The World Beneath Our Feet
There is a whole world living and breathing beneath our feet! Good soil is full of earthworms, fungi and bacteria; without all these soil creatures, plants would struggle to grow and survive. Unfortunately, many of the things humans do to the soil degrade the living space of soil organisms and kill them, directly or indirectly. The organisms are starved by our habit of not returning all our garden wastes to the soil as compost. Our tendency to grow the same plants in the same soil year after year provides them a monotonous diet. Pesticides and high nitrogen fertilizers poison them.
Earthworms can produce as much as twenty-five tons of worm castings per acre per year in a temperate climate. This is the Rolls Royce of fertilizers! Earthworms burrow through the soil, creating channels that improve aeration and drainage. Along with earthworms, beneficial mites, springtails, nematodes and one-celled protozoa are soil organisms that are essential for the optimal release of nutrients to plants, maintenance of good soil structure and control of plant pests. The general rule is that the greater the diversity of soil life, the more fertile the soil.
To encourage these soil organisms, we need to provide them with organic residues rich in carbon, such as hay, manure or compost. Rich organic compost can also fertilize your plants at the same time. Remember that whenever we eliminate one of these soil organisms, we gardeners get stuck with the jobs they are better equipped to do.
Good Things To Do In Your Garden
Plant the Right Plants in the Right Spot. All plants have specific light and water requirements, so trying to grow a sun-loving plant in the shade is a recipe for pests, disease and failure. When buying a new plant, find out what its needs are: what kind of soil does it like and how much water does it need? Then make sure the location you select in your garden can meet those needs. Examine the plants you already have. Are they getting the right amount of sun, shade and water? If they're in the wrong spot, move them. Putting all your plants in the best location to meet their needs will minimize stress and encourage health and vigor.
