by Beau Propes, Earth Kind Services
Here in North Texas growing things can be difficult whether it’s vegetables, grass, or shrubs.
Some of us struggle with black clay soil while others have sandy soil. This can present challenges to have healthy soil which can grow healthy plants. For good plant nutrition a diverse and rich soil life is vital.
Probiotics has become a widely used term associated with good health by having biodiversity in our human gut. The soil is very similar and there are several systems working together unseen to our eye that keeps plants nourished and protected.
Healthy soil is a living material, filled with beneficial microorganisms including bacteria, algae, fungi, and protozoa. These microorganisms keep your soil healthy, decompose organic matter, replenish soil nutrients, form humus, promote root growth, increase nutrient uptake, and also break down herbicides and pesticides. Macro-organisms such as earthworms love organic matter too. They do such a great job of aerating the soil and providing castings (rich waste).
How, though, do we help those essential microbes in our soil? Adding rich organic matter to our soil is very beneficial. For gardens, compost can by spread on top or worked into the soil. On lawns this can be done by mulching leaves and grass clippings when possible. Top dressing with organic compost is another option. You can spread compost yourself or hire a professional. It’s a natural process – organic matter provides food for the microorganisms in the soil that release nutrients like nitrogen into a usable form in the soil. Micro-organisms also make humic acid and fulvic acid that are essential for good plant growth and nutrient availability.
Adding organic matter is one of the best things to keep your soil healthy in your garden and landscape. It loosens up compacted soil, it adds nutrients to the soil, and it retains water so you can water less. Compost has the unique ability to improve soil physically, nutritionally, and biologically. Not only that but it loosens up compacted soil, it adds nutrients to the soil, and it retains water so you can water less. Lawns can benefit greatly from a top dressing with organic compost especially after a core aeration. Feeding your soil will create a better plant root environment for healthy plants.
Contact Earth Kind Services at 469-744-0281 or www.earthkindservices.com.
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