Soil health is at the core of gardening, farming and sustainable food production. It provides plants with essential nutrients to flourish while encouraging biodiversity by creating an ideal home for an array of beneficial organisms. But healthy soil doesn’t just happen on its own – it requires thoughtful planning, management and maintenance in order for it to remain productive over time. As The Importance of Soil Health in Your Garden details, its health can be assessed using four key indicators – soil organic matter levels; physical characteristics; chemical properties and biological components.
Soil composition varies greatly, due to both geographical factors and agricultural practices. Iowa has rich, dark soil created from prairie grasses while Hawaii features volcanic ash-rich soil that drains well. Knowing about your specific soil characteristics can help farmers and gardeners make informed decisions regarding which crops to grow in an area, what form of tillage to employ and managing nutrient levels more effectively.
Organic matter is one of the primary indicators of soil health, as it contributes to improving structure and nutrient retention by binding and retaining water. Organic matter comprises living plant roots and organisms as well as decomposing plant or animal residue that has decomposed at various rates as well as enzymes secreted by soil microbes that act like glue to hold together particles within soil particles. Over time organic matter will decompose into humus which provides essential nutrients back into the environment.
Diversity of living organisms in soil is an indicator of its overall health, as it promotes plant and animal growth by encouraging beneficial relationships between different organisms. A diverse community of microbes also acts to protect against pathogenic bacteria and fungi by out-competing pathogenic strains of microorganisms that thrive there.
Soil chemistry refers to the properties that directly impact plant nutrition. Achieving balance in soil chemistry is crucial for healthy, vigorous plant development; excesses or deficiencies of any element can have detrimental effects on growth. Sand and clay soils often lack vital elements needed for healthy development.
There are various easy ways to assess the health of your soil. By sending in a sample for testing, a professional laboratory can analyze it for pH levels, nutrient content levels and other key indicators of its quality – this service will serve as an important first step towards creating a thriving garden!
At another level, one way of assessing soil health is through looking at its plants. Healthy, vibrant and lush foliage are all indicators of good soil health. A suitable growing medium would contain an appropriate blend of sand, silt and clay particles as well as adequate organic matter levels – such as compost, manure or leaves – when amending existing garden soil before adding new beds or expanding an established garden. Espoma offers various organic soil amendment products tailored specifically for vegetable gardening such as Bio-tone Starter Plus for encouraging root development during new plantings as well as Garden-tone for vegetable gardens.