Soil Testing and Soil pH Creating Microclimates Selecting Healthy Plants Growing Peonies In The South Go Organic At Home
Pruning Shrubs Making a Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard Wide Row Planting
Pruning Shrubs Making a Wildlife Habitat in Your Backyard Wide Row Planting
Go Organic At Home Cont.
Taking your soil sample is easy but consists of many samples to create the one that will be submitted. With gloves on, so there is no transfer from your hands, scrape off the top layer of grass or weeds of the area and then take a scoop of the soil from just a few inches deep. Repeat this process in at least eight places throughout your yard; place all the scoops of soil into one clean container. Please note, if there is a location within this area where nothing grows, keep that sample in its own separate container, do not add it in with your container of other samples.
Then break up all the scoops and mix all the soil together to get a representation of your soil conditions.
Follow the recommendations from your local extension office and place the specified amount into the provided box or bag. Make certain you legibly write all the required information onto the provided sample container. If you have the second sample of 'dead garden area', place it in it's own soil container and again legibly write all the required information onto the provided sample container. There is a charge per soil sample container for processing and then providing an individual analysis with suggested treatment directly to you.
Use organic over synthetic fertilizers
Synthetic fertilizers are the most commonly used fertilizers as they are less expensive, readily available and easy to use.
One problem with synthetic fertilizers is that they contain an excess of nutrients which are not absorbed. These nutrients can wash out of the soil ending up in the ground water and ultimately flow into your watershed area contaminating the fish and other life forms. A large percentage of our rivers and lakes are already polluted due to agricultural runoff, this is coming from backyard gardens as well as commercial farms. A second problem with synthetic fertilizers is that they target feeding plants, not the soil. This creates a slow decrease in the organic matter that makes up the soil. When this organic matter is used up, your soil will become compacted and unable to sustain healthy plant growth. The lack of organic matter in your soil allows it to become more susceptible to insect or disease infestations due to the lack of healthy soil organisms.
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Then break up all the scoops and mix all the soil together to get a representation of your soil conditions.
Follow the recommendations from your local extension office and place the specified amount into the provided box or bag. Make certain you legibly write all the required information onto the provided sample container. If you have the second sample of 'dead garden area', place it in it's own soil container and again legibly write all the required information onto the provided sample container. There is a charge per soil sample container for processing and then providing an individual analysis with suggested treatment directly to you.
Use organic over synthetic fertilizers
Synthetic fertilizers are the most commonly used fertilizers as they are less expensive, readily available and easy to use.
One problem with synthetic fertilizers is that they contain an excess of nutrients which are not absorbed. These nutrients can wash out of the soil ending up in the ground water and ultimately flow into your watershed area contaminating the fish and other life forms. A large percentage of our rivers and lakes are already polluted due to agricultural runoff, this is coming from backyard gardens as well as commercial farms. A second problem with synthetic fertilizers is that they target feeding plants, not the soil. This creates a slow decrease in the organic matter that makes up the soil. When this organic matter is used up, your soil will become compacted and unable to sustain healthy plant growth. The lack of organic matter in your soil allows it to become more susceptible to insect or disease infestations due to the lack of healthy soil organisms.
Page 1 2 3 4 Next
