I recently attended another native plant conference. After having spent most of my garden design career planting ornamentals – often Asian plants -- I'm still not a natives zealot, but I like to plant them among the ornamentals in gardens and have the best of both worlds.
I’ve already admitted to being a Doug Tallamy groupie, having heard him three times this year alone. His message about sharing our space with those birds and insects that evolved in it is compelling.
His book, "Bringing Nature Home," is excellent and if you have a chance to hear him speak at a local event, don’t miss him.
Now I will have to be a Jeff Lowenfels groupie, too. His book, "Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web (Revised Edition)," (Timber Press, $24.95) sounds like science. It actually is science, but totally readable and, in places, amusing.
Jeff is a wonderful speaker, like Doug, and he tells us in easily digestible bits about the vast life in the soil.
Healthy soil is alive
Bacteria, fungi, protozoa – miles and tons of living creatures make life on this planet possible. They feed the trees and the plants completely without our interference. Some plants have specific bacterial and fungal soil associations and requirements, while others are generalists.
I used to think I was doing something good by tilling heavy soils, adding nutrients like greensand, phosphorous, alfalfa, etc.
I would till until the soil was like cake flour and then plant perennials in it. Fabulous crops of lamb’s quarters would grow, but the perennials would limp along. So I stopped tilling and started planting in a hole dug to suit the plant going in – avoiding ruining the structure of the soil.
And the results were much better.
The soil-plant relationship
Now I understand the explosion of lamb’s quarters. This weed and others in the family of Chenopodiacae (spinach, beets, and quinoa) don’t form relationships with the in-soil critters. Once I had tilled all the critters to pieces and destroyed the soil structure, any plant that relied on in-soil flora and fauna for vital nutrients, water, and protection would struggle.
I made another connection. I have struggled to plant the exquisitely beautiful native sourwood (Oxydendron arboreum) for my clients. Most often the tree just died -- sometimes fast, sometimes slowly. In discussions with other designers, most have had the same difficulty.
Now I am wondering if the relationship with in-soil mycorrhizae (the world of in-soil flora and fauna) needs to be specific to sourwood. So, at this conference in the mountains of North Carolina, a shovel was available at Lowe’s and I dug up soil near sourwoods that were growing naturally – some up to 30 feet tall.
Now there can be a little science experiment here in Virginia, with a bit of soil at the roots of newly purchased sourwoods that I hope contain the right spores of soil flora and fauna to make the sourwood thrive. We’ll see.
As in every other soil situation, compost helps. So instead of doing what I used to do, compost will be the rule of the day and of the garden.
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Donna Williamson blogs regularly at Diggin' It. She's a master gardener, garden designer, and garden coach. She has taught gardening and design classes at the State Arboretum of Virginia, Oatlands in Leesburg, and Shenandoah University. She’s also the founder and editor of Grandiflora Mid-Atlantic Gardening magazine, and the author of “The Virginia Gardener’s Companion: An Insider’s Guide to Low Maintenance Gardening in Virginia.” She lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. To read more by Donna here at Diggin' It, click here.
FAQs
It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms and is where most of the Earth's biological soil activity occurs. Topsoil is composed of mineral particles, organic matter, water, and air. It is the perfect place for many kinds of plants to take root, grow, and thrive.
Why is soil important in gardening? ›
Temperature modification: soil insulates roots from drastic fluctuations in temperature. This is especially important during excessively hot or cold times of year. Nutrients: soil supplies nutrients, and also holds the nutrients that we add in the form of fertilizer.
What is the most important aspect of soil? ›
Soil provides plants a foothold for their roots and holds the necessary nutrients for plants to grow. Soil filters the rainwater and regulates the discharge of excess rainwater, preventing flooding. It also buffers against pollutants, thus protecting groundwater quality.
What is soil and its importance? ›
Soil is the loose surface material that covers most land. It consists of inorganic particles and organic matter. Soil provides the structural support for plants used in agriculture and is also their source of water and nutrients. Soils vary greatly in their chemical and physical properties.
What type of soil is best for gardening? ›
The best soil for gardening is well-draining but moisture retentive. While loamy soil is ideal for most plants, it's important to keep in mind that different plants thrive in different types of soils. For example, succulents need sandy soil, and certain trees and shrubs thrive in clay soils.
What are the 5 reasons why soil is important? ›
Soil helps produce our food and unearth life-saving medicines and vaccines. Soil also filters and purifies our water, reduces flooding, regulates the atmosphere and plays a crucial role in driving the carbon and nitrogen cycles. It is also key to tackling climate change as it captures and stores vast amounts of carbon.
Is garden soil necessary? ›
Garden Soil and Raised Bed Soil are both essential applications that gardeners can use to establish the ideal growing environment for their plants. Both organic soils provide beneficial ingredients for a healthy garden full of nutritious fruits and vegetables as well as beautiful, colorful flowers.
What is the most important thing in a garden? ›
Soil: The most important aspect of gardening.
What is the most important factor of soil? ›
Climate: This is probably the most important factor that can shape the formation of soils. Two important climatic components, temperature and precipitation are key.
Why is soil an important resource? ›
Soil is a vital natural resource. It supports the growth of plants and crops by giving nutrients. Agriculture fulfills the food requirement for the survival of human beings. It provides shelter to organisms such as earthworms and many micro-organisms.
It provides an environment for plants (including food crops and timber wood) to grow in, by anchoring roots and storing nutrients. It filters and cleans our water and helps prevent natural hazards such as flooding. It contains immense levels of biodiversity.
What are the important things about soil? ›
Soils are not only the resource for food production, but they are the support for our structures, the medium for waste disposal, they maintain our playgrounds, distribute and store water and nutrients, and support our environment. They support more life beneath their surface than exists above.
What is the aim of the soil? ›
The desired outcomes of soil/land functions include at least the following: crop production, clean water, clean air, low greenhouse gas emissions, safe and nutritious food, and preservation of wildlife habitat.
What soil makes plants grow faster? ›
The ideal mixture for plant growth is called a loam and has roughly 40% sand, 40% silt and 20% clay. Another important element of soil is its structure, or how the particles are held together - how they clump together into crumbs or clods. A loose structure provides lot of pore spaces for good drainage and root growth.
Why is topsoil important? ›
Roughly 95% of the world's food is grown in the uppermost layer of soil. This is because topsoil contains all of the nutrients that plants need to survive. These nutrients usually come from dead organic matter that is then broken down by microorganisms in the topsoil.
What is the function of the soil? ›
The soil regulates the natural cycles of water, air, and organic and mineral matter. It filters and purifies water, stores and breaks down substances and is therefore a vital link in the constant flow of energy and matter throughout the Earth's entire ecosystem.
What is the purpose of good soil? ›
Healthy soils with a variety of particle sizes can help regulate the water table to reduce the impact of floods and drought. Their sponge-like quality means they can store excess water during wet weather and slowly release water in dry seasons. By holding moisture, healthy soils also regulate temperature.
Why is it important to choose the best soil for the plants? ›
Soil is the organic and inorganic material on the surface of the earth that provides the medium for plant growth. Good soil allows roots to quickly develop and spread, which in turn increases the water and nutrient intake necessary for healthy and productive plants.
