What is organic soil? It’s a vital element for robust garden health and soil productivity. Derived from living materials, it stores carbon and supplies energy to the soil.
Explore the definition, benefits, tips, and resources in this article for an enriched gardening journey.
What is Organic Soil
Organic soil is a type of soil that is made up of all-natural ingredients, created by the decomposition of plant and animal materials. It is also known as “living soil” because it contains microorganisms that feed and breathe life back into the soil.
Benefits of Organic Soil
Organic soil has many benefits for both plants and the environment. It is full of nutrients and minerals that help the soil absorb and retain water, leading to better plant growth. Additionally, organic soil is all-natural and environmentally friendly, so there are no synthetic products or chemicals used.
Organic matter in soil helps to improve soil structure, water-holding capacity, and nutrient availability. It is rich in organic matter and contains large amounts of nutrients and minerals that are beneficial for plant growth.
Every year, one percentage of raw organic matter in the soil releases between 20 to 35 pounds of nitrogen, 4.5 to 6.5 pounds of Phosphorous pentoxide (p2o5), and 2-3 pounds of sulfur.
Organic soil may also improve all other soil types, from sandy to clay to silt. This type of soil helps to create a living ecosystem, which is excellent for your garden.
Furthermore, organic soils can help your plants resist pests and disease, avoiding the need to use chemicals and pesticides. Because it is composed of nutrient and mineral-rich elements, your plants will grow stronger cell walls, giving them added layers of protection against pests and disease.
How to Create Organic Soil
Creating organic soil is a great way to get the most out of your garden and enhance your plant growth. It requires careful planning and a few simple steps, but can be greatly rewarding. Here’s how you create organic soil:
Step 1: Trimming Grasses and Weeds
The first step in creating organic soil is to trim grasses and weeds from the area where you want to create your soil. This ensures that there are no unwanted plants or weeds growing in the soil you will use for your garden.
Step 2: Loosening and Aerating the Soil
Once you have cleared the area of any unwanted vegetation, the next step is to loosen the soil and aerate it. This process helps ensure proper drainage and encourages root growth. You can do this manually by using a shovel or garden fork to gently turn the soil. For larger areas, you may need to rent an aerator from a gardening store.
Step 3: Evaluating Soil’s pH Level
Organic soil needs to be slightly acidic for it to be able to hold nutrients more effectively. To check the pH level of the soil, you can purchase a soil testing kit from a garden center and then use it to test the soil’s acidity. You can also adjust the pH level of the soil to get it to the right level.
Step 4: Adding Organic Material
Once the pH level of your soil has been identified and adjusted, you can start adding organic material. This can include compost, animal manure, kitchen waste, and garden waste. It is important to remember to use only compost or manure that is well-rotted.
Step 5: Building The Perfect Organic Soil Blend
Once you’ve gathered your materials, the next step is to build your perfect organic soil blend. This involves finding the right ratio of each material to create the perfect balance of carbon, nitrogen, water, and oxygen. Factors to consider when creating your blend include the type of plants you will be growing and the soil’s moisture content.
Step 6: Caring for Your Organic Soil
Finally, once your perfect blend is created, you should regularly care for your organic soil. This includes keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged, appropriate mulching, and limited or no use of fertilizers. Additionally, introducing beneficial bacteria and utilizing natural predators can help maintain the health of your organic soil.
While creating organic soil can seem like a daunting task, following these steps can help ensure that your garden thrives while protecting the environment. With time and patience, you can create the perfect organic soil blend and reap the rewards of healthier plants and a healthier environment.
Preparing Your Soil for Organic Material
Before adding organic material to your soil, it is important to prepare the soil properly. This will ensure that your soil is ready to nurture and sustain your plants.
The following steps can help you prepare your soil for organic material:
Trimming Grasses and Weeds
When preparing your soil for organic material, it is important to take the time to trim any grasses and weeds that may be present. This is necessary in order to make the soil conducive to adding organic material and ensure the process is uniform. This will also help prevent any weeds from sprouting from the organic material once it has been added.
You may also need to weed or till the soil to break up any clumps and aerate the soil. This will create pathways for oxygen and water to travel, which will allow organic matter to take better root in the soil. After loosening the soil, you should test its pH level to ensure that it is conducive for the materials you plan to add.
Loosening and Aerating the Soil
The key to preparing your soil for organic materials is to ensure it’s properly aerated. Aeration increases oxygen levels, which gives beneficial microbes a better chance at breaking down organic matter. This is done by loosening and turning over the soil.
Aeration can be done in several ways:
- Using a garden fork to loosen and turn over the top 12 inches of soil
- Mixing stones, pebbles, and small pieces of wood into the soil
- Encouraging earthworms to naturally aerate the soil
Aeration also helps to open up channels in the soil that allow water and oxygen to reach the roots more easily. As a result, plants are able to access more air, water, and nutrients and have a better chance of becoming healthy.
Evaluating Soil’s pH Level
One important step to creating the perfect organic soil is evaluating the pH levels of your soil. The pH level of your soil will affect how well your plants are able to absorb certain nutrients, so it’s important to pay attention to this step.
Soil pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, above 7 alkaline and below 7 acidic. It’s best for most plants to have a soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5, as this is the range in which most nutrients are available to plants.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to determine your soil’s pH level without a soil meter or test kit, both of which are readily available from garden supply stores. Alternatively, most county extension offices provide soil testing services for a small fee.
Once you know the pH level of your soil, you can then adjust it for the plants you’re going to be growing. If the soil is too acidic, you can add some lime to bring it to a more neutral pH level.
Conversely, if the soil is too alkaline, you can add some sulfur to lower it. Be sure to use the correct amounts, however, as too much of either product can be hazardous to your plants.
Types of Organic Materials
Organic soil is composed of several different types of organic materials, including kitchen and garden waste, animal manure, and compost. It is important to understand the different types of materials that can be used in creating organic soil, as each one brings something different to the mix.
- Kitchen and Garden Waste:
Kitchen and garden waste is a great source of organic material for your organic soil blend. From vegetable scraps to fallen leaves and pine needles, this type of organic material is excellent for improving soil structure and aeration. It also helps to retain moisture and provide a rich source of nutrients.
- Animal Manure:
Animal manure is an excellent source of nitrogen for your organic soil. This type of material adds microorganisms and nutrients, enhances soil structure, improves the microbial life in soil, increases activity, and helps to hold moisture.
- Compost:
Compost is another great source of organic material for organic soil. Compost is made up of a variety of organic materials that are broken down and decomposed over time. It helps to improve soil fertility and structure, and is a great source of beneficial micro-organisms and nutrients.
Understanding the different types of organic materials available is an important step in creating the perfect organic soil blend. Each type of material offers something unique and brings its own set of benefits to the table. By pairing the right types of organic materials together, you can create a nutrient and mineral-rich soil that is excellent for your garden!
Building the Perfect Organic Soil Blend
Creating the perfect blend of organic material to form your soil is essential for successful gardening. To start, you have to consider the ratios of different elements to create the right blend. Depending on your needs and the specific soil composition, different ratios may work best.
The ideal ratio of ingredients depends on the type of soil you are working with and the plants that you want to grow. Generally, a mix of two-thirds carbon-rich materials and one-third nitrogen-rich materials works best.
Carbon-rich materials are usually brown and include things like leaves, straw, sawdust, paper, and wood chips. Nitrogen-rich materials are usually green and can be obtained from food scraps, grass clippings, animal manure, and coffee grounds.
Besides the ratio of materials, you should also consider various factors when creating the soil blend. These include: your climate—dry climates need lighter soils, for example—the type of plants you plan to grow, and the light and water conditions.
Caring for Your Organic Soil
Here are a few tips on taking care of your organic soil:
Keeping it Moist
Organic soil needs to be kept moist for plants to thrive. However, you need to make sure not to overwater the soil, as this can lead to root rot and other issues with the plants. When watering, dribble the water slowly and evenly at the base of each plant to get the best absorption.
Mulching
Mulching your organic soil is also important in order to keep it moist and maintain its beneficial micro-organism population. Mulch is any material applied to the surface of soil that will help reduce evaporation and erosion. Organic mulch materials such as leaves, grass clippings, pine needles, wood chips, and compost work great.
Fertilizers
Fertilizers can be beneficial for producing healthy, productive plants, but it is important to use them sparingly and properly. With the right use of fertilizers, you can ensure a healthy and robust organic soil blend for your garden.
However, the natural and abundant nutrients in organic soil may render fertilizers unnecessary, and using too much fertilizer can disrupt and damage the delicate balance of organisms within the soil.
It is best to use a low-salt fertilizer that has slightly higher nitrogen content when fertilizing your organic garden. Fertilizer should be applied periodically, either in early spring or late winter, but never more than once a month. When fertilizing, it is important to work the soil around the plants and not directly onto them.
When applying fertilizer, always make sure to water the soil after each application to prevent the fertilizer from becoming concentrated in one place. It is also recommended to lightly apply a layer of mulch to the soil, as this helps keep it moist and prevents the fertilizer from evaporating quickly from the soil.
Keeping It Moist But Not Waterlogged
Maintaining the appropriate amount of moisture in organic soil is essential to keeping the soil healthy and your plants thriving, but there is a big difference between moist and waterlogged.
If the soil is too dry, it can’t maintain the nutrient-rich environment that is essential for optimal growth. On the other hand, if it’s too wet, the soil can’t draw in and hold oxygen essential for the microorganisms that live in the soil and are essential to plant growth.
To correctly regulate the amount of moisture, you need to bring the soil to field capacity—the point where it is the most aerated or the most absorbent. After watering or raining, use a trowel or your finger to test the soil. Dig into the soil—if it feels dry, then it’s time to water; if it’s still wet, wait a few days before watering.
Appropriate Mulching
Mulching is an important part of caring for and maintaining your organic soil. It can help to conserve water, moderate temperature fluctuations, and prevent the growth of weeds. To get the most out of your mulching, it’s important to select the right type of mulch for your soil and climate.
Organic mulches, such as wood chips, bark, grass clippings, and leaves, are typically the most beneficial. While they may require more frequent reapplication, they are full of nutrients that are slowly released into the soil. Organic mulches also add to the organic matter in the soil, improving soil texture and moisture retention.
Inorganic mulches, such as stones, rock, plastic, and rubber, are often used for decorative purposes or for protecting plants from extreme temperatures. As these materials don’t add anything to the soil, they should be used sparingly and in combination with organic mulches.
Understanding the Fauna in Your Organic Soil
Organic soil isn’t just organic matter—it’s a living, breathing ecosystem. This ecosystem is made up of bacteria, fungi, worms, and other microorganisms that help the soil break down organic matter and provide essential nutrients to the plants.
These organisms, known as ‘fauna’, act as recyclers, breaking down and transforming organic matter into forms that can be easily used by plants and other microorganisms. This process is called mineralization and is critical for a healthy garden.
In addition to contributing to soil health and structure, beneficial fauna can help to protect your plants from disease and pests. These organisms can attract predators that feed on harmful insects and microbes, naturally keeping your garden free from these damaging agents.
A Final Word on What is Organic Soil
Overall, organic soil is an excellent choice for both gardening and farming. The benefits and factors to consider when creating and caring for your organic soil have been discussed throughout this guide, making it an invaluable resource for any home gardeners.
Using organic soil in your garden can provide many benefits, from improved soil structure and water retention to healthier plants and protection from pests and disease.
With the right care, your organic soil can be a sustainable, vibrant place that brings life to your garden.
