Why Do We Need Organically Enriched, Nutrient Fortified, Life Sustaining Soil?
The soil is the foundation of our health. Plants and what they produce are among a large portion of the food we eat, and they receive what they need to be their best and do their best from soil, air, moisture and sunshine. Take the soil out of the picture and there is no picture! Without soil, life cannot be sustained.
Soil is the medium that holds the nutrients and moisture the plants need to grow, to develop and to feed each of us. Is it as simple
as placing a seed in the ground, watering, and voila, food comes forth in abundance to nourish us and give us life? There’s a little more to it than this, but once we understand the ecosystem in the soil, we’ll be much better equipped to create healthy, productive gardens.
Soil not only provides food for our sustenance, but it also provides pleasure and fulfillment for all our senses.
As we take in the beauty of nature’s landscapes, we experience lines, textures, shapes, colors, light, shadows, sounds, fragrances, all of which feed our minds and our souls just as the food feeds our bodies, all feeds our bodies, all providing balance in life. Engaging with nature is a great end to any day.
There is so much to learn about soil and what goes on underground. It’s a world all of its own and absolutely fascinating! Come join me on a journey to greater understanding of Earth’s indispensable gift – SOIL!
Dirt vs. Soil - Is There a Difference?
These two words are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference. Think of dirt in your mind’s eye. What do you see? I see dirt roads kicking up dust as vehicles or animals travel through.
I see a hard and dry surface, maybe even cracked for the heat of the sun and lack of moisture. I see a very light color indicating low levels of organic matter or humus in the dirt. I see “dead dirt.”
Now imagine soil in your mind’s eye. Do you see something different? I see black gold! I see a rich, dark, loamy material. I see moisture and a looseness that allows me to easily move the soil around. I see worms doing their job aerating and enriching the soil. I see life!
Obviously, the latter of the two is much more desirable and will be much more likely to fill our tables with nutrient-rich, life sustaining food and frame our landscape with beauty beyond expectation! But many of us don’t have the luxury of abounding rich soil. Can we convert dirt to soil? The answer is a resounding YES!
I’ve taken very empty, dead dirt and converted it to a wonderland of color and amazing beauty. You can too. Let’s learn how this process can work, and let’s begin by learning what should be going on in our underground ecosystem.
Since I’m an organic gardener, the information I’m sharing will take an organic approach.
There are still some disagreements regarding organic versus chemical approaches to
gardening; however, I personally feel nature has given us systems through which we can replenish the earth, build excellent soil and produce nutrient rich food in a very natural way – nature’s way!
Making Your Soil Rich and Alive Again
I believe understanding five components of healthy soil will get us on the right track to seeing the big picture and understanding our part in achieving a balanced ecosystem in the earth beneath us. These are minerals, organic matter, air, moisture and microorganisms. Let’s take a few minutes to learn about each of these.
Let's Start With Minerals
- Minerals make up the largest part of our soil. They arrive as a result of the break down of rock through long periods of exposure to the weather. As they break down, some particles are large, some medium and some small. The size of the broken rock particles is a factor in determining the type of soil you have such as sandy, silty, loamy or clay.
- Trace minerals are needed in small amounts in the soil, but they are definitely needed and an important part of providing the necessary elements for strong, healthy gardens. Often the soil is deficient in some trace minerals. A great way to insure your soil has these trace minerals is by adding Azomite to your soil. Click here to connect to my review on Azomite to learn more.
- Minerals are extremely important to our soil, but alone they can’t produce a soil worthy of a healthy garden. There needs to be more.
Organic Matter - Bringing Life Back to the Soil
Although organic matter is only a small percentage of the soil, it’s extremely important to plant health and to a multitude of organisms living in the soil. Organic matter is created by the decomposition or decaying of plants and animals.
A good example would be the leaves falling from trees in a forest and laying dormant on the ground as the decaying process takes place.
Have you ever been hiking through a wooded area and noticed how rich and black the soil is under the trees?
Another example of organic matter would be manures and any soil organisms that have died. Moisture is held by organic matter as well as needed air. During the decomposition process, organic matter converts into much-needed nutrients for the plants, and it also stores these nutrients. Organic matter is the food for the microorganisms and other living creatures in the soil vital to the balance of this ecosystem.
Composting is a great way to start! I have written a blog on composting that will take you through the process from beginning to end. This is a great opportunity to engage with nature and participate in nature’s recycling process giving back to the Earth.
Worm castings are another effective way to add organic matter to the soil which is actually humus. Humus is what shows up at the end of the decomposition process. Worm casting do not burn the plants when added. The process of producing worm castings is known as vermiculture or vermicomposting.
I have provided a thorough review on worm castings for a greater understanding of the powerhouse this product truly is.
Mulching after planting provides organic matter to the soil as it decomposes. Even when used on the surface, the mulch in contact with the soil (just like the leaves falling from the trees in the forest) will start to decompose and be a great addition to creating a living soil.
Pore Space - What is This and Why is it Essential for Healthy Soil?
Air is essential to the health of the soil and to the health of plants. Air is necessary for root health which in turn is necessary for plant health.
Approximately 50 percent of the soil should be pore space which is space between the soil particles that can filled with air and water and also provide good drainage for the plant’s roots. Without pore space or a or a reduction in this space causes compaction of the soil.
Here are some important facts relating to why air is a necessary part of healthy soil:
- Plants take up air through their roots, which means plants need to breathe just like you and me.
- Air creates spaces in the soil that keeps the soil loose and allows penetration of the roots.
- Without air, the soil would become compact and hard making it difficult to grow a thriving garden.
- Air creates good drainage for the plant’s root system. Without this, the roots could become waterlogged because the water has no way out, and, as a result, the roots could be damaged or even rot.
- The animals, insects and organisms living in the soil, all depend on air for life.
- The creatures that live in the soil help add air to the soil similar to aeration. For example, earthworms dig tunnels through the soil as they perform their daily duties of decomposing organic matter into nutrients ready for the plants.
- Organic matter also adds air to the soil.
Water and the Soil
Water is also essential to the health of the soil and to the health of plants. Of course, without water plants will die. Not only does water keep the plant hydrated, but water also serves to transport nutrients to the plant through its roots.
Here are some important facts relating to why water is a necessary part of healthy soil:
- As the other elements mentioned, water is also a necessary part of a balanced soil. The air provides open spaces for water to travel from rain or from man-made irrigation systems. Some open spaces are larger, some are smaller, but they all provide the important drainage for plant health.
- Water is necessary in the right amounts. Too much water can be damaging. If the water can’t drain through the soil, the result is a waterlogged condition which can smother the roots of the plants causing the roots to rot.
- Too much water can also drown the soil organisms thus losing part of the nutrient creating factory in our soil.
- Plant nutrients are taken up through water, and if there’s too much water in the soil, the extra water can migrate to other locations taking these nutrients with it.
- Proper drainage is essential for nutrient absorption and root health.
Microorganisms - Nature's Nutrition Factory
Through the life cycle of microorganisms (often called microbes), these microscopic creatures digest the organic matter in the soil and leave behind nutrients such as nitrogen, carbon, trace minerals, etc., in the form most readily available and usable to the plants.
In short, they convert organic matter into the necessary nutrients for healthy and thriving plants.
Here are some important facts relating to why microorganisms are a necessary part of healthy soil:
- Without microbes, we would not exist. Our bodies house more microbes than cells .
- There is an area around the plant roots called rhizosphere. Within the rhizosphere, the roots of the plant release nutrients that the microbes are attracted to and feed on. That’s why there are colonizations of microbes within this rhizosphere. In turn, the microbes feed on these nutrients and break down organic matter which makes nutrients available to the plants in the best form to be assimilated.
- Certain soil microorganisms are responsible for “nitrogen fixation,” a process where the microorganisms actually take nitrogen from the air and convert it into food for the plants. This is a classic example of how nature recycles!
- For more information on microorganisms, check out this article.
Simply Put
- Minerals are essential for healthy soil. All the needed trace minerals for healthy plants may not be available in the soil, and a boost in trace minerals may be a needed component for a thriving garden. A great product to provide these trace minerals is Azomite.
- Organic matter is food for the microorganisms, holds moisture, provides air spaces, and, after the microbes finish their jobs, organic matter is converted into the form of nutrients readily available to the plants.
- Organic matter can be added through composting and mulching. Worm castings also provide the end product of organic matter called humus which provides the needed nutrients in the form ready for the plants.
- Air keeps the soil loose, provides good drainage, and provides spaces that allow the roots to easily penetrate.
- Moisture keeps the plants hydrated, and nutrients are transferred to the plants through moisture.
- Microorganisms are the workhorses of the soil. They are mandatory for us to sustain life. They convert organic matter into a nutrient-packed end product the plants can then absorb through their root system.
I encourage you to engage with nature, give back to the Earth and refill her cup so she can continue to fill yours. This can be done by enriching the soil and making gardening easy and rewarding.
Aside from practicing another aspect of sustainability, (more information in my post on Gardening and Personal Sustainability) there are so many health benefits from improving our soil. Accurate reasons make sense, and a greater understanding of how nature works for us is empowering.
Consider the necessity of enriching the Earth for this generation and generations to come. Also consider the importance of sustainability in this arena to provide food for you and those you love. Educate yourself regarding any part you can contribute to this process. Start in your own backyard or on a small patio in planters or in window boxes, any place where there is soil or dirt you can convert to soil.
Thank you for reading and for having a sincere interest in making a difference. I wish you a successful, productive, rewarding gardening experience. PLEASE share with us your successes and your failures. Both give us such great opportunities to learn.
To engaging with nature – an enriching journey for all!
Linda Rose
Linda, I don’t really know where to start, I have been glued to the screen since I arrived here. I have been to three posts and all are extraordinaire. most of what I already know because I have learned to garden the hard way. Trail and error.
Worm casting I can see the benefits in using it as it is an organic material, It might be manufactured but with the organic compounds saving much work.
Composting, well there again doing it the hard way because there was no money to invest in a composter that was big enough to cover the area that was needed to cover, I real back-breaking job.
The composter that you talk about seems to cover all that is needed for a small family.
Trace minerals, I know that in our diets today buying from the supermarkets we do not receive enough trace from the plant that put on our table today. Because farmers are not putting back in the ground these important minerals because it is not mandatory even the so-called organic farmers that produce on a much larger scale. Sad but true.
Trace minerals are absorbed by the plant through their root system and taken to the plant that we eat providing us with the trace minerals that are very necessary for the breaking down of our food line in the gut and transporting it through our system as electrolytes. which lets us coexist with Mother Nature. Without them, we are no.
There is much need in making people aware of the importance of returning to mother earth. There was a very important reason it was created for that we may exist.
Everything was created for the wellbeing of man Everything from the smallest of creatures to the largest has a reason for being. and we are the benefactors do you not agree with Linda.
You are doing a fantastic job Thanks for this work and I am Bookmarking this page so I can come back time and time again.
always better way
Hi Linda. I agree everything was created for the well-being of man. I’m so glad you enjoyed my post. My ultimate goal is to encourage others to engage with the Earth, reaping from her abundance but giving back and replenishing. By replenishing we are gaining huge benefits for our own health. It’s a win-win! Thank you for your comments.
Linda