 How important is Soil?
If you think soil is just the dirt under your feet, we would like you to know that is not true. Soil is the foundation that all your plant life needs to thrive and grow. It gets hungry and it will need to be fed so that it can feed your plants, shrubs, and even your trees. If you maintain healthy soil, it will produce healthy plants. Plain and simple. If you don’t tend to your soil, it will die. Just like if you don’t water a plant. The soil will become barren of nutrients. This will render it hard and useless. You may have lost some of the vigor you had when you started your gardening or landscaping project. You brought in the healthy, new soil and planted items in it. But over time, you may have lost your focus on keeping the soil optimal. Keeping it nourished. If we were to emphasize only one thing with this article, it would be the importance of healthy soil. It is truly at the root of whether your garden will flourish. It is going to provide much of the nutrients the plants need to survive. So choosing the right soil is critical. And this is based on the type of plants you are planning to use. As well, you need to consider the environment that you live in. Tending Your Soil Soil needs sunlight, air, and water to thrive. If you have a lot of sunlight, you are going to have to make sure the soil doesn’t dry out. You may have to water it regularly to keep it moist. Water when the heat of the day has passed. This will allow the moisture to be absorbed before it evaporates. If you have a lot of shade, you may not need to water as much. You don’t want to overwater it because nutrients will get washed away. It will really depend on where you live and your climate. You will also need to fertilize the soil, to replace nutrients. Now, there are two types of fertilizer. Synthetic and Organic. If you have an organic bed or garden, you are going to have to maintain the organic matter within the soil. This means that on a regular basis you will need to take the extra effort to introduce more compost to the soil, replacing the depleted organic matter. What is Composting? Composting is the process of mixing green matter, such as grass cuttings, fruits, vegetable peelings, with brown matter such as leaves and twigs. This decaying matter, when mixed with soil, produces a rich nutrient-high composition. Instead of using synthetic fertilizer, compost provides a natural organic fertilizer. Any plant or vegetable that is organic, must be fed by organic fertilizer. If not, it cannot be claimed as organic. There is a huge market for organic product now. And consumers are moving towards this as a healthier alternative to non-organic product. If you do decide to grow organic plants and vegetables, you need to be aware of the commitment to maintain the organic fertilizer. This is a key element of organic gardening. If you are going to grow organic produce, you can’t use synthetic fertilizers. Beside keeping the organic fertilizer going for your organic soil, you are also going to need to mulch it. Think of this as massaging the soil, turning it over and reshaping it. This will help you reduce insects and pests that live in the lower parts of the soil. Whatever type of soil you do choose for your garden or landscaping, remember this is so much more than a pile of dirt. It is an important source of food for the plants that you will grow. Taking good care of your soil will result in your soil supporting your plant life so much more. |