Readying Earth for Autumn Sowing: Advice for a Flourishing Yard
In the autumn season, preparing your soil for planting is crucial for a bountiful harvest. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started.
Firstly, understanding your soil is essential. You can identify your soil type by digging down about 10 centimetres and grabbing a handful. Clay soil forms a smooth, round ball when moistened and squeezed, while sandy soil has larger, coarser particles that do not hold their shape when squeezed.
Next, test your soil's pH level to understand its acidity or alkalinity. Using soil test kits or services can help you analyse your soil's health and identify any deficiencies.
To improve the water retention of soil, loosening it is key. This enhances water penetration and encourages strong root growth. Manually aerating the soil by inserting a garden fork or spade and turning the soil over can help break up any clumps. For heavy or clay soils, a garden tiller or sharp-edged hand tools may be more effective.
Improving soil structure, drainage, and aeration is also important. Organic matter like compost or manure can help with this. When adding compost, a good rule of thumb is to add about an inch and dig it through the soil. Different types of manure have specific effects on soil; chicken manure is "hotter" and may burn plants, whereas cow manure is milder.
For brassicas, add a nitrogen-high fertiliser to the mix. For salads, roots, and alliums, consider adding some blood and bone to the compost to give the soil much-needed phosphorus.
Mulches, such as wood chips, straw, or shredded leaves, can help prevent evaporation and act as a protective barrier, shielding the soil from harsh rays that can dry it out. They can also help break down clay clumps over time and maintain soil moisture without compacting the surface.
Finally, avoid adding perennial running weeds like couch grass or bulbous weeds like onion weed to the compost bin. Test your soil's water-holding capacity by tipping a litre of water into a pot of soil and measuring the amount that drains out.
Remember, composting is about achieving the right carbon/nitrogen ratio and keeping the compost pile or bin aerated. By following these steps, you'll ensure your soil is well-prepared and promote healthy plant root development for autumn planting.
Adopting a lifestyle that includes home-and-garden work, such as gardening, can lead to improvements in soil health. For instance, adding mulches like wood chips or shredded leaves can help retain moisture and promote healthy soil ecosystems.
When selecting fertilizers for specific crops, consider the effects of different types of manure on soil health. For instance, chicken manure is richer in nitrogen, making it suitable for brassicas, while cow manure has lower nitrogen levels and is more suitable for root crops, salads, and alliums.
