I get this question every time I’m on a property evaluating a future garden. Why is healthy soil important? Healthy soil is composed of a variety of essential nutrients and organic matter, which are necessary for plant growth. Without healthy soil, plants can’t access the nutrients they need to survive and grow. In addition, healthy soil provides a habitat for a variety of beneficial insects, which in turn helps to control pests and improve plant growth.
Soil is the foundation for healthy plants
Do you want healthy plants? Then you will want healthy soil. You will want to know what condition the soil is in before you invest in building a garden. Side note. Plants are all not equal when it comes to soil. The vegetable and fruit variety needs lots of food to grow healthy and abundant but here in California for example, our native plants are very happy in our native dirt which is compact, rocky, and has lots of clay.
Healthy soil is a complex ecosystem called the soil food web that contains a variety of living organisms, including bacteria, fungi, nematodes, earthworms, and insects. It also contains non-living components such as minerals, water, and air. To be healthy, the soil needs to have a good balance of these different components.
Some specific characteristics of healthy soil include:
- Good structure: Healthy soil is Dark brown, crumbly, and has a crumb-like structure that allows water and air to move easily through it.
- Balanced pH: Soil pH is a measure of acidity or alkalinity. Most plants grow best in slightly acidic soil, with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
- Adequate nutrients: Healthy soil contains a range of nutrients that are essential for plant growth, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It also contains trace minerals such as iron, zinc, and copper.
- Adequate water-holding capacity: Healthy soil can hold onto water and make it available to plants, but it also drains well to prevent waterlogging.
- A diverse population of microorganisms: Healthy soil contains a diverse community of microorganisms that help to break down organic matter, cycle nutrients, and protect plants from disease.
Overall, healthy soil is an important foundation for healthy plants and a healthy ecosystem.
How to tell if the soil is good to grow
Lets me share the first steps in determining if this is worthy ground to have a garden.
- Do you see vegetation? If so, what kind? is it invasive (it takes over everything and no other plant can thrive) or are there many different kinds, for example, grass types, common mallow, dandelions, mustard, and tumbleweed? That is a good sign life in the soil exists.
- Let’s take a Look at the dirt and do a simple test to see what it consists of. You’re looking for how much sand, silt, clay, and loom are in the soil. A simple test to see this is what you need. I call it, the Jar test. Get a big jar, and fill it halfway with dirt. Next, fill it up to the top with water. Lastly, shake it up well to mix it and set it on the counter for 24 hours. Now, as it settles it will stratify in layers showing you all the components in the soil sample. In the first hour, the sand will settle then over the next 24 hours the silt and clay will settle with organic matter floating on top. You may be surprised by the results.
- I dig a few holes about a foot deep in different spots of the future garden area and fill them with water. I do this to check how well the water drains. The water should take about 15 minutes to drain. !5 is perfect drainage, 30 minutes is not as good but would work based on certain factors, 45 minutes or more may mean you are on a rock bed or an old foundation that was covered.
These are good steps to take when you are in the planning stages of a garden build. If all 3 check out then you should be good to go as far as your foundation is concerned and you can always send soil to a lab to be tested for a more in-depth reading which is recommended if you plan on a large budget for your garden build. Also, Depending on what kind of garden you’re building will depend on what the next steps are to amend the soil nutrients that will be beneficial for your garden.
Restoring soil back to health
The key is organic matter. Compost! Feed your soil so the soil can feed your plants. There are many ways to go about this. My favorite method is the living soil recipe otherwise known as “lasagna gardening”. I like this way of gardening because it is sustainable, saves money and the plants thrive. When you build living soil you are creating a balanced ecosystem for the plants to be disease resistant, abundant and you will turn your black thumb into a green thumb. To do this I am using all the materials on my property, composting then creating healthy living soil for long-term success in the garden. I strongly recommend the living soil recipe for raised garden beds for fruits and veggies.
Other options are buying compost, soil amendment, and fertilizer then adding it to the soil. Mulching is always a great way to improve your soil. Adding 3 to 4 inches of mulch to cover the dirt will aid in weed suppression, improve soil health and retain water cutting down on your water usage.
I hope this helps
Approaching a garden in the beginning stages is as important as getting the garden installed and growing. 80% of the work is planning and gathering the materials the rest is the fun part. To make it a success start with the soil and work your way up.