03/07/2023
Let's talk DIRT!
I remember talking to an old gardener who gave me these words of wisdom, "it’s better to put a $1 plant into a $10 hole than vice versa". I considered his words, but at that time in my gardening life, my thoughts drifted to big beautiful, fluffy plants covered in blooms, so I always spent my money on the plant.
But those words have continued to ring in my ears, and I finally "got" it. Having gardened for many years, I have learned a lot about the world that goes on beneath the soil - it's a living thing in ‘its own right’. All soil is composed of eroded rock and the difference between soils is the size of the soil particles with sand being the largest, silt medium size and clay the smallest. Healthy soil also includes important microorganisms, air and water.
Here in the Gulf Coast region, our soil is a sandy topsoil with a clay subsoil. We can grow trees easily in this soil, but in order to plant roses, shrubs or bedding plants, we need to amend the soil and grow in raised beds either in a container, or directly onto the ground. This will allow a good start for the very fine roots that take up water and nutrients.
To create a raised bed, we will need several types of soil products:
GARDEN SOIL- This may be a mixture of sand, silt, peat, wood particles, vermiculite, perlite and clay. All soil products are not created equally. The best way to assess a soil is to grab a handful and squeeze it together. If the soil stays together initially but then crumbles, it may be well balanced. If the ball stays together in a tight ball, then it may have too much clay in it. In this situation I would add peat moss to increase the organic matter and maybe add some sand to loosen up the soil. Bagged and bulk soil will be called different names by those who sell it but the way to get the right thing is to examine it first-hand or see what elements are included on the bag’s labeling.
PEAT MOSS: Peat Moss Sphagnum is an organic material and is a great addition to your soil mix to increase the water-holding capacity and add fluffiness in the soil. If your soil is too sandy it will drain too fast. Peat will also mix well with garden soil to prevent compaction of soil and make it more acidic. Many common plants such as Roses, Hydrangeas, Gardenias, Holly, Magnolia, Blueberry, Basil, Broccoli, and Spinach thrive in acidic soil. Acidic soil has a pH of less than 7 and alkaline soil has a pH of greater than 7. A seven pH is considered neutral. The best thing to do is to have your soil tested before considering additives or planting.
COMPOST: Compost is an another extremely good addition to the soil. Compost is made from any green material such as annual plants that are pulled up, cut grass and discarded food scraps. Additionally, “brown” waste like fallen leaves, cardboard and newspaper add the necessary carbon-rich material that feed beneficial microorganisms that break down the organic material, so it is available to the plant.
The third ingredient in your compost is just a few shovelfuls of good garden soil. If you don’t have good soil to add to your compost, try a bagged soil like Happy Frog that is high in microorganisms. This will add the needed microorganisms that will break down the compost. Meat and animal fat should not be used because it will attract unwanted animals to your compost.
Compost needn’t be an elaborate process. It can merely be a tub or garbage can where the proper materials can be placed (be sure that it can drain). Or, it can be a spot in the back of your yard where you throw grass, leaves etc. “Growing compost” also needs to be turned and watered occasionally to speed up the breaking down of the materials. Compost will get very warm as the microorganisms break down the green and brown materials. This is a good sign that your compost is doing what it is supposed to. Add this rich soil to your plants at the beginning of the season.
ROTTED MANURE: Simply stated, this is the end-product of an animal’s digestion. It may seem like an icky topic, but it really is “black gold”. We commonly get manure from cattle, chickens, horses, goats, bats, and almost any animal alive. Manure is simply broken-down food that that animal has eaten, such as grass, plants and animal feed. Fresh or raw manure is only halfway ready to be used in our gardens. It must rot and age a bit, at least 6 months before we can use it because raw manure can burn our plants. This is a good addition if you don’t have compost to naturally fertilize your garden.
The magic in manure is that it provides macro nutrients such as (N) nitrogen, (P) phosphorus, and (K) potassium. These nutrients breakdown quickly. Manure also includes micronutrients which includes plant tissue and microorganisms, copper, manganese, sulphur, magnesium, zinc and others which break down slowly. If you don’t have access to raw manure, Black Kow is a product which is composed of compost and rotted cow manure. It safely feeds and conditions the soil. Studies have shown that rotted manure is better for the soil structure than synthetic fertilizers. Rotted Manure is a soil amendment that you can add around your plants as a natural fertilizer.
MULCH: The next concern for a well-prepared garden is mulch. Mulch is usually a layer of organic material (that has not yet broken down) that covers the surface of soil which surrounds trees, shrubs or bedding plants. It functions by keeping weeds to a minimum, maintaining soil moisture and keeping the roots of a plant cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Many things can be used as mulch, for instance pine needles, tree bark, grass clippings, leaves, cardboard and hay. The beauty of mulch is that it eventually breaks down and acts as compost for your plants. That’s why we need to refresh mulch at least twice a year. For plants that like acidic soil, pine needles and oak leaves work well. As for how deeply to mulch, I like to mulch my plants 3-4” but any amount of mulch is better than none. I’ve seen rocks used as mulch. Although they are decorative, my concern is that rocks tend to get very hot in the summer, so they are best not used directly on the soil in hot climates.
Early in my gardening days I mulched my entire antique rose bed with oak leaves because they are acidic and very good for my roses as they breakdown. Soon after that, we had a storm with heavy rain, and I watched my oak-leaf mulch float down the street! After that experience I covered my oak leaves with pine needles which I found did not float and worked great.
BAGGED AMENDMENTS: If your compost isn’t up and running yet, no worries. There are products on the market that contain the necessary microorganisms that your plants need – whether your plants are in pots or in the ground. I use a product called Happy Frog potting soil which is made from earthworm castings, bat guano and aged leaf compost and other things which gives your plants a burst of microorganisms to help break down organic materials in the soil, so they are available to benefit your soil. This is also useful to add microorganisms to your compost. You can use it to pot plants or put a few scoops around plants in the ground to give them boost in the beginning of spring and fall. Anything that increases microorganisms in the soil is good!
So, to RE-CAP: Your soil is like a good lasagna -You will begin your garden bed will with a good garden soil that you will mix with Peat Moss if necessary. Once your plants are in the container or the ground, you will add some Compost, Rotted Manure, and/or Black Know, then you will top it all off with Pine Needles, Cedar Mulch or other material. That’s a done deal! Happy Gardening!
The Garden District Nursery has all the products discussed above ON SALE to get your gardens going and to prepare for spring!
PEAT MOSS 3cu ft. $35.99
HAPPY FROG 2 cu ft $ 17.99
CEDAR MULCH GRADE A 2 cu ft $16.99
PINE NEEDLE ROLLS $15.50
BLACK KOW $ 6.99
