One Dirty Blog...

Dirt... often a large piece of the landscape we overlook. In most cases, over half of the plant tissues we are caring for are below ground, but because we do not see it, we often overlook this important part of plant health.

I often see new homes built on construction sites that have turned soil. Some of the soil making up these new yards are soil that was once, in many cases, over five feet deep, brought up to the surface for grading purposes. This soil is not the greatest for plant growth, it wasn't designed to be, and may not be appropriate for plant growth with out a lot of care and maintenance.

So what do we need to do to fix our soil problems? Lucky for you and I, we don't have to have the answers. There is no book that can tell you your soil conditions as they are drastically different from site to site, and often neighbors will have completely different soil profiles, even thought they are in such close proximity! Soil tests are the best and most effective way to ensure you are getting a full and accurate profile of your planting area. These tests used to be troublesome and expensive, but now you can get a professional lab to test a soil sample for mere dollars. One great resource is the University of Missouri Extension right here in Saint Peters. They offer soil testing at reasonable prices and have very clear results.

Preparing a soil sample. Most soil samples need to be the top six inches of soil, and most labs need around a quart of soil. A garden trowel can be used, but I prefer to use a soil probe. A soil probe allows a physical image of the soil profile and each layer appropriately.

A basic soil sample will usually include nutrient levels and pH, which is very important. For instance, a soil sample may show a large amount of Iron in the soil, but a high pH. This high pH causes bounding of the iron to soil particles where it is not accessible to plants, so though you have plenty of it, the plant can't use it!

So these soil samples are not always night and day. To supplement a soil sample from a reputable laboratory will often explain these things in an attached letter, and even make recommendations on how to correct your soil issues. Plants, Trees, and turf in general, are using reserves in their root systems from the past fall, so supplemental fertilizer is a waste in the spring! Get a soil sample now to start preparing the soil for when our plants start to utilize the nutrients around them in middle to late spring, and remember, a good healthy organic soil will help sustain itself! Happy Spring!