<div>Dear fellow gardeners,</div>
<div>At the UCC meeting on Monday, Nov. 1, Ingela Wannerstrand gave a presentation </div>
<div>on soil and how to amend it. Here are notes from her talk, courtesy of Paula and Jade.</div>
<div>At that meeting, the group also discussed taking a trip to Cedar Grove Compost next spring. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><u>The December 6th</u> meeting will be a potluck and creative garden gift/seed exchange.</div>
<div>At our <u>Jan. 3rd </u>meeting, we will focus on garden planning and.</div>
<div>On <u>Feb 7</u>, we will put together our group seed order. </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Susan </div>
<div> </div>
<div><u>Soil & Soil Amendments:</u><br> <br>One good and easy way to get an idea of what type of soil you have is to use the jar test method:<br></div>
<div>1. Collect a soil sample from the site you want to test. Make sure to get a vertical sample so it contains </div>
<div>soil from ground level as well as about 6" below ground level and in between. <br>2. Put your soil into a mason jar, filling it about 1/3 full.<br>3. Fill the rest of the jar with water, leaving some space at the top.<br>
4. Shake vigorously for at least a minute to separate soil particles.<br>5. Put your jar in a place where it will not be disturbed for several days. <br> <br>When most all of the soil particles have settled in the jar, there should be at least 3 distinct layers of particles.<br>
</div>
<div>1- On the bottom will be SAND (the heaviest)<br>2- On top of the sand will be SILT<br>3- On top of the silt will be CLAY<br>4- Any ORGANIC MATTER will settle on the top layer and will usually appear darker in color. <br>
<br><strong><u>Soil Types</u>:<br></strong> <br>Soils with a lot of CLAY hold water well (e.g. don't drain well), and also are hard to get to absorb water once they have </div>
<div>dried out.Soils with a lot of SAND can be good for root crops because they are usually not as compacted and easy </div>
<div>for the roots to push through. A LOAM is usually a good mix of all three types of soil particles: sand, silt and clay<br> <br><u><strong>Feed the Critters:</strong></u><br> <br>One important aspect of maintaining soil health is to make sure to feed the microbes that have beneficial relationships with </div>
<div>the plants we grow. One example of this is the use of inoculant when planting legume crops. The inoculant introduces rhizobia </div>
<div>bacteria into the soil, which the legumes need in order to fix nitrogen from the air into the soil. The nitrogen is then made </div>
<div>available to subsequent crops that are planted in that area.<br> <br>N-P-K:<br>These are the nutrients that all plants need in abundance. The three numbers listed on the fertilizer packages refer to the</div>
<div>amount of N-P-K in that package's mixture. <br> <br><u>N- Nitrogen</u>: Promotes leafy growth in plants. The hardest of the 3 to get and the fastest to go. <br>Sources:<br> Cover crops (esp. legumes)<br> Compost- good to add nitrogen over time as it breaks down<br>
Bloodmeal- Fast way to add N to soil. Can be added to crops that may need a boost during the growing season.<br> Compost tea<br> Alfalfa meal & cottonseed meal<br> Manure<br> <br><u>P- Phosphorus:</u> Promotes Fruiting and Flowering in plants. Phosphorus not move through the soil, so it can be hard for </div>
<div>plants to access. Mycorrhizae in the soil play a major part in helping to make phosphorus available to plants. <br>Sources:<br> Bonemeal- Add at planting time<br> Rock phosphate- This will break down overtime, so it's a good thing to add to a new bed to ensure phosphorus </div>
<div> availability for several seasons. <br> <br><u>K- Potassium</u>: Also called potash. <br>Sources:<br> Kelpmeal- Also provides trace minerals</div>
<div><u></u> </div>
<div><u><strong>Soil Amendments:</strong><br></u> <br>One good recipe for amending soil of a planting bed before planting to ensure your plants will have sufficient </div>
<div>nutrients: Add <u>compost, lime, bonemeal & kelpmeal.</u></div>
<div> </div>
<div><u>Cedar Grove Compost or Worm Bin Compost</u>: Especially rich, Good to dig into soil, but not for mulching woody plants. </div>
<div>Add to soil in the Spring and/or any time before planting. Can be used as a mulch on perennials that die back.<br> <br><u>Lime: Mix into soil when planting</u>. Dolomite Lime becomes available over time and contains magnesium, </div>
<div>which plants also need. If a fast-acting lime is needed, Super-sweet is a good option. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><u>Woody Mulch:</u> Good for mulching woody shrubs & trees. One good source of this type of mulch is </div>
<div>'Chicken and Chips': Chicken manure mixed with wood chips/shavings. You can make your own or alternatively </div>
<div>mix some compost with wood chips, shavings or sawdust. </div>
<p> </p>