Tag: making soil

Making good soil – pH

~ Helping Us Prosper ~ 1 Comment

This is a follow up.from.our previous post – Making good soil – organic matter. As we said in that post, making good soil requires three primary factors – good organic matter composition, texture and pH.

In short, pH is the acidity ( or alkalinity) of the soil. Differing plants can survive in differing pH levels, with some plants being able to survive in a wide range of pH to very specific limits. Plants that can survive in pH on the lower end of the pH scale would be considered being able to survive in acidic soils while those at the higher end would be alkaline soils. Those that can survive in soils in the middle would be considered neutral. The pH scale ranges from 0-14.

The pH scale, where acid conditions are 0-6 and alkaline is between 8-14.

That’s all very well and good I hear you say, but how can I make my soil to a different pH? And to you I say ‘Good question’.

Soil acidity can be increased (that is go backwards on the pH scale) by adding manure or compost. If the natural way isn’t your thing you could also add powdered sulphur or iron chelates. If you go down this avenue then please be aware of how much to use, as using to much could set the pH too far into the acidic scale. If may also alter the chemistry of the soil in irreversible ways.

Soil alkalinity can be increased (that is go forwards on the pH scale) by adding various sorts of lime (that can be purchased from local gardening stores), wood ash or even baking soda. As with acidity, ensuring you get the right amount is important and you should test your soil pH before, during and after.

All in all, ensure you know what the optimal pH is for growth of plants that you are planting and adjust accordingly.

Ensuring you get the right pH in your soil will ensure your plants grow to their maximum capacity

Making good soil – organic matter

~ Helping Us Prosper ~ Leave a comment

Making your own soil can be great for your garden and help with giving your plants a kick start to their first exposure with your garden.

Making your own soil doesn’t have to be overly complicated. However, there are three main aspects you should consider if you want to make your own soil – soil pH, texture and organic matter.

Think of soil pH, texture and organic matter when looking to make your own soil

For this post we will be focusing on organic matter, what it is and what you can use at home that would be classified as organic.

The benefits of having organic matter in the soil are numerous, and include improving soil stability, water infiltration, aeration of the soil and the amount of water the soil.can hold (which is great for most plants, especially in drier environments). Having organic matter will also help prevent your soil from crusting which will.make it harder for plants to germeninate and grow.

Simply put, organic matter comes from anything that is alive. Hence, using any dead animal or plant products would be considered organic. However, you want to make sure the right type of organic matter is being used to deter pests and unwanted vermin during the soil making process.

Rodents can be attracted to certain types of organic material

You could use any material from the kitchen that are off cuts or leftovers to help add to the amount of organic material in your soil making stage. Around the yard you could also add leaves and sticks (or other dead parts of a plant). Be mindful that sticks will take longer to decay and turn into soil and it would be recommended that you use a mulching machine to break them down further before adding to your soil making process.

Ensuring that you keep the organic matter moist will help with the decay process and turn the organic matter into the perfect soil component you are after.