Soil - The World Beneath Your Feet
There is a complex invisible world beneath your feet and it is necessary to make
an effort to develop an appreciation of how the state of the soil affects plant
growth.
Soil is a mixture of tiny rock particles, living organisms,
chemicals and the remains of dead plants and animals. Spaces between the
particles will also contain a certain amount of air and water depending on the
type of soil.
Rocks near the earth’s surface are slowly broken down in
nature by a process called weathering. Eventually small particles such as sand,
silt and clay are formed. These particles create the environment for billions of
mostly tiny organisms to live. Larger organisms such as earthworms and insects
are also found in soil. A healthy soil is teeming with life.
The main
aim as a hobby farmer is thus to try to improve soil health by good management.
Poor management can lead to a loss of fertility and degradation of the soil. In
extreme cases the valuable topsoil can also be blown or washed away. In the end
poor soils lead to low quality crops lacking in nutrition.
Below are
examples of some checks I plan to carry out on my farm with the aim of improving
soil fertility.
1) Carry out a pH test in different places. This test
will determine if the soil is acid, alkaline or neutral. Most plants prefer a pH
level around 6.5. Should the pH level be too (below 6) corrections can be made
by adding lime. Should the pH be too high (above 7) this can be lowered by
adding plenty of organic matter and mulch. Extremely alkaline soils can be
changed by adding ground sulphur.
2) Check the soil texture of the soil
by rubbing some moist soil between your fingers. This will help to determine the
type of soil present. Sandy soils will have a coarse feel. These soils dry
quickly. Adding lots of organic matter will improve sandy soils. Very sandy soil
can also be improved by adding clay. If the soil feels sticky when rubbed it
contains too much clay. Clay soils drain slowly and are difficult to work when
wet. Adding gypsum will help in most cases. Should the soil have a good balance
of sand, silt and clay you will be blessed with a loamy soil. These soils are
generally easy to manage and do not require treatments.
3) Check the
level of organic matter in the soil. This can be done by shaking a handful of
soil in a jar and seeing how much organic matter floats to the surface. If only
a thin layer is present on the surface, lots of organic matter needs to be
added. This means more microorganisms can be sustained, these in turn will
release essential health giving chemicals needed by plants.
The above
tests are simple to carry out and much information is available on these topics.
Further tests require equipment or a soil testing company to analyse the soil.
These include salinity, especially if bore water is used. Individual soil
nutrient levels for Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium as well as trace element
levels can also be measured. Other aspects such as fertilizer application and
cultivation practices to maintain soil structure also need attention.
Soil care requires years of experience and looking to older gardeners
will give you lots of essential tips. Also, experienced gardeners can often
identify soil problems by looking at the general appearance of plants. Getting a
spade and digging around will give you information about conditions such as
waterlogging and excessive dryness.
Do all you can to look after your
soil and allow your plants to carry out the magic task of turning fertilizers
and compost into healthy and nutritious food.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Ben
Tan
an effort to develop an appreciation of how the state of the soil affects plant
growth.
Soil is a mixture of tiny rock particles, living organisms,
chemicals and the remains of dead plants and animals. Spaces between the
particles will also contain a certain amount of air and water depending on the
type of soil.
Rocks near the earth’s surface are slowly broken down in
nature by a process called weathering. Eventually small particles such as sand,
silt and clay are formed. These particles create the environment for billions of
mostly tiny organisms to live. Larger organisms such as earthworms and insects
are also found in soil. A healthy soil is teeming with life.
The main
aim as a hobby farmer is thus to try to improve soil health by good management.
Poor management can lead to a loss of fertility and degradation of the soil. In
extreme cases the valuable topsoil can also be blown or washed away. In the end
poor soils lead to low quality crops lacking in nutrition.
Below are
examples of some checks I plan to carry out on my farm with the aim of improving
soil fertility.
1) Carry out a pH test in different places. This test
will determine if the soil is acid, alkaline or neutral. Most plants prefer a pH
level around 6.5. Should the pH level be too (below 6) corrections can be made
by adding lime. Should the pH be too high (above 7) this can be lowered by
adding plenty of organic matter and mulch. Extremely alkaline soils can be
changed by adding ground sulphur.
2) Check the soil texture of the soil
by rubbing some moist soil between your fingers. This will help to determine the
type of soil present. Sandy soils will have a coarse feel. These soils dry
quickly. Adding lots of organic matter will improve sandy soils. Very sandy soil
can also be improved by adding clay. If the soil feels sticky when rubbed it
contains too much clay. Clay soils drain slowly and are difficult to work when
wet. Adding gypsum will help in most cases. Should the soil have a good balance
of sand, silt and clay you will be blessed with a loamy soil. These soils are
generally easy to manage and do not require treatments.
3) Check the
level of organic matter in the soil. This can be done by shaking a handful of
soil in a jar and seeing how much organic matter floats to the surface. If only
a thin layer is present on the surface, lots of organic matter needs to be
added. This means more microorganisms can be sustained, these in turn will
release essential health giving chemicals needed by plants.
The above
tests are simple to carry out and much information is available on these topics.
Further tests require equipment or a soil testing company to analyse the soil.
These include salinity, especially if bore water is used. Individual soil
nutrient levels for Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium as well as trace element
levels can also be measured. Other aspects such as fertilizer application and
cultivation practices to maintain soil structure also need attention.
Soil care requires years of experience and looking to older gardeners
will give you lots of essential tips. Also, experienced gardeners can often
identify soil problems by looking at the general appearance of plants. Getting a
spade and digging around will give you information about conditions such as
waterlogging and excessive dryness.
Do all you can to look after your
soil and allow your plants to carry out the magic task of turning fertilizers
and compost into healthy and nutritious food.
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Ben
Tan
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