Columns and Letters

Column: Isolation Gardening


-by Caroline Cameron

Basics on soil
Healthy soil makes healthy plants.

    How do you know if the soil you have is good for a garden? You can just buy a lot of soil and materials, but even then, what’s the best purchase?
    There are four basic components to soil: Organic matter (in this context, anything that was, or is alive), inorganic mineral (non-living: rocks, clay, sand), water, and air. The balance of these defines the texture of the soil, and its fertility – the two things that matter.
    The organic matter feeds a whole food web of bacteria, fungus, microscopic critters, insects, and worms. As these workers feed on the organic matter, they break it down into nutrients that plant roots can absorb.
    Clay holds nutrients and water, and very little air, and sand holds no water but has lots of air spaces. A good balance of these gives roots the air and water they need.
    Squeeze a handful of moist (not wet) soil. When released, clayey soil keeps its shape, but if it falls apart when it you poke it, it is very good. If it doesn’t even hold its shape – too much sand. No matter what, adding organic matter (leaves, manure, grass clippings, peat moss, compost or any natural product except wood) will help to improve the soil texture, because organics hold moisture and create air pockets.
    The Department of Agriculture provides soil fertility tests. But again, you can just add organic matter, which will be broken down to release a whole variety of nutrients – slowly and steadily.
    Be careful not to overdo it with fertilizing. Too much rich manure will cause a lot of leaf growth, which is fine for lettuce, but not for tomatoes. Anything that produces a fruit (seeds inside – tomato, cucumber) or root crops like carrots or potatoes, does well with a good handful of bone meal.
    If you just don’t have ground space for a garden, you can use containers or flower pots. You’ll be better off with a few large pots, rather than many small ones, because they’ll stay moister and warmer. They’ll need drainage holes. Place them where they’ll get sun, where they’re easy to water, and where you’ll remember to water them.
    Tomatoes, beans, herbs, and greens all work well in a container, you can make a support for climbers like scarlet runner beans and cucumbers, and add a few flowers for fun. Potting soil is best for a container. Also add some natural soil, a couple of handfuls of manure and a sprinkling of bone meal.
    Place it where you want it, before you fill it up with soil. Leave space for watering. Think that the root system is about as big as the above-ground part of the plant, so try to aim for almost that much soil. You can put some styrofoam in the bottom if you need less soil. Some soil products, like packaged black earth, may be more for looks than soil quality.
    It is still too early for most planting, but peas, cold-hardy greens and spinach can be planted “as soon as ground can be worked” (now). Next week I’ll talk about seedlings and planting times for different kinds of vegetables.
    Happy gardening!
    Caroline Cameron welcomes your gardening comments and questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and on Facebook at Nature/Nurture Gardening & Hiking.

 

 

 

 

 






 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Oran Dan - The Inverness Oran - www.invernessoran.ca

The Inverness Oran
15767 Central Avenue. P.O. Box 100
Inverness, Nova Scotia. B0E 1N0
Tel.: 1 (902) 258-2253. Fax: 1 (902) 258-2632
Email: [email protected]