gt fall into two d mct lt rhecommon, lar,,Nad lclient mg -I. but it s morecumU for 3th stvles. Undesigned for weeding have small,, black that arveas r clSy spaced plants. The must be kept quite harp to work efficiently. A .variety of hoesl evolved over time to suit different working styles and positions only the most common types are described Standard garden hoe American pattern hoe. Used for digging, chopping, moving dirt, creating broad furrows or raised beds,...
Soil Acidity
The aridity of soil is one of the most important factors behind fertility. It affects nearly all soil properties, from chemistry to biological activity to structure. Correcting soil acidity or alkalinity may improve your garden more dramatically than any other soil-building effort. Acidity is caused by th amount of hydrogen ions present in soil. When you test for your soil's acidity or alkalinity, what you're really measuring is the concentration of hydrogen ions. Acidity Affects How Nutrients...
Building Sunken Beds
Sunken beds use topography to your advantage to collect water. They work best in hot dry climates and red, water use even tor soils that don't suffer from excessive drainage. Build them only where there', no sa'lt nn hi though, as they can increase soil salt levels. proDiem. Divide the area into several smaller 3- to 4-foot-wide pits for individual beds. At high altitudes, create one large bed. Remove the topsoil from each bed onto a tarp. If you can't tell the topsoil from the lower soil,...
Basic Hand Tools
Hand tools are essential for many garden jobs. Every gardener needs at least one trowel, and some form of weeding tool is also important. Many variations of weeders are available, so look around for the one that fits your hand and best suits your needs. If you're on a limited budget, ask to try out friends' weeding tools before buying your own. Different tools come in handy for different tasks. Use a trowel to dig holes for small transplants or bulbs. Hand cultivators are great for mixing in...
Topdressing a Lawn
Topdressing with organic matter is the most effective way to reduce thatch in lawns. It increases microbe lations and activity by providing the food they need. Large microbe populations not only improv e gt nil health, they also break down thatch quickly and steadily, preventing a gradual buildup. Compost is the Ix-st topdreasJ ing. but you can use any fine material, such as dehydrated manure. Don't use peat moss, which repd gt water. The process is basically the same as spreading fertilizer or...
Mint For Success
Soil chemistry can contribute to heavy texture and poor drainage. Too much magnesium acts like cement. If your soil tends to be heavy even though it's low in clayt test magnesium levels. They should be and almost always are much lower than calcium. If you get more than half as much magnesium as calcium, you could have problems. On acidic soils with adequate magnesium, switch from using dolomitic limestone to calcitic limestone, which contains only calcium and no magnesium. V here magnesium...
LongHandled Tools
Choose long-handled tools using the same criteria as for other tools. W hile you can get by with just a shovel and a garden fork, you'll find garden work easier if you own both a short-handled spade and a long-handled shovel plus a garden rake for smoothing beds. A sharp, lightweight, cultivating hoe is a worthwhile investment for weeding all but the smallest gardens. Hoes parade under a variety of confusing names, so go by the shape rather than the name. Many more variations are available in...