one ************************** SOILS *************************** Although it is possible, using hydroponics, to grow plants without soil, so far as the average gardener is concerned, the ground or soil in which the plants are grown will determine not only the type of plant, but also the element of success or failure. There are five major ingredients in soil, consisting of inorganic rocks and minerals, organic matter such as humus, air, water and living organisms ranging from two worms to microscopic bacteria. Soil is rated for suitability according to the varying proportions or lack of each of these ingredients. Regardless of the area in which your garden is located, the soil will vary not only in different parts of the garden, but at the depth to which plants or trees will root. The most important layer of soil, the top soil, is where most plants will struggle to begin their existence, and it is this layer of soil which should receive the thregreatest attention. Watering conditions should be carefully monitored and consideration given to the amount of humus or decaying mineral matter present in the soil. It is from this top layer that most plants obtain their food, and in soil deficient in humus or decaying mineral matter, food must be provided in the form of fertilizer either chemical or organic. A well balanced mixture of clay, sand and silt is the ideal soil for almost all plants, and in parts of the country where soil is mostly clay and inclined to be fourheavy and compact, it can be loosened by the addition of sand. Similarly, soil that shows too great a proportion of sand, can benefit from the addition of clay and organic minerals. Achieving this balance of soil texture can at times be hard work, but once a good quality loam is established, all it will ever need is water and the occasional addition of nutrients. One other important concern is that of excessive acidity or alkalinity. Some plants such as Azaleas prefer a soil that is slightly acid (pH 4.5-5.5), while other plants fivesuch as the Cabbage do better in soil that is alkaline. The amount of acid or alkaline is measured on a pH scale with pH7 being the neutral point and the lower numbers indicating degrees of acidity and the numbers above the neutral point indicating alkalinity. Quite often, a local nurseryman will be able to tell you the type of soil present in your area and sell you the type of chemicals needed to achieve the pH balance required for the type of plants you wish to grow. Lacking this source of information, a college or six university with a horticulture department will often be able to examine a pint or so of soil from your garden and tell you what you need to know. Failing this, your city Streets and Parks Department should have this information available. Soil can be made more acid by the application of decaying organic matter. To reduce acidity, use finely ground limestone which should be dug into the ground in late summer or fall, to a depth of about a foot. The preparation of soil for planting is an important sevestep towards a beautiful garden, and it would pay you to visit your local public library and look at a few books devoted to the subject. The librarian will probably be able to show you leaflets and pamphlets issued by the government covering the latest research on soil improvement. End .....
