Everything starts with soil health

I missed California's Healthy Soils Week, which this year was Dec. 2-6, but I was reminded of it earlier this week. Wanting to get in a little work before the rains hit, I trekked over to my comunity garden plot.

Context: My plot is pretty much shut down for winter. Most of the raised beds are heaped with flowers and vegetables that I cut down in a rush before November's rains. These spent plants are "composting in place" for now, on top of straw and under piles of tomato cages and stakes.

But I pushed aside the straw covering one bed where tomatoes had grown, and dug into the soil. I was awed by how dark and loamy it was, and mentally patted myself on the head for the improvements I've made the past few years. But good soil needs to stay good soil, so the uncovered area received a layer of composted chicken manure. The rains should take care of the rest.

The CDFA's theme this year for Healthy Soils Week was "A Circular Economy for Healthy Soils." Here's the explanation from the CDFA website:

"Ever bought chicken manure from the nursery for your garden beds or picked up a load of compost from your local green waste facility? If so, you are participating in a circular economy and contributing to a more sustainable California.

"Promoting a circular economy in California can include opportunities to replace some commercially produced fertilizers with nutrients recycled from agriculture and municipalities. This cycle not only conserves resources but can often decrease costs or offer new revenue streams to those participating in the circular economy."

They mention the reasons for and results of healthy soil:

-- Improved plant health and yields

-- Increased water infiltration and retention

-- Sequestered carbon and reduced greenhouse gases

 -- Reduced sediment erosion and dust

-- Improved water and air quality

-- Improved biological diversity and wildlife habitat

Soil, of course, isn’t just dirt. It’s alive with organic matter and multitudes of organisms, in addition to being about 45 percent minerals, 25 percent water and 25 percent air. Healthy soil gives plants their best life, which is why every gardener should be well-acquainted with their microclimate’s soil.

For home gardeners, the University of Caifornia Agriculture and Natural Resources website has loads of great information, including a quick quiz to test how much you know about soils. 

Clicking on the For Homes & Gardens tab on that page brings up more specific and very useful information for the home gardeners, covering topics such as common home soil problems, practices to improve home soil; soil pH and how to test it, soil texture, and amendments.

Finally, the UC Master Gardener Program's California Garden Web page has some excellent summaries of soil pH, salinity and what/whether to fertilize.

Take some time on this or another rainy day to read up on helping the ground beneath us, and your garden will be happier come spring.