SOIL PREPARATION: THE FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESSFUL PLANTING

Just as humans need food for our growth and development, plants need feeding to grow optimally and since we consume plants, what we put into them (feed them with) is what we will inevitably consume.

Organic gardening references original gardening methods based on a return to natural processes. It approaches gardening from a holistic view of systems & follows a method of optimal, healthy growth which reduces the need for "medicating" gardens with additives. Interesting to note how similar this is to the way one approaches the health of a human body, in which a preventative approach to disease is becoming more researched, understood and accepted. Organic gardening seeks to reduce, reuse and recycle rather than follow a consumerist approach.

Humus-rich soil contains decomposed organic matter, vital for healthy ecosystems which support numerous organisms including worms & insects and the presence of these organisms indicates a functioning ecosystem that can support life and improve soil structure.

Soil structure is the ratio and arrangement of soil, liquid and pore space, just like our meals which may have vegetables, herbs, some lentils and a glass of juice, the soil is made up of various components. The secondary benefit of fertile soil is evidenced through healthier plant growth, as organisms enrich, cleanse and allow nutrient exchange in the soil through symbiotic (proximal & interactive) relationships between organisms just as with people, the healthier we eat, the healthier our growth and development!

Humus-rich soil is full of organic material and therefore not compactable and therefore a good medium for plant growth. An awareness of the importance of the soil medium for growth may lead us to new approaches like not walking across it, but rather on stepping stones, thereby not disturbing the soil - the home of our plants.

An antiquated method of preparing the soil is to turn it over. However, research shows that this is more harmful than beneficial as the disturbance encourages weed-growth, results in moisture loss and disrupts and exposes these precious organisms by displacing the habitat of aerobic (organisms requiring O2) and anaerobic (not requiring O2) and brings them to the surface...just like it would be harmful to pull a human out of his/her home with a front-end loader and shut the front door! To facilitate an approach of no digging, you may wish to plan and structure your garden in such a way that there are defined access and service pathways with / without demarcated beds (using an edging), which will help define human foot traffic zones, just as you would have a route from your car to your kitchen and not walk all over your groceries!

To improve the condition of your soil, just like conditioning your own hair, it is necessary to add organic matter such as compost and manure to it regularly. This material slowly decomposes (breaks down) and is worked into the lower layers by those organisms we discussed earlier

Happy eating and happy gardening!

Reference:

Griffiths, J. Jane's Delicious Urban Gardening; Sustainable City Living; Sunbird Publishers. Cape Town, 2017

Image credit: Garden Love To Know