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.
-----
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.
How important is soil 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 filters the rainwater and regulates the discharge of excess rainwater, preventing flooding. It also buffers against pollutants, thus protecting groundwater quality. Soil is capable of storing large amounts of organic carbon. It is the largest terrestrial store of carbon.
What is the ideal type of soil for gardening? ›
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 the soil important? ›
Soil provides a host of crucial services for both people and the planet. Soil puts food on our plates, purifies our water, protects us against flooding and combats drought. It's also key to tackling climate change as it captures and stores vast amounts of carbon. There is no food security without healthy soils.
Do plants grow better in soil? ›
In addition to anchoring roots, soil provides life-sustaining water and nutrients. Plants in poor soils will struggle to grow, even if optimal water and light are available. In contrast, plants in good soils will grow to their fullest potential and experience fewer problems with insects and disease.
How do I know if my soil is good for gardening? ›
Signs of healthy soil include plenty of underground animal and plant activity, such as earthworms and fungi. Soil that is rich in organic matter tends to be darker and crumbles off of the roots of plants you pull up. A healthy, spread-out root system is also a sign of good soil.
What is the most important thing in a garden? ›
Soil: The most important aspect of gardening.
What is the single most important factor affecting soil productivity? ›
Soil productivity is heavily dependent on the fertility of the soil. It shows the soil's ability to support plant and crop growth in its optimal environment. As it is dependent on the soil's fertility, high soil productivity would need the soil to be properly fertilized.
What is the most important component of soil for growing plants? ›
Soil is a major source of nutrients needed by plants for growth. The three main nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Together they make up the trio known as NPK. Other important nutrients are calcium, magnesium and sulfur.
Out of these, loamy soil is the best soil for vegetable gardens as it promotes the growth of almost all types of vegetables.
What is the best soil for every plant? ›
The best soil for potted plants will contain a blend of coconut coir fiber, vermiculite, perlite, organic fertilizer, sand, compost, and peat moss and is rich in basic nutrients required by the plants. It should be well aerated and should be able to retain moisture and nutrition well.
Which soil is best for growing most plants? ›
Best Soil For Plants, Loam:
The ideal blend of soil for plant growth is called loam. Often referred to as topsoil or black dirt by landscape companies, loam is a mixture of sand, clay, and silt.
What is the healthiest soil? ›
Loam: Loam is an ideal garden soil for many types of plants. It's crumbly, full of organic matter, retains moisture, and drains well. For most plants, this is "healthy" garden soil.
What are the most 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.
How can people destroy or ruin soil? ›
In the last few decades, soil degradation has been sped up by intensive farming practices like deforestation, overgrazing, intensive cultivation, forest fires and construction work. These actions disturb soil and leave it vulnerable to wind and water erosion, which damages the complex systems underneath.
Do you have to use garden soil? ›
Yes, you could use either garden soil or potting soil to grow outdoor plants. However, potting soil is a better choice as a growing medium as it's specifically created to support plant growth. But neither is the right choice for indoor plants or container gardening.
What's the best soil for a vegetable garden? ›
Out of these, loamy soil is the best soil for vegetable gardens as it promotes the growth of almost all types of vegetables. This doesn't mean you can't grow vegetables in other soils.
What are the main reasons plants need soil? ›
Soil holds the plants up. Roots grow down into the soil. Soil also provides nutrients and water. While there's no such thing as a perfect soil, different plants grow best in different types of soil.
How important is potting soil? ›
Growing media (medium) or potting soil has three main functions. It supplies roots with nutrients, air, and water. Allows for maximum root growth. Physically supports the plant.
