Healthy Soil Makes You Smile

July 1, 2010

In several interactions with others, the mystery of soil was discussed, and it made me rethink my approach in gardening. A basic definition of soil is: The loose top layer of the Earth’s surface, consisting of rock and mineral particles mixed with decayed organic matter (humus), and capable of retaining water, providing nutrients for plants, and supporting a wide range of biotic communities.

Here are some great quotes on soil:

“Essentially, all life depends upon the soil … There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.” ~ Charles E. Kellogg , 1938

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” ~ Aldo Leopold, 1949

“If the soil is destroyed, then our liberty of action and choice are gone …” ~ W.C. Lowdermilk, 1953

“The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself.” ~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt

“How can I stand on the ground every day and not feel its power? How can I live my life stepping on this stuff and not wonder at it?” “… the soil of any one place makes its own peculiar and inevitable sense. It is impossible to contemplate the life of the soil for very long without seeing it as analogous to the life of the spirit.” “We spend our lives hurrying away from the real, as though it were deadly to us. ‘It must be somewhere up there on the horizon,’ we think. And all the time it is in the soil, right beneath our feet.” ~ William Bryant Logan

It is such a fascinating topic, and with observation and some common understandings, one can learn stunning truths. Have you seen a dust storm recently? It just comes and takes. Or have you watched a monsoon rain erode your beautiful garden beds? How about weeds? Aren’t they amazing how quickly they can take over? Is it good or bad to have weeds?

I went to one of our projected perennial gardens the other day and was in shock over how poorly some of the plants did, while surprised over how well others did—even in 100 degree temperatures. So I looked closer. Where the soil was just basic sand, it was dry, and a few inches below, it was dense from either too much moisture or lack of it. Even the weeds were not in abundance. In other areas just a few feet away, there were grasses, amaranths, lambsquarters, purslane, and other “weeds.” When I dug into the soil at that location, I found a mixture of broken down compost, small rocks, and sticks, and it felt very alive. It was breathing air. Is it what I planted where and when? I sensed that it requires personal touch and care to get to know your soil in every part of your garden. It’s like adopting your soil and getting adopted by it at the same time. How much attention do you give, and how much time do you spend with your soil?

There are some simple and practical approaches to consider in developing a relationship with your soil: The more broken down organic matter you apply the better the soil conditions will become. As you create shade through trees, bushes, flowers and other tall plants, the more bio diversity you have and the more options you’ll also have as to what you can plant. New micro climates will spring forth and life will change throughout all the seasons. So, get your broken down compost, your wood chips, leaves, straw, and cut grasses and apply them freely on top of your soil. Decide on some fruit and shade trees and plant them. Keep your garden in a balanced moisture level. Have some flowers for bees, butterflies and birds. Create an environment hospitable for new life cycles which will come, including bugs, earthworms and trillions of micro organisms. Make some compost teas or get some Effective Micro Organisms (EM) to accelerate the growth of your soil.

If you already have some form of a garden, increase your mulch and compost layers. Believe it or not sunflowers are great soil builders. Plant lots of them; their joyful design will put a big smile on your face and on the faces of those who visit your garden. Have a great summer—I hope you have planted lots of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, okra, and beans just to name a few. Plant them close together. This will keep the moisture in longer and give shade to each other.

Visit Avalon Organic Gardens, Farm and Ranch in Tumacacori for guided tour (call 520-398-2655). Look us up on our website www.avalongardens.org; we are still taking new CSA members—you will find the information on that program there, also.

Another quote stunned me the other day and made me think about soil in a whole new way: “Mind is the human soil…..” –The URANTIA Book, p. 1210.

Healthy Soil Makes You Smile

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