There is an old adage – your plants are only as good as your soil. While every seed wants to grow, there is a big difference between a healthy plant and one that is struggling.
It’s fairly easy to grow a garden. It takes hard work and knowledge to grow a garden that will flourish and provide you with maximum produce potential.
There are several things you need to understand before you plant your first seed. One of these things is knowing what soil is and what it needs from season to season.
What is soil?
Soil is the foundation to your garden. It is primarily composed of five materials – minerals, organic matter, gas, water, and living organisms. When you create garden space, whether in a raised bed or an in-ground plot, you are creating a complex ecosystem with the intention of nourishing and cultivating food.
If an area has an ideal soil composition, it will be comprised of clay, sand, and silt. If soil has too much of one texture, it is necessary to add amendments to resolve any deficiencies.
What is a good soil ratio?
The ideal ratio for soil is approximately 50% pore space and 50% solids. This seems complicated but is really fairly simple. Pore space includes the water and air that can be found in soil. Compaction reduces pore space because, when soil is compacted, air and water have difficulty getting in. To remedy this, you can till which improves water retention and aeration.
Solids include mineral materials and organic matter. Sand, silt, and clay are considered organic matter. Materials such as vegetable and/or animal waste are considered organic matter. These objects work to nourish and provide substance to help plants establish deep and healthy root systems.
Different types of soil will need different ratios. Garden soil, for example, needs to retain more water while potting soil needs to have better drainage.
How does soil function?
While we may look at soil as a stagnant material, it is actually full of living organisms. Soil is the home to billions of microbes, fungi, and bacteria. Plants function as their food along with organic matter.
What deficiencies can soil have?
When looking at soil deficiencies, there are three main categories that need to be measured. You need to look at the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. To begin with, I recommend contacting your local extension office in order to enquire about a soil test. They will be able to tell you the exact levels of your soil
A nitrogen deficiency can result in poor growth and, at times, yellowing of the leaves. Without sufficient nitrogen, the plant is unable to make sufficient chlorophyl. This results in the plant pulling nitrogen from older tissue to the younger, causing yellowing/dying of lower leaves.
A phosphorus deficiency can halt genetic processes such as growth. It is used in processes such as photophosphorylation (the creation of stored energy) and is a key factor when it comes to genetic reproduction. Without it, plants will grow slower and will shorten their harvest. Often if a plant’s leaves darken, they will have a phosphorus deficiency.
If your soil has a potassium deficiency, plants may have brown and curling leaves which look “scorched”. Since potassium functions as the ideal environment for metabolic processes, any deficiency can affect processes like photosynthesis and plant growth.
Other elements, such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and zinc need to present in the correct amount in order for soil to be optimal for growing.
Where do I start?
There are two different roads you can go down when it comes to amending your soil. You can use chemical amendments or organic amendments. For the sake of actual practice and, as we use organic amendments, this article will only go over the latter.
Before you start you need to take into consideration what organic matter primarily resides in your soil. Clay soil will need a large amount of compost, both animal waste and green manure, to provide nutrients. It will also attract worms which will help aerate the tight, compacted soil. You can plant a cover crop to help further the process or spread a thick layer of mulch over your compost. Our mulch of choice is chemical free straw which, over time, will not only enrich the soil but will help retain moisture in our beds over the summer.
Sandy soil will also need a large amount of organic compost but for the opposite reason; sandy soil has difficulty holding moisture and plants may have a difficult time retaining what they need as nutrients and water drain quickly. It will also need mulch to help retain moisture for your plants. By nature, sandy soil will dry out and must be closely observed to make sure that plants are getting adequate moisture.
Additionally, silty soil will also need organic compost. Much like clay soil, silty soil can become easily compacted which results in poor root growth and stunted plants. Silt naturally has more nutrients than clay and sand. The main challenge is preventing your soil from becoming water-logged, especially during heavy rain periods.
Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium deficiencies
If you begin to notice pale leaves and slow growth you need to look at remedying your potential nitrogen deficiency. Adding used coffee grounds can increase nitrogen if you sprinkle lightly on your soil. While not a quick fix, planting beans or peas will also work in putting nitrogen back into the soil that other plants will be able to utilize.
Plants that have leaves that begin turning dark green and have slow growth may be experiencing a phosphorous deficiency. Manure is rich in phosphorous but can’t be added straight into the garden (unless it is waste from rabbits). It must first be composted to ensure that it is no longer “hot” and won’t burn your plants. Adding aged compost is an easy way to fix this issue. Bone meal can also be used in moderation.
A plant that is lacking in potassium may have brown or yellow edges on their leaves that appear as though they are “burnt”. Banana peels, which as high in potassium, can be buried in your soil and left to decompose. Wood ash can also be used. This is best applied by mixing in your compost so as not to burn your plants.
When do you add amendments?
While you can “top dress” your plants throughout the season by spreading compost around the plant stem, the best practice is to amend your beds a few weeks before you are prepared to plant. This is typically done twice a year – in the spring and again during late summer/fall.
The easiest way to amend is to lay a thick ½ layer of aged compost on the top of your soil. I do not spread it but let it sit and mix with the soil naturally through rain and watering. Digging has been shown to disturb mycorrhizal fungi which helps plants derive nutrients. By letting the compost sit for a few weeks I am also ensuring that if part of my compost is still “hot”, it will have the chance to further decompose.
Since most of my beds have different deficiencies, I do not add any supplemental amendments to my bulk compost. Instead, after testing, I will add amendments, such as bone meal, to the individual bed that requires a boost.
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