Healthy soil and why you should care! – Show Notes

Today I am sharing a throwback episode! We cover the basics of understanding soil health, and why this is incredibly important for low maintenance landscaping and eco friendly landscaping! Soil is the basis for plant life! Good healthy soil makes good healthy plants.

Today’s links: ely.how/episode96

Super Easy Plants for your yard!

Create the yard you deserve in the ELY Membership!

Find me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest

Topics:

Simple principle
- Good organic matter
- Support microbes
- Good moisture
- Good air
What is soil
- Physical
  - Texture
    - Granular size of soil
    - Sand
      - Large particle sizes
      - High permeability
      - Benefits
        
        Well drained
      - Risks
        
        High nutrient loss
        
        Erosion prone
        
        Drought prone
    - Silt
      - Medium particle sizes
      - Permeable
      - Benefits
        
        Generally higher nutrient availability
        
        Well drained
      - Risks
        
        High nutrient loss
        
        Erosion prone
        
        Poor structure
    - Clay
      - Small particle size
      - Low permeability
      - Benefits
        
        Increased mineral access
        
        Stronger structure
      - Risks
        
        Prone to cracking in drought
        
        Low permeability
        
        High compaction
        
        Prone to waterlogging
    - Loam
      - Mixture of various particle sizes
      - Ideal condition
      - Allows good aggregation
      - Risks
        
        Nutrient loss
      - Structure
        
        Shape and size of clumps
        
        Affects drainage
    - All conditions
      - Organic matter improves
        
        Aggregation
        
        Drainage
        
        Moisture retention
        
        Nutrient availability
      - Acts as a sponge
      - Life matrix
- Biological
  - Microbes to invertebrates
    - Bacteria
    - Fungi
    - Protozoa
    - Invertebrates
      - Insects
      - Arthropods
        
        Spiders, centipedes, pillbugs, mites
      - Worms
    - All levels crucial to maintaining good nutrient cycling
  - Fungi, bacteria
    - Primary importance
    - Cell-level associations with plants
    - Interact with roots
    - Fungi
      - Massive cell networks
      - Increase plant root access
    - Bacteria
      - Nitrogen availability
    - Both
      - Dissolve minerals
      - Provide nutrients
      - Plant-microbe exchange
        
        Proteins, carbohydrates
        
        Clumps soil together
      - Normalizes pH
      - Disease defense
    - Requirements
      - Air
      - Water
      - Carbon
How to build and maintain good soil
- Organic matter buildup
- Keep it covered
- Plant roots
- Enhance soil life
- Prevent waterlogging
- Prevent use of chemicals
  - Reduces life
  - Adds salts to soil
  - Focus on gentler approaches
- Avoid compaction
  - Focus walking
  - Reduce heavy equipment
  - Mulching
- Reduce general disturbance
  - Repeated tilling
  - Buffer Heavy traffic
  - Pet urine – provide safe area
    - High carbon
  - Erosion prevention