Affect Growth Plant Soil

The soil in lawns and gardens is seldom satisfactory for plant growth without proper preparation. It is, how­ever, less costly to modify the soil that one has than to replace it with so-called top soil. All too often purchased soil is no better, and sometimes far worse, than the existing soil. Besides, new soil often in­troduces more weeds and pests into the garden. Good drainage is important for good growth of most plants. Poor drainage means that water has replaced the all-important air and this will affect growth plant soil, which smothers the roots. Roots require air just as much as do leaves. Some plants are more sensi­tive to this than others. Roses, cherries, yews are but a few plants that are seri­ously damaged by wet soils. Depressions that hold surface water, and downspouts from the roof that are not connected to drains are two common sources of trouble. The only satisfactory method insuring adequate drainage of heavy soils is the installation of lines of agricultural drain tile to carry excess water to a lower level, a drain or storm sewer. Using 4-inch tile, set 12 to 18 inches beneath the surface, with the lines of tile 25 to 30 feet apart, will be sufficient. Allow an inch or two of drop for each 100 feet of line. There is no need of worry that this will dry out necessary moisture because it only re­moves the excess. The use of rocks, stones, bricks or cinders in the bottom of a flower bed, which is so often recommended, does not remove water from a heavy soil; it mere­ly makes a good cistern to hold it. Proper grading of the surface is helpful but does not always solve the problem. Hillsides can be poorly drained if there is a layer of hardpan or impervi­ous clay beneath the surface.

Organic matter in the soil is all-impor­tant. Most do not have enough of it for the best affect growth plant soil. There should be at least 5 per cent organic con­tent, and for most plants 15 or even 20 per cent will give even better results. In other words, it is almost impossible to have too high an organic content. Often, the addition of organic matter to the soil gives better results than an applica­tion of fertilizer. The reason for this is that with better soil aeration, there is greater root growth. Clay soils, especial­ly, need more organic matter to improve drainage as well as aeration. Sandy soils need it to increase their moisture-holding capacity. The easiest and least expensive method of incorporating organic matter is to grow it. A "green manure" crop of winter wheat or rye may be sown, one pound to 1,000 sq. ft., in late August or September to be plowed, dug or rototilled under the following spring. In the spring, as early as possible but as late as late June, rye grass may be sown. This is turned under in late August. It is advisable to apply a complete fertilizer, such as a 4-12-4, 5-10-5, 5-10-10, 6-10-4 or something similar, at the rate of 20 lbs. to 1,000 sq. ft. when the seed is sown and again just before it is turned under. This later application hastens decompo­sition. It is amazing how much these methods aid in loosening even the heavi­est soils. Nothing else does as well as the millions of tiny roots of these grass plants'.

Affect growth plant soil