- What is soil structure?Soon
- Much Much More...Soon
What is soil?
Soil is a network of empty spaces surrounded by minerals and organic matter.
What makes up soil?
Minerals
Clay, silt and sand (differnt sized particles of rock)
Organic Matter
Humus, compost, peat moss, manure, etc.
Empty Spaces
Air and water
Why should I care about soil?
There is a well known saying that "a good gardener grows plants and a great gardener grows soil." Soil is the foundation of your garden, you take care of it and it will take care of your plants.
Source: Ideal soil mixture
What is the ideal soil?
The ideal soil is a mixture of 50% solids and 50% pore spaces. The pore spaces are filled evenly with water and air. The soilds are mostly minerals with some organic matter.
The final soil is a mixture of 25% water, 25% air, 45% minerals and 5% organic matter.
How does our soil usually stray from the ideal?
Source: Flooding
The most common soil mixture problems are:
Far less than 50% of the soil is pore spaces.- Our soil holds to little or too much water.
How do we improve our soil?
Tilliage
The process of preparing soil for planting by mechanically stirring and overturning it (at the right time!).
Biological Activity
The actions of a billion microorganisms that add organic matter, cycle nutrients, and create biodiversity, making the soil alive.
Time
The evolution of soil characteristics, including the chemical and physical changes of soil, the development of soil profiles, and the accumulation of organic matter.
Why do plants like soil?
Soil provides plants with:
- Water
- Air
- Nutrients
- Stability
- Temperature moderation