Loose Soil

You know what's funny? Actually, you *do* know this: In 30 years of gardening, in 4 different locations, every time I've loosened the existing soil with a pitch fork, and applied generous amounts of mulch (usually chopped leaves, lawn clippings, and/or straw), 3 months later, I have soil I'm happy with. I'll qualify this by saying that I've never had to deal with really awful clay soil. But still....sometimes it doesn't take much, other than a little patience. Unfortunately, many people want to pay their money and have instant results.

Reply to
Doug Kanter
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Sigh.....

Two days after a nice steady rain, you take a handful of soil and squeeze it. Then, you break it up. If it crumbles like cake, it's well within the realm of "structurally OK". It may still need nutrients or pH adjustment, but that's another issue which has nothing to do with this one. Do you see lots of happy little bugs and/or worms? Reason to celebrate.

Why does everything have to be so complicated?

Reply to
Doug Kanter

Cool your jets, Janet.

We are talking about soil not your loose morals.

Reply to
Cereus-validus.....

Actually, I didn't know I'd ever say this, but after having gardened on Long Island for most of my life, it seemed this Texas clay would be awful. Now that I've been gardening in clay for 12 years I can honestly say it is superior to sandy soils, has far better structure and overall texture after it is moistened, loosened and amended with organic matter. A nice thick layer of mulch helps preserve the organic matter till you develop your own OM in the form of worm castings, and other microbial activity.

So, I'll say it, I much prefer my clay soil over the sandy soil I had on Long Island.

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Reply to
escape

I think you mean texture. Structure is the mineral content of the soil and the level of organic matter. Texture describes crumble.

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Reply to
escape

Meanwhile, the best garden I ever had was in Aquabogue (out near Riverhead), about 2 blocks from the water. Pure sand. But, the owner of my rented house was constantly stopping by with fresh fish and nagging me to bury the parts we didn't eat. I had corn 350 feet high, and that is no exaggeration. We had to charter a helicopter to harvest it. The pumpkin vines abducted several neighborhood children.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

Structure and texture both sound like mechanical qualities to me. Mineral content sounds like a chemical quality. Oh well.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

Soil "texture" refers to the size of the particles in a mineral soil. It is a basic property, not readilly subject to change. Mineral soil is composed of small particles: sand 2mm-0.05mm silt 0.05-o.002mm clay less than 0.002mm Loam is a mixture of almost equal parts of each.

"structure" refers to the grouping and arrangement of these soil particles. Particles form aggregates or granules aided by "humus" a sticky gel like substance formed by decompostition of OM. Humus binds the particles together to form "crumbs". There are spaces between the crumbs called "pores" or pore space, occupied by air and water. Good soils are said to have "good crumb"

So I would say that your are correct, Doug.

Emilie NorCal I got this info from a soil text when I did a presentation to the garden club.

Reply to
mleblanca

Thank you. I just garden. I don't define things in gardening any more than in making love. The approach works.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

In the hands of a beginner, actual "peat" can produce results ranging from "hmmm...." to "disaster". By "beginner", I'm referring to the ever-increasing legions of people who don't seem to know what a library is, and how to plan far enough ahead to have time to read a book or two, or (heaven forbid) locate a real garden center run by grizzled old people who actually know what they're talking about.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

In the hands of a beginner, actual "peat" can produce results ranging from "hmmm...." to "disaster". By "beginner", I'm referring to the ever-increasing legions of people who don't seem to know what a library is, and how to plan far enough ahead to have time to read a book or two, or (heaven forbid) locate a real garden center run by grizzled old people who actually know what they're talking about.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

In the hands of a beginner, actual "peat" can produce results ranging from "hmmm...." to "disaster". By "beginner", I'm referring to the ever-increasing legions of people who don't seem to know what a library is, and how to plan far enough ahead to have time to read a book or two, or (heaven forbid) locate a real garden center run by grizzled old people who actually know what they're talking about.

Reply to
Doug Kanter

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