Respect Your Soil

Soil in our gardens is often taken for granted and it is expected to support everything that we plant in it. We pop in shrubs, plants, bulbs, summer bedding, winter bedding all requiring nutrients, water and a comfortable place to put their roots. If we look after our soil, in return our soil will look after our plants enabling them to develop a better root structure which increases the plants ability to produce good top growth and resist both drought and disease.

Digging the soil (real digging, not a quick dust with a hand fork) breaks up compacted soil aerating it making it easier for roots to grow through and on heavy soils can improve drainage. This can be done using either a fork or a spade by lifting a clump of soil turning it over and breaking it down into a crumb. Whilst this sounds hard work it is both good for the garden and rewarding for yourself when you see a nicely dug over bed of fresh soil.

Once the soil has been dug over it is then time to give it a bit of a pamper to improve it’s structure by incorporating organic matter and other additives according to the soil type.

Adding Organic Matter

By adding organic matter such as compost, leaf mould or composted manure to your soil you can improve it’s structure, water retention and nutrient levels. These help the soil to bind together as crumbs rather than clods providing a crumblier soil texture that is better aerated, able to hold more moisture, easier for plants to grow in and of course easier to dig in the future. Organic matter also releases nutrients into the soil which are then absorbed by plants providing healthier and more vigorous growth and so a happier, healthier plant. Clay soil texture can be improved by adding organic matter including cocoa fibre and composted bark.

Adding Grit & Sand

Adding grit and sand to heavy soils will improve drainage in poorly draining soil. This type of soil can especially be a problem in winter as plants are sat in very wet cold soil, causing tuberous plants and bulbs to rot. Where this is the case organic matter should also be added to the soil to help improve it’s structure and help it to retain moisture in the summer.

Adding Fertilizers

Incorporating and organic slow release fertilizer such as Blood, Fish and Bone into the soil when digging provides natural nutrients that break down slowly into the soil. These nutrients are then readily available for plants to absorb throughout the season.

Written by Day Lily on 2007/11/14 | Permalink to this article