It used to be that soil was not something most of us thought about. Studying soil was primarily the job of farmers and scientists. Now, more of us are realizing that soil is more than just the dirt under our feet.
Let’s get in the dirt and talk about the ecosystem of SOIL
A good rule of thumb to always remember when working with Soil.
You’ve got to give a little more than you take.
Soil is a vital, living ecosystem where there are more microbes in one tablespoon of soil than there are people on the planet!
A Soil Test can give you this information, as well as what minerals your soil contains (and is missing). Contact your land grant (state university), as they often offer soil testing services.
Soil is also a very big topic! Being the foundation of healthy, nutritious plants, and also humans, it can take a lifetime to become an expert in the world of soil.
Don’t worry. We are going to cover simply the basics here. Even then, it’s a LOT, so we decided to talk to the experts - and take you along for the journey. Soon, this page will become populated with video interviews, resources and discussions.
Be sure to bookmark it!
Healthy Soil =
Healthy Plants =
Healthy Humans!
Prep and feed the system before planting.
Remember that healthy soil is an ecosystem. It’s alive and needs nourishment just like any other living organism.
Minerals, microbes and other nutrients have been depleted over time through synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, genetically engineered crops and heavy tilling in soils. In your backyard, it’s a similar scenario. Additionally, soils differ from region to region around the world, depending upon factors such as glaciation, weather patterns and proximity to the equator - things we have no control over.
Our Next 7 Garden was created for the purpose of helping you regenerate your soil, nourish your plants and in turn, nourish YOU.
First, let’s start with minerals.
KEEP YOUR SOIL COVERED
AFTER HARVEST
It helps to protect the soil from weathering during the off and winter months. More importantly, soil cover provides food for the microbes in the soil to munch on, keeping them alive. (keeping your plants alive and flourishing!)
AFTER PLANTING
In the spring this helps preserve moisture in the soil and can prevent weeds from sprouting up in your garden, taking essential nutrients away from the plants.
An easy method for soil cover is to use yard scraps such as dried grass and leaves to lay over the soil. Followed by a thick layer of hay over top the soil bed. Avoid using freshly cut grass as it contains too much nitrogen and will upset the balance in the soil.
TILL VS.NO TILL
Thick Grass & Weeds?
Normally we recommend against tilling as it can disturb any kind of microbial systems formed under the top soil. But if it’s anything like we had to work with in our first Next 7 Garden, a tiller may be required depending on the amount of space you plan to work with, the amount of weeds or sod, and the compaction of your soil.
As we saw with our back yard garden space, there wasn’t much of anything going on under the ground. The soil was very dry with tough, deeply rooted grass and weeds, which were just about impossible to remove and turn up with just a garden hoe.
We also knew that we needed loose soil to work with so the ground could “breath”, and have proper water drainage, so we turned to the tiller to help us get the ground ready for planting.
Less Grass & Weeds.
If your soil is more visible loose and proves much easier to remove any existing plant life, perhaps all it needs is a little weeding. This can actually prove much better for the foundation under the top soil if you just grab a friend or two and hand pull the weeds so you don’t disturb the microbial system developed in the soil.
