Know Your Garden Soil: How to Make the Most of Your Soil Type

Author
By RUTH BARTON

Understanding your soil type is key to gardening success…

If you’re planning to get serious about gardening it’s crucial you get to know your soil type. No matter how much work you do in your yard and garden, all that careful sowing, weeding and tending could be in vain if the quality of your soil is not up to scratch.

The soil provides your plants with the vital nutrients, water and air that they require for healthy growth and development. But each plot of ground has its own blend of minerals, organic and inorganic matter which largely determines what crops, shrubs or trees can be grown successfully.

Ideal soil conditions for specific crops can be created in contained plots such as raised beds or planters, but for larger gardens and landscapes it helps to understand the characteristics of the soil you have to work with.

The Six Types of Soil

There are six main soil groups: clay, sandy, silty, peaty, chalky and loamy. They each have different properties and it is important to know these to make the best choices and get the most from your garden.

1. Clay Soil

Clay soil feels lumpy and is sticky when wet and rock hard when dry. Clay soil is poor at draining and has few air spaces. The soil will warm up slowly in spring and it is heavy to cultivate. If the drainage for the soil is enhanced, then plants will develop and grow well as clay soil can be rich in nutrients.

Great for: Perennials and shrubs such as Helen’s Flower, Aster, Bergamot, Flowering quince. Early vegetable crops and soft berry crops can be difficult to grow in clay soil because of its cool, compact nature. Summer crop vegetables, however, can be high yielding vigorous plants. Fruit trees, ornamental trees and shrubs thrive on clay soils.

2. Sandy Soil

Sandy soil feels gritty. It drains easily, dries out fast and is easy to cultivate. Sandy soil warms up fast in spring and tends to hold fewer nutrients as these are often washed away during wetter spells. Sandy soil requires organic amendments such as glacial rock dust, greensand, kelp meal, or other organic fertilizer blends. It also benefits from mulching to help retain moisture.

Great for: Shrubs and bulbs such as Tulips, Tree mallow, Sun roses, Hibiscus. Vegetable root crops like carrots, parsnips and potatoes favour sandy soils. Lettuce, strawberries, peppers, corn, squash, zucchini, collard greens and tomatoes are grown commercially in sandy soils.

3. Silty Soil

Silty soil feels soft and soapy, it holds moisture, is usually very rich in nutrients. The soil is easily cultivated and can be compacted with little effort. This is a great soil for your garden if drainage is provided and managed. Mixing in composted organic matter is usually needed to improve drainage and structure while adding nutrients.

Great for: Shrubs, climbers, grasses and perennials such as Mahonia, New Zealand flax. Moisture-loving trees such as Willow, Birch, Dogwood and Cypress do well in silty soils. Most vegetable and fruit crops thrive in silty soils which have adequate adequate drainage.

4. Peaty Soil

Peaty soil is a darker soil and feels damp and spongy due to its higher levels of peat. It is an acidic soil which slows down decomposition and leads to the soil having fewer nutrients. The soil heats up quickly during spring and can retain a lot of water which usually requires drainage. Drainage channels may need to be dug for soils with high peat content. Peat soil is great for growth when blended with rich organic matter, compost and lime to reduce the acidity. You can also use soil amendments such as glacial rock dust to raise pH in acidic soils.

Great for: Shrubs such as Heather, Lantern Trees, Witch Hazel, Camellia, Rhododendron. Vegetable crops such as Brassicas, legumes, root crops and salad crops do well in well-drained peaty soils.

5. Chalky Soil

Chalky soil is larger grained and generally stonier compared to other soils. It is free draining and usually overlays chalk or limestone bedrock. The soil is alkaline in nature which sometimes leads to stunted growth and yellowish leaves – this can be resolved by using appropriate fertilizers and balancing the pH. Adding humus is recommended to improve water retention and workability.

Great for: Trees, bulbs and shrubs such as Lilac, Weigela, Madonna lilies, Pinks, Mock Oranges. Vegetables such as spinach, beets, sweet corn, and cabbage do well in chalky soils.

6. Loamy Soil

Loamy soil, a relatively even mix of sand, silt and clay, feels fine-textured and slightly damp. It has ideal characteristics for gardening, lawns and shrubs. Loamy soil has great structure, adequate drainage, is moisture retaining, full of nutrients, easily cultivated and it warms up quickly in spring, but doesn’t dry out quickly in summer. Loamy soils require replenishing with organic matter regularly, and tend to be acidic.

Great for: Climbers. bamboos, perennials, shrubs and tubers such as Wisteria, Dog’s-tooth violets, Black Bamboo, Rubus, Delphinium. Most vegetable crops and berry crops will do well since loamy soil can be the most productive of soil types. However, loamy soil requires careful management to prevent depletion and drying out. Rotating crops, planting green manure crops, using mulches and adding compost and organic nutrients is essential to retain soil vitality.

Simple Tests to Help Determine Your Soil Type

The water test

Pour water onto your soil. If it drains quickly it is likely to be a sandy or gravelly soil, on clay soils the water will take longer to sink in.

Squeeze test

Grab a handful of soil and softly compress it in your fist.

• If the soil is sticky and slick to the touch and remains intact and in the same shape when you let go it will be clay soil.
• If the soil feels spongy it’s peaty soil; sandy soil will feel gritty and crumble apart.
• Loamy and silty soils will feel smooth textured and hold their shape for a short period of time.

Settle test

Add a handful of soil to a transparent container, add water, shake well and then leave to settle for 12 hours.

• Clay & silty soils will leave cloudy water with a layer of particles at the bottom.
• Sandy soils will leave the water mostly clear and most of the particles will fall, forming a layer on the base of the container.
• Peaty soils will see many particles floating on the surface; the water will be slightly cloudy with a thin layer at the bottom.
• Soils that are chalky will leave a layer of whitish, grit-like fragments on the bottom of the container and the water will be a shade of pale grey.
• If the water is quite clear with layered particles on the bottom of the container with the finest particle at the top – this soil is likely to be a loamy one.

Acid test

The standard pH for soils usually ranges between 4.0 and 8.5. Plants favor soil which has a pH between 6.5 and 7 because this is the level where nutrients and minerals naturally thrive. You can buy a pH test kit here, or from a local garden center. As a general rule, in areas with soft water you will have acid soil and hard water areas will tend to have alkaline soil.

Soil test kit

Use a soil test kit to assess primary nutrients (N-P-K) as well as pH levels. By testing your soil, you determine its exact condition so you can fertilize more effectively and economically. Soil should be tested periodically throughout the growing season.

How to make the most of your soil, whatever the type

Plants generally prefer neutral soil but it’s worth bearing in mind that some favor slightly acid or alkaline soils. Regardless of the pH of your soil it is possible to adjust the level slightly to make it more hospitable to the type of plants you want to grow. Remember this is only temporary, so it’s advised to make the most from the soil type you have.

Adding ground lime to your soil will make it more alkaline and aluminium sulfate or sulfur will help to make your soil more acidic.

If your soil is low in nutrients (like sandy soil), try supply it with organic matter such as compost and manure to enrich the soil and improve its texture. Use organic mulches such as straw, dried grass clippings and deciduous leaves. These mulches break down and incorporate into the soil, building a new supply of organic nutrients while improving the soil structure.

Clay soil is often not aerated enough and is deficient in good structure which makes it more difficult for successful growing. To get the most out of clay soil it’s best to add large quantities of well-rotted organic matter in the fall and peat a few weeks before planting. Greensand can also be used to loosen heavy clay soils or bind sandy soils.

It is often difficult to cultivate in chalky soil due to its alkaline nature. To help rectify this add bulky organic matter which breaks down over time, adding nutrients and minerals to the soil.

Make sure your soil is healthy.

It’s a good idea to regard your soil as living as your plants – it too needs food and water. Make sure it contains the three main nutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) which are vital to growing plants effectively. Organic matter and fertilizers are rich in these.

After a crop is harvested the soil needs to be renewed before planting a successive crop. Many gardeners plant ‘green manure’ crops such as legumes, buckwheat, vetch and clover which fix nitrogen into the soil while building texture, improving aeration and drainage and adding organic matter. These cover crops are tilled in before they go to seed, and break down quickly so a new harvestable crop can be planted without much delay.

Crop rotation, green manures and cover crops, the use of mulch and the periodic addition of organic materials like compost and fertilizer are standard ways of restoring soil health after crop harvests. Rock phosphate, or rock dust, is also a valued amendment to restore phosphorus levels needed for vigorous plant growth.

If you can, introduce and encourage living organisms to your soil. The fungus Mycorrhize will aid your plants in the absorption of water and nutrients and worms will help speed up the composting process and help spread fertilizer through the soil.

When you first start out this can all seem very complicated but by identifying your soil type it will make the growing and maintaining of a healthy garden a lot easier. Remember, it’s well worth the trouble as your soil type is never going to change!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

This article has been written by Ruth Barton on behalf of William Morfoot, soil and land drainage experts with over fifty years’ experience in creating and maintaining healthy soils.

For further information log on website :
http://learn.eartheasy.com/2013/06/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-soil-type/

Is Healthy, Vibrant Soil a Solution for Climate Change?

Author
By NICOLE FAIRES

An interview with Ryan Wirick, documentary filmmaker.

There are many people waking up to the fact that climate change is a fundamental threat to humanity, and with that awakening is a rising sense of panic. How do we not only stop its advance, but also repair the damage? The solution may be as simple as understanding the critical role of an amazing substance right beneath our feet: soil.

This week we spoke with Ryan Wirick, documentary filmmaker and founder of Earth Conscious Films, about his latest project, The Need to GROW. Unlike films that have a somewhat dire message about the food system and the state of the earth in general, The Need to GROW highlights people and solutions that are making a real difference, with a special focus on soil. Ryan spoke with us about industrial agriculture, composting, and everything in between.

The Impacts of Industrial Agriculture

EE: First of all, tell us what motivated you to get involved in the issues surrounding our food system and climate change.

RW: It wasn’t until a few years ago when my wife and I decided to have a kid that I started looking into our food system much more deeply than ever before. I was working as a local journalist and decided to cover the March Against Monsanto, but wound up never writing the article. Instead I spent several months doing research. I thought I knew so much about the world, but I knew next to nothing about how contaminated our food system had become. I wound up making videos for Moms Across America, exposing the environmental and health hazards of glyphosate two years before the World Health Organization categorized it as a probable carcinogen. Unfortunately, it continues to be used, not just on GMO crops, but also as a drying agent for a wide variety of non-organic crops.

EE: What do chemicals like glyphosate and others do to the soil? 

RW: When we add chemical fertilizers, the nutrient flow between the roots and the microbes is disrupted. When we use toxic chemicals that kill microorganisms, the nutrient flow is disrupted further. When we over-till the soil, it’s disrupted even more. When we clear cut forests to grow cattle or soybeans (largely to feed cattle), all the organic matter is removed, and the life in the ground starves. Rather than feeding the soil and enabling all that life to feed the plants, we have been trying to bypass the life in the soil, dismissing its critical relevance altogether. As a result, this has systematically eroded topsoil all around the world.

Losing Our Farmable Soil

EE: In the film there’s a statistic that 70% of the Earth’s farmable soil is gone. When people hear that fact, it’s a very abstract idea. What is the reality of not having farmable topsoil?

RW: I think a common misperception is that soil is the same thing as dirt, that it’s basically tiny rocks, and if we want to grow food, we need to add chemical fertilizers to feed the plants. It turns out this is a misconception going back a hundred years since the dawn of the chemical agricultural model. The reality is that healthy soil is comprised of thriving ecosystems of bacteria and fungi and worms and other little friends, all storing water and carbon, breaking organic matter down and making nutrients available to plants. There are all kinds of ways to feed people and regenerate soil at the same time, and those models need to be accepted as a necessary way forward for our species.

If we let our agricultural systems continue to erode soils faster than they are being replenished, we will continue to rely on a food system with a built-in expiration date.

Unfortunately we have been subsidizing models of centralized food production that contribute to soil erosion, due to greed, lobbying, and corporate-government collusion. It’s the opposite of what should be done on a policy level, and I think people have the power to make all of those efforts obsolete. If we do run out of farmable soil, it’s more or less game over, not only for humanity’s ability to grow enough food, but also for the planet’s ability to sequester carbon pollution from the atmosphere. The last thing we should ever want to know firsthand is the reality of not having enough farmable topsoil, and yet that’s exactly where we are headed if we don’t take action.

EE: How fast is topsoil disappearing? If we continue on in this manner, when will it be gone?

RW: It has been estimated that we are losing 30 soccer fields of soil every minute, mostly due to intensive farming. The chemical agricultural experiment is essentially a progress trap. It has produced results while relying on the destruction of the very resources upon which it depends. It’s an experiment that could never be sustainable, and we know that without a doubt now. Current estimates state we have about 60 years of farmable soil left on the planet.

EE: A lot of people would argue that it’s just not possible for humans to grow enough food for everyone without industrial agriculture.

RW: The 2013 UN Report, Wake Up Before It Is Too Late, written by more than 50 international experts in agriculture, calls for nothing short of a holistic paradigm shift in agriculture, including “a rapid and significant shift from conventional, monoculture-based and high external-input-dependent industrial production towards mosaics of sustainable, regenerative production systems that also considerably improve the productivity of small-scale farmers . . . the need for a two-track approach that drastically reduces the environmental impact of conventional agriculture, on the one hand, and broadens the scope for agro-ecological production methods, on the other.”

If we let our agricultural systems continue to erode soils faster than they are being replenished, we will continue to rely on a food system with a built-in expiration date. Running out of soil doesn’t have to happen, but fixing it will require the will of the people in every community to localize food as much as possible.

EE: Can you describe how the soil’s ability to sequester carbon and prevent further climate change could be a game changer?

RW: In addition to the oceans, which naturally sequester around a million tons of CO2 an hour, and the planet’s forests, healthy soil is one of Earth’s main carbon sinks. And now it seems our oceans have been overburdened with greenhouse gases, our forests are disappearing, and we are running out of soil. All of these ecological disasters diminish Earth’s ability to reverse climate change. Regenerating soil should be a cause anyone and everyone can get behind. The benefits are as innumerable as they are critical to our survival.

Decentralizing Agriculture

EE: How does decentralizing agriculture contribute to climate change prevention efforts?

RW: Decentralizing our food system has several important effects on climate change. It reduces the carbon footprint of shipping food thousands of miles. It would be less reliant on, if not completely independent from, large-scale monoculture farms that degrade soil. A decentralized food system also provides more food security, as it would rely on a wider variety of farms located closer to where people live, which is critical as the seasons become increasingly unpredictable, and it also means more crop diversity, soil diversity, and ultimately more carbon sequestration.

Growing up in Orange County, California, we used to have all these orange groves, and yet all of the orange juice in the store was from Florida.

On a cultural level, the closer people are to their food supply, the more people tend to care about environmental issues, which can have innumerable beneficial ripple effects. This is why we place a major emphasis in the film on the importance of school gardens, not only as a space for kids to learn how to grow food, but also as a space for children, teachers, and parents to stay connected to nature. A recent study showed that when children lose contact with nature, they are less likely to fight to protect it. I think the same is true for adults, but I also think it’s never too late to rekindle that connection. Our very survival may hinge on rekindling that connection through the localization of our food system.

EE: So thinking about healthy soil as the cornerstone of a healthy food system and a healthy planet requires a very personal paradigm shift?

RW: So much of what we do as a species has never made a lot of sense to me. Growing up in Orange County, California, we used to have all these orange groves, and yet all of the orange juice in the store was from Florida. I always thought it was crazy how we use so much water just to grow lawns for aesthetic reasons. I would visit my uncle’s farm in Washington State, and learned how much better food tastes when it hasn’t been picked before ripe and shipped across the country. I also spent a lot of time at my grandparent’s log cabin in Dixie Forest in Utah, and just always had a serious reverence for nature.

There are so many ways people can get involved, and what gives me hope is that once people do, it’s transformative. Once we become active in solving problems and creating real change, there is no greater high, no greater sense of empowerment, purpose, and dignity.

My dad was a lifelong surfer and cared deeply about the ocean, which definitely rubbed off on me. He also grew tomatoes and other crops in his backyard, and taught me about seed saving. So I’ve always been an environmentalist at heart, and I’ve asked questions about our food system and how we use resources since I can remember. At the same time, I loved junk food as much as the next kid. But here I am today, working towards change, in part because I had these experiences as a child.

There are so many ways people can get involved, and what gives me hope is that once people do, it’s transformative. Once we become active in solving problems and creating real change, there is no greater high, no greater sense of empowerment, purpose, and dignity. It’s like remembering what we are all doing here in the first place, which puts a lot of priorities, habits, and worries in perspective.

Finding Hope

EE: You interviewed a lot of people in the film. Which ones, in your opinion, had the most practical solutions and that gave you the most hope?

RW: Probably the most practical solution for regenerating degraded soil is composting. We interviewed Rod Tyler, the President of the US Composting Council, Kathy Kellogg from Kellogg Garden Products, and many others about the importance of composting. Composting not only diverts food waste from turning into methane in landfills and contributing to climate change, but it also provides organic matter that feeds the soil, enabling further carbon sequestration out of the atmosphere. And composting is something anyone can do. In the U.S. it is an enormous, untapped resource. Of course we should be reducing our food waste as much as possible, but any leftover that can be composted should be.

One of the main subjects in the film, Bobby Walker, composts in a DIY vermicompost bucket system inside his home, turning food scraps into nutrient-rich soil amendments that he then takes to his farm.

As Bill Mollison, the co-founder of permaculture, used to say, “Although the problems of the world are increasingly complex, the solutions remain embarrassingly simple.”

The Urban Farming Institute of Boston, where Bobby is a farm trainer, is one of the more practical solutions in the film that gives me hope. Our food system can only be localized to the extent that we have farmers who are well trained and understand how to find land, grow food, sell food and maintain a viable business. That’s exactly what the Urban Farming Institute of Boston is working to solve. We follow Sierra Morton, one of Bobby’s students, as she finishes the class and applies all that she has learned in her own life.

Larry Santoyo and his permaculture design course is another example of practical solutions that offer hope. By developing principles of design based on the observations of nature, we can solve almost any problem in regenerative ways. We need educators like Larry and Bobby that empower people with the tools needed to participate in localizing food.

Similarly, Alicia Serratos, another one of the main subjects in the film, was inspired by David King (founder of the Seed Library of Los Angeles) to start a seed library at her elementary school. She has gone on to start seed libraries at other schools and teaches kids about the importance of seed diversity.

EE: How much hope do you have for the future?

RW: We can reverse a lot of this, and as active participants in an interconnected biosphere, we have every responsibility to repair the damage we have caused. The solution isn’t for humans to just starve and disappear; we can actually be a force for ecosystem regeneration on this planet and grow an abundance of food at the same time. As Bill Mollison, the co-founder of permaculture, used to say, “Although the problems of the world are increasingly complex, the solutions remain embarrassingly simple.”

EE: Your Kickstarter ends on November 30, 2016. Why should people back your project and what do they need to know to do so?

RW: If you love to eat food, and would like future generations to also love to eat food, and if you long to live on a planet that is not on the brink of ecological collapse, The Need To GROW is probably a project you could really get behind. Other documentaries have done an excellent job exposing many of these problems, but no documentary has placed the focus on holistic solutions like we have, from ancient techniques to cutting edge technologies. How we are going to feed our species without destroying the Earth is truly the issue of our time, and what we have made with this film is the furthest thing from a talking-head-style documentary of doom and gloom. It’s a story-driven rollercoaster—a funny, dramatic, informative roller coaster with unexpected twists and turns that is ultimately hopeful and inspiring.

Now more than ever I think people are looking for solutions and ways to get involved. We intend for our film to serve as a powerful catalyst for change, starting at the local level. A Kickstarter is running right now to finish the final steps of post-production and the film does need the community’s help to be completed.

~~
Nicole Faires is an urban farmer and best-selling author of books on sustainable agriculture and food policy. Originally from Montana, she now lives with her husband, four kids and giant dog on the West Coast. Find out more at http://deliberatelife.ca or connect with her on LinkedIn. 
~

For further information log on website :
http://learn.eartheasy.com/2016/11/is-healthy-vibrant-soil-a-solution-for-climate-change/

“Up, Down and All Around” – A Simple Way to Understand Fertilizers

Author
By JESSICA DAWE

Do the numbers on garden fertilizer bags confuse you? This simple phrase is your key to understanding them.

“Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium. ‘Up, Down, All Around’. Come on, Jess, it’s so easy!” This was my introduction to the basics of horticulture from my dependable schoolmate Ray. Having re-entered college after an extended absence, Ray was my own personal Coles Notes helping me understand the science behind the art of horticulture.

For the new gardener or the intuitive gardener (like myself), the chemistry behind the action of fertilizing can be intimidating. I have often witnessed gardeners in the fertilizer aisle going from one product to the next trying to decipher the label and the numbers confused by symbols they barely recollect from their high school science lessons on the periodic table. “Up, down all around.” Ray’s little pearl falls from my lips.

This simple phrase, “Up, Down, All Around”, is an easy way to remember the primary nutrients your plants require to achieve successful growth:

Nitrogen for vegetative growth like plant leaves or grass (Up).
Phosphorus for root development (Down).
Potassium for everything (All Around).

When you purchase a fertilizer from your local garden center, the ratio of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium(K) will be listed on the container front and center, in the form of three numbers. What these numbers tell you is the percentage of N, P and K in the fertilizer blend they have combined as their special product. For example, if you wanted to purchase an all purpose fertilizer with equal parts N P K, then you might choose a product that had a ratio of 4-4-4. If you were looking for something more appropriate for transplanting, when you want to promote root development, you would want a higher middle number such as a 2-8-4.

The three elements we are discussing above are just the basics, they are considered the primary macro-nutrients. Plants also need other elements, micro-nutrients, to achieve successful development. Magnesium, Calcium and Iron are also key factors in garden health the lack of which can cause weakness in your plants.

The only accurate way to determine what your soil has or what it does not have is through a soil test. However, if this very morning you took your coffee out to the garden to take a closer look at your plants you could sleuth out some deficiencies on your own.

This chart lists the basic garden macro- and micro-nutrients. The “Symptom” column shows conditions that indicate a lack of that particular nutrient.

Nutrient	Location	Symptom
Nitrogen	Leaves, stems	Newer leaves are pale green. Older leaves starting at the bottom turn yellow. Stems slender and fibrous.
Phosphorus	Roots, flowers	Poor root development. Flower drop and delayed fruit set. The undersides of leaves often have purplish cast to them.
Potassium	Leaves	Lowest and older leaves look wilted or scorched and will often cup downwards from margin inward. Spotting along leaf stem may also be apparent
Magnesium	Leaves	Yellowing of leaf tissue between the veins of older leaves (chlorosis) but veins will remain green. Leaves are brittle and will cup upwards. Often deficient in acidic soils.
Calcium	Leaves, roots, fruit	New growth is deformed and irregular. Die off in roots begins with tips sloughing off and the remaining area becoming enlarged or bulb like. This is also the source of blossom end rot.
Iron	Leaves	New leaves will yellow between the veins. Older leaves will be completely yellow. Generally more of a problem in alkaline soils

If you have discovered through a soil test or visual inspection that your plants are deficient in any of these minerals then you have two choices as the delivery method to compensate what is lacking.

The most common choice is a salt based or synthetic fertilizer. Due to the production methods, negative environmental consequences and the unknown long-term effects, these products have received much criticism over the years. The spectrum of nutrition they provide is often narrow and without the trace elements (micro-nutrients) that plants also need. The benefit of synthetic fertilizers is that they provide large dosages of the macro-nutrients in a way that is readily accessible to plants. This has allowed for agriculture to flourish in nutrient poor soils and thus feed our rapidly growing population.

For myself, in my own garden I prefer to use sources that are naturally derived to support the over all soil complex. The analysis of these substances is often much lower than the synthetic varieties but more compatible to my labor force of worms and other microorganisms like bacteria and mycorrhizae. Natural fertilizers build soil structure because they are of an organic base. They improve aeration, hold moisture and nutrition better and complement the growth of the beneficial organisms. The practice of using natural amendments is an attempt to mimic what we would find in a healthy natural system. To compare the scenario to our own bodies, it would be like choosing whole foods versus processed food to provide us with energy and nutrition.

The NPK numbers below are examples. Typically these numbers vary somewhat by brand or with custom mixes. Some other useful natural amendments that you can explore are:

Bone meal 4-21-0

Is rich in Phosphorus, a mineral that plants need for healthy root development and flower growth. Bone meal also contains calcium and a little bit of nitrogen, both of which are beneficial to plants. Bone meal is taken up slowly over time, so there is little risk of burning plants with too much of this fertilizer. Bone meal is available at Eartheasy online.

Alfalfa 3-1-2

An all purpose natural fertilizer which aids microorganisms by helping them convert soil nutrients into soluble forms more available for plants. Alfalfa boosts growth rate of seedlings and is an excellent mulch for roses and other perennials. Low risk of burning vegetation.

Kelp 2-1-3

Another all purpose natural fertilizer, kelp meal adds Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus to the soil. Kelp has a large amount of trace minerals and alginic acid that improves soil structure. Be careful because it can burn if over-applied. Kelp meal is available at Eartheasy online.

Green Sand 0-0-5

Is high in trace minerals and potassium. Good for plant strength and healthy leaf development. Green sand is really good for root crops such as beets, potatoes and carrots and has a low risk of plant burning.

The multiple benefits that amendments offer would seem to me to be a much better choice when addressing plant nutrition. I am not looking for instant results in my garden but long-term success. This requires an infrastructure based on healthy soil. Soil is the heart of the garden. Great soil equals great plants!

Check out other fertilizers we offer in our Garden Supplies category.

~~
Jessica Dawe owns a garden center and has been practicing integrated pest management and permaculture since graduating in 1995 with a degree in horticulture.

For further information log on website :
http://learn.eartheasy.com/2016/04/up-down-and-all-around-a-simple-way-to-understand-fertilizers/

Composting

Compost is the single most important supplement you can give your garden soil.

Composting is a simple way to add nutrient-rich humus which fuels plant growth and restores vitality to depleted soil. It's also free, easy to make and good for the environment.

Composting Benefits
Soil conditioner: With compost, you are creating rich humus for lawn and garden. This adds nutrients to your plants and helps retain moisture in the soil. Recycles kitchen and yard waste: Composting can divert as much as 30% of household waste away from the garbage can. Introduces beneficial organisms to the soil: Microscopic organisms in compost help aerate the soil, break down organic material for plant use and ward off plant disease. Good for the environment: Composting offers a natural alternative to chemical fertilizers.  Reduces landfill waste: Most landfills in North America are quickly filling up; many have already closed down. One-third of landfill waste is made up of compostable materials.
What to Compost
Material Carbon/Nitrogen Info  table scraps Nitrogen  add with dry carbon items  fruit & vegetable scraps Nitrogen  add with dry carbon items  eggshells neutral  best when crushed  leaves Carbon  leaves break down faster when shredded  grass clippings Nitrogen  add in thin layers so they don't mat into clumps  garden plants --  use disease-free plants only  lawn & garden weeds Nitrogen  only use weeds which have not gone to seed  shrub prunings Carbon  woody prunings are slow to break down  straw or hay Carbon  straw is best; hay (with seeds) is less ideal  green comfrey leaves Nitrogen  excellent compost 'activator'  pine needles Carbon  acidic; use in moderate amounts  flowers, cuttings Nitrogen  chop up any long woody stems  seaweed and kelp Nitrogen  apply in thin layers; good source for trace minerals  wood ash Carbon  only use ash from clean materials; sprinkle lightly  chicken manure Nitrogen  excellent compost 'activator'  coffee grounds Nitrogen  filters may also be included  tea leaves Nitrogen  loose or in bags  newspaper Carbon  avoid using glossy paper and colored inks  shredded paper Carbon  avoid using glossy paper and colored inks  cardboard Carbon  shred material to avoid matting  corn cobs, stalks Carbon  slow to decompose; best if chopped up  dryer lint Carbon  best if from natural fibers  sawdust pellets Carbon  high carbon levels; add in layers to avoid clumping  wood chips / pellets Carbon  high carbon levels; use sparingly
You can also add garden soil to your compost. A layer of soil will help to mask any odors, and micro-organisms in the soil will accelerate the composting process. Do not compost meat, bones or fish scraps (they will attract pests), perennial weeds (they can be spread with the compost) or diseased plants. Do not not include pet manures in compost that will be used on food crops. Banana peels, peach peels and orange rinds may contain pesticide residue, and should be kept out of the compost. Black walnut leaves should not be composted. Sawdust may be added to the compost, but should be mixed or scattered thinly to avoid clumping. Be sure sawdust is clean, with no machine oil or chain oil residues from cutting equipment.For kitchen wastes, keep a container with a lid and a handle under the sink. Consider using a stainless steel compost pail with air filter, or the ceramic model. If you don't mind occasional smells, use an old ice-cream pail. Chop up any large chunks before you toss them in. When the container is full, take it out to your composter and toss in the contents. With yard and garden wastes, different composting materials will decompose at different rates but they will all break down eventually. If you want to speed up the composting process, chop the larger material into smaller pieces. Leaves and grass clippings are also excellent for compost, but should be sprinkled into the bin with other materials, or dug in to the center of the pile and mixed. Avoid putting them on in thick layers - they will mat together and reduce aeration, which slows the composting process.
How to Compost
1. Start your compost pile on bare earth. This allows worms and other beneficial organisms to aerate the compost and be transported to your garden beds. 2. Lay twigs or straw first, a few inches deep. This aids drainage and helps aerate the pile. 3. Add compost materials in layers, alternating moist and dry. Moist ingredients are food scraps, tea bags, seaweed, etc. Dry materials are straw, leaves, sawdust pellets and wood ashes. If you have wood ashes, sprinkle in thin layers, or they will clump together and be slow to break down. 4. Add manure, green manure ( clover, buckwheat, wheatgrass, grass clippings) or any nitrogen source. This activates the compost pile and speeds the process along. 5. Keep compost moist. Water occasionally, or let rain do the job. 6. Cover with anything you have - wood, plastic sheeting, carpet scraps. Covering helps retain moisture and heat, two essentials for compost. Covering also prevents the compost from being over-watered by rain. The compost should be moist, but not soaked and sodden. 7. Turn. Every few weeks give the pile a quick turn with a pitchfork or shovel. This aerates the pile. Oxygen is required for the process to work, and turning "adds" oxygen. You can skip this step if you have a ready supply of coarse material, like straw. Once your compost pile is established, add new materials by mixing them in, rather than by adding them in layers. Mixing, or turning, the compost pile is key to aerating the composting materials and speeding the process to completion. Note: If you want to buy a composter, rather than build your own compost pile, you may consider a buying a rotating compost tumbler which makes it easy to mix the compost regularly.
Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio All compostable materials are either carbon or nitrogen-based, to varying degrees. The secret to a healthy compost pile is to maintain a working balance between these two elements.
	Carbon - carbon-rich matter (like branches, stems, dried leaves, peels, bits of wood, bark dust or sawdust pellets, shredded brown paper bags, corn stalks, coffee filters, conifer needles, egg shells, straw, peat moss, wood ash) gives compost its light, fluffy body. Nitrogen - nitrogen or protein-rich matter (manures, food scraps, green lawn clippings and green leaves) provides raw materials for making enzymes.
A healthy compost pile should have much more carbon than nitrogen. A simple rule of thumb is to use one-third green and two-thirds brown materials. The bulkiness of the brown materials allows oxygen to penetrate and nourish the organisms that reside there. Too much nitrogen makes for a dense, smelly, slowly decomposing anaerobic mass. Good composting hygiene means covering fresh nitrogen-rich material, which can release odors if exposed to open air, with carbon-rich material, which often exudes a fresh, wonderful smell. If in doubt, add more carbon!
Simplest Composting Methods
~ "No-turn" composting The biggest chore with composting is turning the pile from time to time. However, with 'no-turn composting', your compost can be aerated without turning. The secret is to thoroughly mix in enough coarse material, like straw, when building the pile. The compost will develop as fast as if it were turned regularly, and studies show that the nitrogen level may be even higher than with turned compost. With 'no-turn' composting, add new materials to the top of the pile, and harvest fresh compost from the bottom of the bin. This can be easily done in an Aerobin Composter, or a Eco King compost bin.
		~ Composting leaves If you have too many leaves to incorporate into the compost bin, you can simply compost the pile of leaves by itself. Locate the pile where drainage is adequate; a shaded area will help keep the pile from drying out. The leaf pile should be at least 4' in diameter and 3' in height. Include a layer of dirt between each foot of leaves. The pile should be damp enough that when a sample taken from the interior is squeezed by hand, a few drops of moisture will appear. The pile should not be packed too tightly. The pile will compost in 4 - 6 months, with the material being dark and crumbly. Leaf compost is best used as an organic soil amendment and conditioner; it is not normally used as a fertilizer because it is low in nutrients.
~ Leaf-mould tea You can also use leaves to make a nutrituous "tea" for your plants. Simply wrap a small pile of leaves in burlap and immerse in a garbage can or large bucket of water. Leave for three days, then remove the "tea bag" and dump contents into the compost. Scoop out the enriched water with a smaller bucket and use to water your plants and shrubs.
Enclosed Compost Bins
For small-scale outdoor composting, enclosed bins are the most practical. The least expensive method is to build one yourself from a heavy-duty garbage can. Simply drill 1.5-cm aeration holes in rows at roughly 15-cm intervals around the can. Fill the can with a mixture of high-carbon and high-nitrogen materials. Stir the contents occasionally to avoid anaerobic pockets and to speed up the composting process. If the lid is secure, the bin can be laid on its side and rolled; a length of 2" cedar ( use a 2x2 or a 2x4) can be bolted to the inside, running top to bottom, to help flip the material. Without this, the contents tend to stay in place while the bin is rolled. Another option is a compost bin, sometimes called a 'compost digester'. Compost bins are enclosed on the sides and top, and open on the bottom so they sit directly on the ground. These are common composting units for homes in residential areas where bins tend to be smaller, yet enclosed enough to discourage pests. These bins are inexpensive, but it is difficult to turn the compost, so it can take several months to produce compost. These bins are thin-walled plastic, and may chip along the edges, especially during a freeze.
The most efficient enclosed bin method is the compost tumbler. It's possible to maintain relatively high temperatures in drum/tumbler systems, both because the container acts as insulation and because the turning keeps the microbes aerated and active. Some designs provide an interior "paddle"or "aeration spikes" which aid aeration and prevent clumping of the composting materials. Other designs have holes on the ends for aeration. This greatly speeds up the composting process. An enclosed 'tumbler' system offer the following benefits: - speeds up the composting process - can compost year-round, due to higher internal temperature - cannot be accessed by rodents, raccoons, dogs or other critters - keeps compost neatly enclosed and odor-free, well-suited for residential areas To learn more, see Compost Tumblers: Comparing different compost tumbler models
								For more info, or to purchase a compost tumbler, click here
Tips for successful composting
	~ Activate your compost.'Activators' can be added to your compost to help kick-start the process and speed up composting. Common compost activator materials are: comfrey leaves, grass clippings, young weeds, well-rotted chicken manure.  ~ Flying insects attracted to your compost?Small fruit flies, especially, are naturally attracted to the compost pile. They can be discouraged by simply covering any exposed fruit or vegetable matter. Keep a small pile of grass clippings next to your compost bin, and when you add new kitchen waste to the pile, cover it with one or two inches of clippings. Adding lime or calcium will also discourage flies. ~ Unpleasant odors from your compost pile?This can be a concern in urban and suburban areas with small lots and neighbors living close by. Odors can be reduced, or eliminated, by following two practices: first, remember to not put bones or meat scraps into the compost; second, cover new additions to the compost pile with dry grass clippings or similar mulch. Adding lime or calcium will also neutralize odors. If the compost smells like ammonia, add carbon-rich elements such as straw, peat moss or dried leaves. ~ Is your compost pile steaming?No problem. A hot, steamy pile means that you have a large community of microscopic critters working away at making compost. ~ Is your compost pile soggy?This is a common problem especially in winter when carbon-based materials are in short supply. You can restore your compost to a healthy nitrogen-carbon balance. To learn how restore your compost pile, read our article "How to fix a soggy compost pile". ~ Matted leaves, grass clippings clumping together?This is a common problem with materials thrown into the composter. The wet materials stick together and slow the aeration process. There are two simple solutions: either set these materials to the side of the composter and add them gradually with other ingredients, or break them apart with a pitchfork. Grass clippings and leaves should be mixed with rest of the composting materials for best results. ~ Problems with raccoons?If there's a population of raccoons in your area, they will be naturally attracted to your compost pile. The best solution to this problem is to bar their entry to the compost. (Traps and poisons are more trouble than they're worth.) A wood or metal lid can be easily hinged to the bin described above on this page, or you can buy a commercially-made compost bin with secure fitted lids which are pest-proof, such as the Aerobin orJora JK270. ~ A moveable feast.The soil beneath a compost bin becomes enriched as nutrients filter down with successive waterings. You can place your bin on a plot of earth which you plan to use for a future vegetable or flower bed, or fruit tree. Each year, you can move the bin to a different area; you'll get a double benefit - the compost from the bin, and a bed of nutrient-rich soil ready for new plantings. ~ Additive only. Compost should be used as a soil additive, and not exclusivley as the growing medium. Compost is a source of rich organic matter which provides nutrients for growing plants, but should be thought of as one component of a healthy garden bed. To learn more about developing healthy soil, read our articles: How to Build and Nourish Healthy Garden Soil 6 Tips for Building Soil in your Raised Garden Beds and Planters  ~ Take advantage of autumn's bounty.The biggest challenge for small-scale backyard composting is finding enough carbon-rich materials to balance the regular input of nitrogen-rich materials which come from kitchen scraps, fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, grass clippings and other fresh materials. To learn how to make the most of autumn's bounty, read: Autumn Composting Tips ~ What about people living in urban locations, can we compost indoors?Yes, you can still reduce your organic waste and produce your own compost for potted plants, balcony planters, or your plot in the local community garden. There are several different methods for composting indoors which are odor-free and compact enough for even small apartments. For more information about these methods, read our article: How to Compost in an Apartment
Composting and weed seeds
		A liability in composting is the unexpected introduction of new weed seeds to your garden. This is caused by slow or incomplete composting which did not generate enough heat to kill any and all weed seeds. Weed seeds in compost are a nuisance because once the compost is transferred to your garden beds, the compost acts to fertilize the weeds and make them even more persistent! With home compost bins or piles, the way to eliminate weed seeds is twofold: 1. Make sure your compost is hot enough. Reach your hand into the center of the pile - it should be almost too hot for comfort. Specifically, the temperature shoud be 130 - 150 degrees F. It takes about 30 days at 140 degrees to kill all weed seeds. 2. Mix your pile. While your compost may be hot in the center of the mass, the outside of the pile is cooler, giving seeds a chance to survive. Mixing brings cooler material to the warmer area and also increases aeration which helps attain the higher heat levels. Compost tumblers are very useful for this. If you are buying bedding for animals, mulch or carbon-rich material to bulk up your compost pile, be aware of introducing seeds to your garden, via the compost. For example, make sure to get straw, and not hay, since straw is mostly weed-free. Ask the sales staff if there have been any complaints about seeds in these products.
Below are a few samples. To see all the composters in our store, click here
			Jora Insulated Compost Tumbler ~ Pest resistent dual chamber system: start a new batch while the first batch ages. ~ Insulated: great for colder climates and all-weather composting. ~ Ease of use: tumbles easily for maximum aeration.  Click to learn more about the Jora Composters (available in three sizes)
			EZ Compost Wizard Compost Tumbler - 12 cu ft ~ Large capacity: holds up to 90 lbs. of compost.; smaller unit also available ~ Efficient material: Black 100% recycled plastic heats up quickly for faster composting. ~ Convenient design: Easy to spin composter on wheeled base Click to learn more about the EZ Compost Wizard
			Stainless Steel Compost Keeper ~ Prevent odors: carbon air filter in lid. ~ Attractive & Convenient: keep on your counter for easy access. Click to learn more about the Stainless Steel Compost Keeper

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