HANDY WORK: Having good soil and adding organic matter and mulch is vital for gardens says gardening expert Reg Kidd. Photo: CARLA FREEDMAN
The basis for any good garden is to have good soil.
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Gardening expert Reg Kidd explains how to improve your soil.
WHAT IS SOIL?
- Soil comes from rock broken down by weathering.
- Soil contains minerals that supply plants needs. The quality and texture varies according to the parent rock.
- Rock particles combine with organic matter to produce soil as we know it.
SOIL TEXTURE
- Sandy - does not stick together, it's coarse and gritty
- Sandy loam - sticks together, very crumbly and not gritty
- Loam - sticks together, friable, not gritty
- Clay loam - sticks together, slightly friable, plastic
- Clay - Sticks together, friable, not plastic.
SOIL STRUCTURE
- Soils with poor structure will not have spaces for holding air and water
- Clay soils can have poor structure but this can be improved by adding gypsum. Gypsum helps the particles stick together better.
- Soil structure can be improved by adding organic matter (plant and animal remains) which provides humus and helps bind particles together
- Never sieve soil as this ruins the structure
IMPROVING SOILS
- Sandy soils can be improved by the addition of organic matter. Animal manure, spent mushroom compost, leaf mould, compost and green manure crops can all be dug into the soil. They will improve soil structure and nutrient and water-holding capacity. Clay soils can also be improved by the addition of organic matter.
- The humus produced after the breakdown of organic matter provides bigger spaces between particles, increasing air and water movement.
DRAINAGE
- Drainage can be improved by using organic matter or gypsum to improve soil structure, or by using strip drains or agricultural piping.
- Drainage systems should slope downhill, be protected from clogging (with a gravel or mesh cover) and have an outlet.
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