Healthy soil is essential to our existence and understanding how to care for it is arguably one of the most important parts of gardening! After all, from the soil grows all of the food we eat and the flowers that feed our pollinators and our spirits. Below you'll find a few facts or tips that might help you in your garden.
Soil Structure
Soil particles are bound together in aggregates, which have pores that allow for drainage, aeration, retention of water and nutrients.
Over tilling or working very wet soil will break the structure, resulting in compaction. This affects root growth, nutrient uptake, and drainage.
Why pH Matters
Soil pH affects plant growth by influencing the availability of nutrients to plants. In a nutshell, a very high or very low pH determines how easily some nutrients are absorbed into the roots.
Most plants thrive in pH that is roughly between 6 and 7.
Ways to Improve Soil
Building soil structure can be done in time, with a yearly application of compost or well-decomposed cow manure. Gently fork the layer into the top layer of soil.
If your pH is off, you can add lime to raise the soil pH or sulfur to lower the pH. Add less than you think is necessary, as it is easy to add more once you take another test.
Now let's put some beautiful plants into that healthy soil!
For more information, click on the following:
https://www.bloomindesigns.com/planting-instructions/