Rooted Ramblings: Healthy plants begin with healthy soil
- Master Gardener Volunteers
Written by Jeff Cumberlidge, Portage County Master Gardener Volunteers
The solution to many plant problems begins in the soil. The soil your plants grow in is a living system made up of organic matter, minerals, water, air, and billions of microbes. Understanding soil and promoting soil health is one of the most effective ways to keep plants healthy and maximize your harvest.
A good place to begin improving soil health is with a soil test. A soil test provides information that helps guide you in correcting nutrient deficiencies and other soil issues. A visit to your local Ohio State University Extension Office will give you the opportunity to purchase a soil test kit. The Portage County Extension Office is located at 705 Oakwood Street, Suite 103, in Ravenna, and can be reached at (330) 296-6432. Soil test kits cost $15, and collecting a sample is straightforward. Ohio State University provides detailed soil-sampling instructions in fact sheet HYG-1132, available online at: Soil Testing for Horticultural Needs.
It is important to resist the urge to add materials to your soil simply because they worked for someone else. You may have heard suggestions to plant with eggshells, Epsom salts, or bone meal. These amendments can be helpful if your soil is deficient in calcium, magnesium, or phosphorus. However, adding them without knowing your soil’s condition can do more harm than good. Rather than guessing—test.
If your soil test reveals deficiencies, the next step is to correct them by adding soil amendments. There are many options available. Given the typical soils found in Portage County, gardens often need additional potassium, magnesium, or phosphorus, while organic matter levels are usually low. Soil pH can also be outside the ideal range for certain crops.
At first, correcting this may sound like a daunting task. However, soil improvement is most successful when done gradually. Instead of making large corrections all at once, think in terms of small adjustments over time. By steadily adding the nutrients your soil lacks and incorporating organic materials such as compost, shredded leaves (leaf mold), and well-aged manure, you may be surprised at how quickly your plants respond.
While improving soil composition, it is also helpful to increase microbial activity. Microbes and plants have an essential partnership. Microorganisms living near plant roots help supply nutrients and can protect plants from certain diseases. Although microbes occur naturally in soil, gardeners can create conditions that encourage their growth.
Soil microbes are tiny living organisms that include fungi, protozoa, bacteria, archaea, and nematodes. Together, they form the foundation of healthy soil. These organisms cycle nutrients into forms plants can use, decompose organic matter, sequester carbon in the soil, and perform many other essential functions.
Gardeners can encourage microbial activity by adding organic matter, maintaining consistent soil moisture, reducing chemical inputs, and correcting soil pH. Some gardeners also use amendments such as worm castings, humic acid, compost tea, biochar, seaweed extracts, and fish emulsion to support soil biology.
Finally, it is important to develop a soil structure that allows plants, microbes, and amendments to work effectively together. The goal is loose, crumbly soil often described as “loam.” Microbes require oxygen to survive, and plant roots need loose soil in order to grow and spread.
Avoiding soil compaction is critical to soil structure. Compaction can undo much of the work you put into improving your soil. Healthy soil is roughly 45 percent mineral particles (sand, silt, and clay), about 5 percent organic matter, and about 50 percent pore space filled with air and water. When soil becomes compacted, the amount of air and water can drop to about 25 percent, limiting root growth and microbial activity.
To reduce compaction, avoid walking on wet soil whenever possible. Wet soil compresses easily and is especially vulnerable to damage. Stay out of planting rows, reduce tillage when practical, and consider planting cover crops to improve soil structure.
Certain cover crops are particularly effective at breaking up compacted soil. Radishes, turnips, and winter rye are good options. These crops are typically planted in the fall and left in place over winter. As they grow, their roots penetrate dense soil layers, and when they decompose they leave channels that improve air and water movement in the spring.
Gardeners can also use tools such as a broadfork to loosen soil without turning it over completely. This method helps preserve natural soil layers while creating pathways for air and water to move deeper into the ground and supporting earthworm activity.
If you have questions about soil health, consider contacting your local university extension office. Extension educators can provide reliable resources and guidance to help you better understand your soil and get the most from your garden.
If you would like to read further about soil and soil health, consider these sources for a good read:
What Is Soil and Why Is It Important?
Ohio State University Extension Portage County Master Gardener Volunteer program. As OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, our articles will never endorse specific products or companies. Questions/comments/suggestions/want to find out more/become a PCMGV: 330-296-6432 • OSU PCMGV web • portco.mgv.oh@gmail.com • FB PCMGV • PCMGV Speaker’s Bureau
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