The growing medium for plants, primarily consisting of rock fragments, organic material, water, and organisms.
21
votes
4answers
701 views
How do I work with soil that has a high clay content?
The clay content in my garden soil is rather high. Tilling it is a royal pain,
especially if there is even the slightest hint of moisture in the soil. It just
turns into big sticky clumps instead of ...
17
votes
2answers
428 views
Nothing will grow where tree was
Back in the spring we cut down a fruitless mulberry and hired someone to come grind the stump. When they were leaving they informed me that they poured a chemical into the hole where the remaining ...
17
votes
3answers
983 views
Do legumes provide nitrogen to their companions?
It's common knowledge that legumes (clover, beans, etc) can (with the help of Rhizobium bacteria) fix nitrogen from the air and hold it in the soil.
Much is made of this fact -- advice that we should ...
16
votes
4answers
712 views
Why is it a problem to use manure as a fertilizing amendment over the long term?
I had my soil tested last fall. As part of the submission I checked the box that said I use manure as a soil amendment / fertilizer.
In the results from the lab, they included a note that said that ...
16
votes
2answers
394 views
Will dumping paint destroy a nearby tree?
One of my neighbors complained that another neighbor killed a tree in front of her home by dumping paint in the soil. (Never mind that his trees are fine and there seems no way the paint could be ...
16
votes
2answers
1k views
What actually occurs for manure to become considered “well-rotted”?
I know that you shouldn't use raw manure on plants because it's bad for them, but I don't understand why.
I know you should stack manure before using it (i.e. literally stack it into a big cone), and ...
13
votes
3answers
464 views
How should I till topsoil into thick clay in small garden beds?
My house is in an area where the native earth is basically solid clay. This means that wet or dry, you can't dig with a shovel and get crumbling dirt — it always clumps together, unless you ...
13
votes
2answers
2k views
Is it really important to give blueberry plants acidic soil?
I have two blueberry bushes which I planted at the end of the summer. Although I had read online that they prefer acidic soil, I didn't have the time to check the pH of our soil, and go out to buy ...
13
votes
1answer
311 views
How can I correct a nutrient excess in soil?
The soil sample I took last fall from my vegetable garden came back from the lab with this result:
Optimum Range
Calcium, Mehlich 3 (Ca) 2063 ...
12
votes
1answer
268 views
Can I fix a garden tilled too early?
I've never been totally successful in waiting till the exact opportune moment to till my garden and I don't suppose that I ever will be.
I usually till my garden once or twice and when I'm ready to ...
12
votes
2answers
653 views
Can we take out the whole root of Aloe Vera and replant it during transplant?
I bought a Aloe Vera in a shop a year ago and I just use the pot that came with it, so obviously I don't know what is in the soil and their components.
Yesterday I felt that I should transplant the ...
12
votes
2answers
249 views
What is in seed starting soil that justifies wearing gloves while handling?
I was adding miracle-gro seed starting soil to paper pots with my daughter a few months ago and was a little leery about letting her touch the stuff (let alone breathe it in).
What's in it that is ...
12
votes
1answer
231 views
What are the primary nutrients utilized by plants beyond NPK?
When talking about soil and fertilizers, what are the primary nutrients in addition to NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) that play a major role in plant development?
11
votes
3answers
193 views
What should I do if the soil shrinks and separates from the flowerpot walls?
Recently we relocated a cactus into a new flowerpot. When it was planted the soil would evenly occupy the flowerpot and adjoin the flowerpot side walls. The soil isn't cactus soil, but just regular ...
11
votes
1answer
175 views
Is triple digging worth the backache in temperate biomes?
I read in Tips for the Lazy Gardener that gardens in drier parts of Africa can be triple dug (as opposed to double dug, or as I prefer, barely dug) which will somehow absorb more water during the ...
11
votes
1answer
285 views
Do I need to correct the pH of my newly re-potted citrus tree?
I tried my hand at making my own soil for my citrus tree re potting. See below for the long story reasoning. I mixed EKO store bought (I live in an apartment) organic compost with coco coir and ...
11
votes
1answer
399 views
What are the ideal soil conditions for planting giant sequoia saplings?
I've already germinated giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) seeds for 6 weeks. What's the ideal soil conditions for planting the saplings?
10
votes
2answers
567 views
My garden soil is devoid of nutrients, how should I improve it this winter?
The garden area in my yard has soil that even the weeds don't particularly love to grow in during the summer. They will make a half hearted attempt in the winter, but it definitely isn't as lush as ...
10
votes
3answers
486 views
Why is there concrete buried across my entire backyard?
As I was planting a few fruit trees last weekend, I discovered an odd and very annoying phenomenon. About 6" down from ground level, I ran across a 2" layer of really crumbly concrete/gravel mixture. ...
10
votes
1answer
232 views
Are all kinds of earthworms good for the soil?
A few days ago, I found a tiny (1cm in length) earthworm inside my pot. In general, earthworms are beneficial in improving soil fertility. Are all kinds of earthworms good for the soil?
10
votes
1answer
239 views
What type of tester works best for measuring soil pH?
I want to measure the pH of soil in my potted plants (especially for the dwarf citrus trees that I just bought).
I've seen many different options: expensive laboratory-grade meters, cheap digital ...
9
votes
3answers
281 views
Charcoal as soil amendment?
I came across an article the other day on wikipedia about Terra preta. Has anyone used charcoal like this to enhance sandy soil, like we have in Florida? Does this really work, and what is the best ...
9
votes
2answers
167 views
What plants take easily to clay soils?
I live in central Scotland, which is a bit damp, and the soil in my garden, despite years of aerating, adding sand etc is still quite a thick clay soil.
When it is sunny I get sun all day long, so ...
9
votes
2answers
1k views
Is it safe to eat fruits and vegetables planted in a pet cemetery?
Are there any safety concerns in eating fruit and veggies from plants that have been growing where dead pets have been buried?
Not a full blown pet cemetery, but a small and intimate location in the ...
9
votes
2answers
264 views
Good soil mix for bonsai?
What is a good generic bonsai soil mix?
What ratio of organic / inorganic material should be included?
9
votes
1answer
275 views
Lawn full of wild strawberries. What else can thrive in my soil?
My lawn seems to have more wild strawberries than grass (especially in the shady areas), which means it needs some work. But if it can support strawberries, there must be some great ...
9
votes
1answer
805 views
Will leveling uneven lawns with extra sand kill future lawns?
I just removed my old front stoop: it was a wall of field stone, filled with a layer of pea stone and 2x8x8 cubic feet of sand, and finally covered by slate. I want to level my very uneven lawn with ...
9
votes
1answer
105 views
When is the earliest that I can safely add worms to my garden?
I live in northern Indiana and it is currently snowing. I want to add worms to my garden. Should I wait for it to warm up, start raining, or what?
8
votes
3answers
231 views
Improving extremely clayey soils
I live in North Carolina and the soil here has an extremely high clay content. I have used soil conditioner that consists of composted pine fines to amend the soil. It does an excellent job of ...
8
votes
3answers
3k views
Can I grow a fruit bearing pistachio tree?
I live in Zone 7 in Northwest texas. It's pretty dry here and the soil is mostly hard clay. I'm very interested in growing fruit bearing pistachio trees, but haven't been able to find any local ...
8
votes
2answers
510 views
What do I use to fill in low spots in my yard?
I have low spots in my yard that I would like to slowly fill in. This isn't anything big enough to constitute a truck load of dirt or anything. What can I use (either dirt or manure) to fix these ...
8
votes
3answers
165 views
Is it safe to change the entire soil surrounding the roots?
Usually when you buy plants from the store, the soil type might not be suitable to them. Is it safe to change the soil completely? I mean to remove all the soil around most of the roots, then put it ...
8
votes
1answer
174 views
Why is it bad to mix layers of soil if you do it once at the start?
In the answer @bstpierre gave to this question on ammending soil he mentioned mixing layers of soil during double digging is a bad idea. I was wondering why is this?
I imagine mixing the layers at ...
7
votes
4answers
4k views
How do I improve drainage vertically through clayey soil?
I live on a hill where the soil has lots of clay. My back garden has been terraced with small (1m) retaining walls. The net result is that we have several lawns / gardens with the following ...
7
votes
4answers
3k views
What is the best type of soil for growing an indoor avocado plant?
Do you know what is the best soil for an avocado plant? Would it vary depending on the breed? What would be a good recipe for this soil (for growing indoors)?
7
votes
1answer
2k views
What techniques can be used to manually sieve stones from the soil efficiently?
After our house was built there is quite a bit of hardfill (river pebbles) mixed up with the topsoil around the section (approx 180sq.m.). We want to level the section, and loosen the top layer of ...
7
votes
2answers
154 views
What special steps should I take to prepare my garden for fall planting?
I am starting to think and plan out my fall/winter garden. I am looking at trying to plant some crops that will be overwintered and some crops that I can harvest before spring. What special steps ...
7
votes
2answers
316 views
How can I clean up soil mixed with spruce needles?
I have some garden soil that has decaying spruce needles mixed through it. What should I do to the soil in order to grow vegetables in it normally?
7
votes
1answer
102 views
Where should I get my garden soil tested?
This spring, I plan on growing vegetables on land that is new to me. How do I find a lab to test my soil? Will some labs give me information that others might not? Also, how much can I expect to pay ...
6
votes
5answers
217 views
Is there a way I can make transparent soil for plants at home?
I want to observe root development of plants for a hobby home experiment. I need transparent soil for this purpose.
I asked some local gardening stores for it, but they said that they don't sell such ...
6
votes
2answers
218 views
Is the “Paris Market” carrot a good variety for clay-rich soil?
I have tried growing carrots now and then, but they were always twisting around all of the rocks and squeezing through the clay, and I basically got a bad crop of strong flavored, tough carrots that ...
6
votes
2answers
596 views
When dealing with soil mixture and compost ratios, are you supposed to go by volume or weight?
I found what looks like a good raised vegetable garden soil mixture: 1/3 top soil, 1/3 compost manure, and 1/3 peat moss. Should I go by weight or volume?
6
votes
1answer
154 views
Should I fertilize my tulips in the spring?
I planted some tulip bulbs outside last fall for the first time. We had a week of warm weather last week and they're coming up nicely. Is there anything I should do to ensure a nice bloom?
More ...
6
votes
1answer
359 views
Can I make my own seed raising mix?
From what I understand there is something in seed raising mix that increases the chance of germination and I guess the rest is stuff that helps feed a seedling. What is there in seed raising mix that ...
6
votes
1answer
126 views
Why is the soil is shrinking in my backyard?
In the last 6 months the level of the soil in my back yard has dropped 4-6 inches exposing all the sprinkler heads and tree roots. Whats going on?
6
votes
1answer
321 views
How much soil do I need on top of my hugelkultur beds?
I'm building a bunch of hugelkultur beds from the blowdowns, branches, trimmings, and sticks we have scattered around the property. This weekend I built a 20' long, 5' wide, 2-3' high pile of (mostly ...
6
votes
1answer
613 views
What is a recipe for a long-lasting, fast draining container soil mix with good aeration
I'm interested in making my own container soil for some potted citrus and figs as well as something that'll work for other house plants. I've heard of Al's Gritty Mix. Does anyone have a mix that's ...
5
votes
3answers
242 views
Is it safe to handle soil with our bare hands?
Is it 100% safe to handle the soil by bare hands? Would any toxic insect hide inside the soils?
5
votes
2answers
192 views
Top Dressing: When and How
I recently started composting, and I was reading about top-dressing. Two questions I have about top-dressing are:
Is there a maximum to it? Most of my reading suggests up to once a year max.
Do I ...
5
votes
2answers
120 views
Raising soil level around tree
As a side mini project from a bigger patio project, we moved some concrete blocks to create a well around a tree in the front of the house.
A conversation over in DIY.SE chat this morning sparked ...
