Soil Building, Soil Amendments, Rain Barrels: What You Need to Know!
Healthy soil allows for healthier microorganisms for the plants’ growth.
The soil is just as important to us as
food and water. It plays key roles in the natural cycle of life, which is why
we need to include soil building, soil amendments, rain barrels in our
gardening/farming methods. Unfortunately, not everyone knows that. Where do we
plant and harvest our fruits and vegetables? Where do our common farm animals
get their daily sustenance? We don’t give much value to the soil that keeps our
plant and animal life well-nourished. In an attempt to re-calibrate this
perspective, we present to you a primer in soil building, soil amendments, rain
barrels, and the true importance of soil to the world we live in.
1:Soil Building
There is more to soil than just dirt. It is actually an abundant source of elements and minerals that are essential to plant and animal life.
Healthy plant and animal life mean healthy people. The natural process of soil building makes sure that these standards are met. There are also several techniques that help encourage this natural process. These include composting, cover crop mulching, and planting soil-building crops such as sweet potatoes and legumes.
A decent amount of earthworms is a sign of healthy soil. They also provide better soil ventilation for the roots to grow.
Microscopicorganisms that thrive in the well-built soil will enjoy a healthier habitat.
These bacteria, worms, fungi, and other soil-inhabiting creatures form a mutual
relationship with the planted crops. The plants become a food source for these
organisms and in turn, receive protection from insect attacks and diseases.
While a common practice for farmers, tilling the soil is not recommended for soil building.
Avoiding any form of disturbance to the
soil will also promote the natural process of soil building. By doing this, you
retain the maximum amount of moisture and essential nutrients in the soil. As
an added effect, you are also thwarting the release of carbon dioxide, which is
the number one contributing compound to global warming. Letting the soil sit
without much tilling and other forms of disturbance allow for a healthier,
hydrated, and ventilated environment for microorganisms and crops to thrive in.
Layering soil with a cover crop, which
will eventually turn into mulch, is also a great soil building technique.
Furthermore, it protects your soil from weed growth, soil crusting, and
eventually erosion.
Crusted or cracked soil can cause soil
erosion. You can moisten the soil by pressure washing it with water
(low-pressure).
2:Soil Amendments
Soil amendments are basically anything
you put into the soil to improve its health. These have two general
classifications: (1) soil conditioners, and (2) fertilizers.
1:Soil Conditioners
This type of soil amendments offers added
minerals and nutrients to improve the current state of the soil. Some soil
conditioners can even repair soil damage. Soil needs free circulating air and
water to nourish crops and make for a healthy environment for inhabiting
microorganisms. Soil conditioners do a good job in compacting soil and
providing enough ventilation for the flow of air and water. These take the form
of compost, peat moss, and viable animal manures that are rich in nutrients and
minerals.
2:Fertilizers
Fertilizers, on the other
hand, encourage healthy plant growth. These come with the three primary
nutrients, which are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (N-P-K). Secondary
nutrients include magnesium, sulfur, and calcium; and trace elements may
include chlorine, copper, boron, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. They may either be organic, or inorganic.
Inorganic or chemical fertilizers are
manufactured in labs and may come in granular or powder form.
Chemical fertilizers in granular form are used to nourish the soil and crops
Before choosing the right soil amendment
for your garden, you must first determine the following characteristics of your
soil:
●
Type
●
Texture
●
pH
●
Salinity
Getting a soiltest kit will help you understand your soil requirements and match that to the
right soil amendment that will enhance the quality of your soil. Having
knowledge in soil building, soil amendments, rain barrels, and other gardening
essentials will also help you in this area.
Completing our primer in soil building,
soil amendments, rain barrels, we will be shedding light on a resource
conservation practice– keeping rain barrels. Why are these
so important, you ask? Gardening requires a ton of clean water to maintain. By
saving clean water from a rainy day with the help of rain barrels, we get to
perform our gardening tasks minus the guilt and a running water meter.
3:Rain Barrels
Rain barrels can come in glass, plastics,
woods, stones, metal, and bricks; you name it. You can buy one from hardware
stores or create one for yourself. Go for lightweight barrels if you intend to
carry these around, and heavier ones if you want to keep them in a permanent
place and simply attach a hose for a more flexible reach.
It is crucial that you get dark-colored
barrels to prevent algal growth. Dark-colored rain barrels also warms the water
faster, allowing it to reach ideal watering temperatures.
Conclusion
Soil building, soil amendments, rain
barrels, are three lessons that will make you a better and more ethical
gardener. It’s not enough that you know how to grow your crops. Bear in mind
that the way you treat your soil is just as important. That said, we hope you
enjoyed this soil building, soil amendments, rain barrels primer.
Do share with us your gardening
experiences. We’d love to hear them. Thanks for reading!
Happy Organic Gardening!
