Soils provide many essential functions for plant growth, including a medium in which plants grow, filtration and water supply, and recycling and storing organic matter. They are also teeming with a web of organisms (including bacteria, fungi and mycorrhizae) that cycle nutrients, reduce nutrient leaching and stimulate plant growth.
Growing with living soil allows fully organic growing without the need for bottled additives. This can save money and align with sustainability principles.
1. Add Compost
Aside from making your garden beautiful, compost is one of the most important ingredients for healthy soil. Whether you make it yourself or buy it, compost is decomposed organic matter that is rich in nutrients and microorganisms that are beneficial to plants. It improves soil structure by increasing aeration and improving drainage in heavy clay soils, and it holds moisture better in sandy soils. It also provides valuable nutrients and helps reduce some plant diseases and pests.
A good compost pile should have a mix of carbon-rich, dry materials (browns) and nitrogen-rich, green materials (greens). Good brown material to use includes shredded paper and newsprint, straw, leaves, grass clippings, hay, twigs and branches, and weeds without seed heads. Good greens include kitchen scraps (fruit and vegetable waste), coffee grounds and tea bags, eggshells, nut shells, hibiscus and rose clippings, buckthorn and pyracantha clippings, and well-rotted animal manure. Never add diseased or insect-infested plant matter to your compost pile, as this can be harmful to the microorganisms that break down organic matter.
When you’re ready to use compost, apply a half-inch to an inch of it on top of the soil in your garden beds. If you’re planting new vegetables or annual flowers, mix the compost into the soil before backfilling the hole. This will help the soil to settle and also ensure that you’ve added enough compost for the planting. You can also spread compost around established perennials and shrubs, as a mulch or top dressing. Just be sure to keep it away from the stems of plants, as this can lead to rot.
Compost can be used to amend all types of garden soil, including sand and clay. It is most effective when applied in the fall, before winter. It can also be brewed in water to create compost tea, which is effective as a soil drench and as a foliar spray. This is a great way to quickly and easily provide extra nutrients to your garden. It’s a great alternative to buying and using chemical fertilizers, and you can use kultiva soil pots. The best part is, it’s free!
2. Cook the Soil
Soil is alive with bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that help break down organic matter into plant-available nutrients. They are important in establishing and maintaining healthy soil, but they become less active as the temperature of the soil rises. By cooking the soil, you help to re-awaken these beneficial organisms.
Cooking the soil is a process of heating it to approximately 140°F or so, which is just above the melting point of water. This helps to sterilize the soil and kills off any pathogens that may be present. It also causes the soil to become less dense, which improves the structure of the soil and makes it easier for roots to find and absorb nutrients.
You can heat the soil in a conventional oven, or if you don’t have one, you can microwave it instead. Use a glass container that can be microwaved, such as a mason jar. Put a lid on the jar and use aluminum foil to cover it. If you use a microwave, heat the soil on full power for about 90 seconds. Then, check the temperature with a thermometer to make sure that it has reached 180°F.
The other option for sterilizing the soil is to let it sun-bake. Till and wet the soil, then spread it out on a clear plastic tarp and allow the sun to warm it for 4-6 weeks. The solarization method is a great way to sterilize the soil without using electricity, but it takes longer than baking.
After the soil is cooked, it needs to sit. It’s best if you can let it sit for two weeks, although up to a month is optimal. This allows the soil microbes to cycle all those wonderful amendments you put in and break them down into their more plant-available forms. It also helps prevent the soil from becoming too hot, which can kill the beneficial organisms.
3. Add Nutrients
Garden soil may seem ordinary, but it’s actually an extraordinary mixture of organic material and minerals. It keeps plants upright and channels water and air to their roots, allowing them to take in essential nutrients. Healthy soil has two main qualities: fertility and texture.
Fertility means the availability of important nutrients, and texture refers to the size of soil particles and how well the soil holds together. A good starting point is a soil test, which will let you know what nutrients are in the soil and recommend ways to improve it. Soil nutrients are typically grouped as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Most fertilizers contain these three main nutrients, along with other minor nutrients.
A soil test will also tell you the pH level of your soil, which affects how readily available these nutrients are to plants. Very high or very low soil pH may result in nutrient deficiency or toxicity.
Soil organisms, large and small, use photosynthesis to break down organic matter into plant-available nutrients. These organisms provide food and shelter for other living things, and help build and maintain soil structure. Some, such as fungi, even form symbiotic relationships with plant roots, bringing hard-to-reach water and nutrients directly to the roots.
To support these organisms, consider adding carbon-based soil amendments such as compost or aged manure. These additions provide important nutrients, including nitrogen, and improve soil structure. They can also help balance the soil’s pH and increase aeration and water holding capacity in sandy or clay soils.
Aim to add enough organic matter to make up about 1/4 of your garden’s overall soil mixture. Then work the organic material into the existing soil well ahead of planting time. This will give microorganisms a chance to get a foothold and work their magic. You can further stimulate the microbial life in your garden by feeding it. This can be done by pulverizing eggshells into a powder, steeping them in water to make eggshell water, or by using an organic liquid fertilizer such as Jadam Microbial Solution / JMS.
4. Fertilize
The secret to vibrant garden plants is a rich, healthy soil full of life. Rather than chemical fertilizers, which can lead to plant burn and require precise dosing, living soil provides a natural balance of nutrients to help your crops thrive. The trick is to understand how your soil needs to be nourished and then add the right ingredients to boost the growth potential of each plant.
Like all living things, your soil requires food and water to survive. However, only 10% of the earth’s surface is dirt, and most home gardens are planted in potting soil that doesn’t contain the vital microorganisms needed to convert organic matter into plant food.
Fortunately, you can easily turn your gardening space into a living soil environment using a few simple ingredients. Adding these soil boosters to your garden or containers will promote robust plant growth, beautiful blooms and fresh, tasty vegetables.
One of the best ways to supercharge your garden is by incorporating compost into the soil. This nutrient-rich soil amendment improves the quality of your planting medium, enhances moisture retention and promotes microbial activity. It’s also a more cost-effective option than buying bottled organic fertilizers or spending money on a professional soil test.
Another great soil booster is worm castings or vermicompost, which are a powerful source of essential nutrients and beneficial organisms that boost soil health and plant production. You can use these soil-building additives as a substitute for granular fertilizers or re-amend your existing planting medium with them between each replanting cycle.
When it comes to supplying your plants with the right nutrition, you have some options. You can broadcast the proper amount of a liquid or slow-release granular fertilizer before planting to make sure your plants get what they need. You can also apply a fertilizer band or strip to the ground before planting to ensure each plant gets its proper nutrient ratio. Just be careful not to overdo it, as excessive application of fertilizers can damage the soil ecosystem and harm your plants. Instead, opt for a balanced, organic or slow-release fertilizer to prevent nutrient burn and overdosing.
