With a new season around the corner, it is time to start planning for summer crops of sun-ripened tomatoes, crunchy peppers, leafy greens for salads and the many other yummy summer veggies.
What to do in August
Healthy soil and roots lay a solid foundation for stronger, healthier plants, and this is the month to work the soil, in preparation for sowing and planting next month.
When it comes to soil, it is not what’s on top that counts but what’s underneath, explains Cathy Church of EcoBuz, a range of nature friendly soil and plant conditioners, pest and disease remedies.
“Besides the earthworms there are millions of microorganisms that make soil nutrients available to plants. Without them, nothing thrives, no matter how much fertiliser and water is put down,’ says Cathy.
“Soil carbon is the backbone of soil fertility because it is a food source for microorganisms. The more carbon there is in the soil, the healthier the soil ecosystem will be.”
Know your soil
Do you know what type of soil you have? Use this simple EcoBuz ball test in the veggie garden to determine whether your soil is mainly sandy, loam or clay. Each type of soil needs different treatment.
- Wet an area of soil, collect a handful of soil, roll it into a ball. If the soil particles won’t bind together, the soil is sandy, if the soil moulds to a loose ball but breaks easily then its loamy soil (ideal), and if the soil retains its shape after moulding, it’s a clay soil.
- Sandy and clay soil is the least suitable for veggies, but it can be improved with compost and other organic material to improve the carbon content. Crumbly loam is the best for veggies.
Tips for each soil type
Clay soil
To loosen, aerate and improve the soil structure of clay, push a garden fork deeply into the soil and wiggle it, to open up the soil. Soften compact soil by watering it the day before. Do not turn the soil, but spike it intensively, as you would when aerating a compact lawn. Spread a thick layer of compost over the soil.
Try this: To further condition the soil, apply HumiGro, a carbon based soil conditioner, along with the compost. It is available in granular form for sprinkling over the soil or as a soil drench (1 tsp to 5 litres water). Water well after applying and cover with an organic mulch.
Sandy soil
The problem with sandy soil is that it lacks nutrients and water drains through too quickly. Apply a thick layer of good compost on top of the sandy soil. It acts like a sponge and holds the moisture.
To lower the surface tension of water so that it can be absorbed into the soil, use a humic-based product like HumiGro, as a drench. Dissolve 1 tsp in 5 litres of water.
Working the soil: Do only shallow cultivation, otherwise the benefit of added compost is lost. When planting, just add compost (if necessary) and plant in the hole. A water-retaining gel can be mixed into the soil at the bottom of the hole.
Good to know: During the growing season, water more often, even twice a day but for shorter periods. Short bursts of watering are more effective than deeper watering. Fertilise more often in smaller amounts so that the roots can take up the nutrients. Keep the soil cool with a layer of mulch.
Loam soil
This is the ideal soil for vegetables because it contains both large and small soil particles, with space between for oxygen that supports aerobic soil life and allows water and nutrients to be absorbed while letting the excess drain away.
Even so, this soil needs replenishing, because vegetables continually take nutrients out of the soil as they grow, especially winter varieties that have high nutrient demands. The removal of successive crops also disturbs the soil and its soil life.
Working the soil: Loosen the soil by repeatedly pushing in a garden fork and wiggling it, to form holes deeper into the soil, without significantly disturbing it. Cover with a layer of compost and water it in.
Good to know: Compost should have a balance of carbon and nitrogen, but this is hard to guarantee. HumiGro, is a carbon based soil conditioner that complements compost and ensures that the carbon content of the soil is correct. Use it in granular form or as a drench.
Prevent root disease.
Soil borne diseases affect the productivity and health of plants, more than most gardeners realise.
To reduce the risk of root disease in the coming season, use ‘RootPro’ as a drench when planting. It contains a natural, beneficial fungus which grows symbiotically with plant roots. It paralyses and destroys soil pathogens.
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