What is Garden Soil made of? It is the inevitable question of everyone who has ever attempted to grow their own vegetables or fruits in a garden. The reality is that the answer will vary greatly from person to person because each of us has different gardening requirements and we all have differing levels of time available to spend on cultivating our gardens. There is no standard recipe for garden soil, although there are some general guidelines that should be taken into account.
Topsoil: The layers of topsoil are made up of various mineral substances. Mineral particles are usually large pieces of rocky stone which have gradually been tilled off larger stones. Rock-based particles present in garden soil are normally characterized by very fine size to generally in the range of three to ten millimeters in thickness. When tilled, these fine-grained materials become very deep, which explains why they are commonly referred to as “topsoil”.
Plants Need Soil: Most plants need adequate amounts of both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, and organic matter to help them grow. Aerobic bacteria break down sugars in plant leaves and stems, while anaerobic bacteria consume amino acids present in leaf and stem materials. Nutrients that are not properly broken down and processed by these bacteria are often left behind as waste by the plants, which in turn release these nutrients into the water supply. This process of biological degradation produces nitrates, nitrites and nitrates that are then added to the water supply. In addition, the tannic acid that is produced by the anaerobic bacteria also converts dead plant materials into nitrate salts that cause the plant to form a protective layer on the soil surface, making it beneficial for the plant in the process.
Soil Preparation: Before tilling your garden bed, you will first need to aerate the soil, using a garden spray or a light application of a high-pressure irrigation system. After aeration is completed, use a heavy-duty garden rake to remove any remaining soil. If you have tilled your soil before and just filled the holes with new organic matter, remove and burn any extra seed you may have used. Now, remove the excess tilling by hand or with a garden hoe, taking care to keep the rake as clean as possible. Now, it is time to add the first batch of organic matter to the newly tilled area.
Adding Soil Organic Matter: The first layer of organic matter to your garden is the topsoil. You should work in loose soils or loose gravel, making certain to compact the bulk of your soil as you go. The depth to which you pile the topsoil depends on the purpose of your next layer, but it is advisable to keep the soil near the center of the garden as much as possible. Topsoil is ideal for adding the nutrient-rich clay, humus and decomposed bark to the surface of your garden soil. These ingredients provide beneficial bacteria and microorganisms that break down the existing organic matter in your soil and return it to the soil, keeping it both nutritious and rich.
Soils With High Nutrient Content: As you begin to weed and work your garden, the area around the plants will soon become low in nutrients. Therefore, the best way to keep this from happening is to select a variety of hardy plants and trees that are relatively maintenance free and can survive in soils that are rich in organic matter. These plants include such familiar garden plants as ornamental grasses, marigolds and beans, alfalfa, sage, cacti, red, pink and yellow squash and cucumbers. In addition, there are many herbs, including thyme, sage, chives, tarragon, oregano, mint, chervil and basil that also do well in soils with high nutrient content. However, these herbs do better in other kinds of soil types and not all of them will do well in sandy soils.
Soils With High Phosphorus: Although most plants need phosphorous, some are more adapted to dealing with high levels of this mineral in their soils. For example, the popular annual flowerbeds of the Northeast are primarily in charge of delivering phosphorous to plants during the springtime and summer months. In areas where drought is a significant factor in limiting plant growth, however, high-phosphorus clay soils may prove to be beneficial. This type of soil is also beneficial for growing herb gardens since their root systems can flourish even in low-phosphorus circumstances. However, it is important to keep in mind that both high-phosphorus clay and low-phosphorus clay have their own set of challenges that must be taken into consideration.
Soils With Low Phosphorus: When cultivating soils of low Phosphorus, the goal is to introduce large amounts of carbon and organic matter so as to make up for the lack of these elements. The organic matter usually comes from humic acid or compost. Some of the best humic acids used in cultivating soils of low Phosphorus include brown and apples tone. Typically, a lot of emphasis is placed on organic matter rather than the amount of actual organic matter in these soils because in general organic matter and Phosphorus do not mix very well together.