Extension

As the summer gardening season begins to wind down, gardeners may be thinking their gardens didn’t do as well this year. If that’s the case, take a closer look at the soil.

Soil health is vital to gardening success. Healthy plants start with healthy soil. Rich soil provides adequate nutrients and holds water while protecting against soil loss from runoff and erosion.

This is the time of year to focus on making the most of the soil in the garden. This is especially important for those living in newly built homes. During the construction phase, the land is cleared, graded, filled and compacted. This process strips away soil nutrients. It’s a good idea for gardeners to get a soil profile so they know where to start when rebuilding the soil.

Healthy soil includes ample organic matter, sufficient water-holding capacity, a good supply of nutrients and active biological life. Soil is filled with plant roots, bugs, bacteria, fungi and more. There’s a whole ecosystem underground. Ideally, soils are half solids (minerals and organic matter) and half pore spaces (filled with air or water). Hard, compacted soil has little, if any, pore space. Pore space is important because plant roots need oxygen, water and space to grow.

The Oklahoma landscape offers a variety of soils, some of which are easier to grow plants in than others. Soils around the state are clay, sandy and loam, with loam being the most plant-friendly. Fortunately, the way to improve any type of soil is basically the same – add organic matter.

Organic matter is a term used to describe living and dead plant or animal materials, including compost, manure, straw, leaves, grass clippings or kitchen scraps. Organic matter enriches soil by providing a surface area where water and nutrients can bind. In clay soils, organic matter loosens the structure to improve drainage. Organic matter also invites beneficial organisms into the soil. Soils rich in organic matter tend to be darker in color and contain more nutrients.

As gardeners clean up summer gardens, they can toss the organic waste into a compost bin. Compost is a great additive to soil. Working organic matter into the garden this fall and early winter also helps improve soil. It will decompose over the winter and build healthier soils. When gardening activities pick back up in the spring, gardeners will have a head start on growing healthy plants.

One way to help keep healthy soil healthy is to keep it covered. Having plants on the soil surface prevents erosion, soil crusting and compaction and reduces weed growth. Weeds compete for the same soil nutrients as the plants gardeners want in their gardens, so anything that helps keep them at bay is a good practice.