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Transcript
OC0407 Michigan State University Extension-Oakland County Building Healthy Soil to Grow Healthy Plants What is Soil? Soil is an intricate mixture of fine rock particles, organic matter, water, and air. Soils vary in texture – that is, the relative proportions of sand, silt and clay. Soil structure (the arrangement of soil particles in the soil) also varies. It is difficult to permanently change soil texture. However, soil structure can be substantially improved by adding compost or other organic matter to the soil every year. Soil structure is important because it determines how effectively air and water move into and through the ground. Healthy soil also has a balance of minerals, air, water and organic matter which creates a comfortable environment for deep, healthy root growth. Healthy soil has many living things within it, including plant roots, insects, and microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi which cannot be seen clearly without the use of a microscope. Renew Your Soil with Organic Matter Organic matter is the remains, residue, or waste products from any onceliving plants, animals, and soil organisms. The addition of organic matter improves the soils’s structure and its biological activity. The organic matter helps to hold moisture, gradually releases nutrients to the soil system, and supports the bacteria and other microorganisms that support the life of the soil. An easy-to-dig fertile soil is rich with organic matter. Organic matter continues to decompose after it is incorporated into the soil. Nutrients from organic matter are taken up by plant roots (like vitamins) to support plant growth. As organic matter content of soil drops, so does a garden’s fertility, productivity, and beauty. Organic matter should be replenished and renewed on a regular basis. How to Add Organic Matter to the Soil Natural mulches in garden beds Top dress your soil with a 2” – 4” layer of mulch on an annual basis. Mulches such as shredded leaves, pine needles, grass clippings, finely shredded bark, and cocoa bean hulls – when in direct contact with the soil – will slowly break down into compost or humus – and then into raw materials which can be used by plants. Earthworms, bacteria and fungi in the soil do the decomposition work, gradually working the organic matter into the soil. Soil renovations: To undertake a complete garden overhaul in the early spring or fall, remove plants and bulbs and set them aside iin the shade with soil around the roots. Weed the bed well and mix a 4” layer of compost or peat into the soil. Water the bed, let the compost and soil settle, and then replant. To undertake a partial renovation, dig up soil around plants and mix in compost or peat. A mix of 50% compost and 50% soil is excellent. Gradual soil replenishment Every time you remove plants or divide perennials take an extra moment and replenish the soil by adding some compost. Top soil does not have a high quantity of organic matter. In contrast, compost will often be 30% or more organic matter in content. Cover crops and “green manures” In a vegetable garden, quick-growing nutrient-rich grasses (such as winter wheat and rye grass) can be grown and then dug into the soil before planting. Benefits of Compost for Healthy Soils Compost, a natural “compote”, is a mixture of decayed organic (once-living) materials. Compost is known as gardener’s gold because it improves soil structure, retains water, encourages root growth, aerates soil, releases nutrients slowly, supports beneficial microorganisms and earthworms, and suppresses some soil-borne diseases. Peat Moss as a Soil Amendment Option Peat moss is plant debris that has partially decomposed under water, without oxygen, in wetland ecosystems known as bogs. Peat moss is a source of organic matter, but does not contribute the same variety of nutrients as compost. Peat moss is useful as a soil amendment which aerates clay soil, binds sandy soil, and absorbs water. Because of the extremely high water retention capacity of peat moss, it should not be used as a top dressing. If peat moss dries out on the surface of the ground, it may crust over and shed water rather than absorbing it. Amending Soil with Shredded Leaves or Bark When woody materials such as shredded leaves or shredded bark are mixed directly into the soil, they gradually decompose. In the decomposition process, the carbon-rich woody material uses nitrogen from the soil, possibly depleting the soil of essential nitrogen for plant growth. To offset this nitrogen loss, some gardeners mix in nitrogen fertilizer or grass clippings with the shredded leaves. Would you like additional information? Additional information is available on-line. Please see MSU Extension-Oakland County’s publications as well s MSU Extension Bookstore on campus. Contact our Plant & Pest Hotline (248/858-0902) for assistance with plant identification, pests and diseases, weeds, trees and shrubs, lawn, flowers, fruits, vegetables, grasses and groundcovers, native plants, plant propagation, and many other gardening topics. Distributed by MSU Extension-Oakland County, 1200 N. Telegraph Road, Pontiac, MI 48341, 248/858-0880, www.msue.msu.edu/oakland, Reviewed & revised, by Charlene Molnar, May 2011 MSU is an affirmative-action equal opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status.