Building Soil: Our Journey to Creating Productive Gardens and Food Forests
Welcome to our blog! Over the years, we've received numerous comments and questions from skeptics who believe it's impossible to build soil. We understand why this misconception exists—after all, natural soil formation is a slow process that takes centuries. However, we are here to share our experiences and success stories from our own property, where we have been creating rich, fertile soil for our three food forests and beautifully productive gardens.
In this blog, we'll address common doubts and explain how, through thoughtful practices and sustainable methods, we've transformed our land into a thriving, productive haven. Whether you're curious about the techniques we use or looking for inspiration for your own gardening endeavors, we're excited to show you that building soil is not only possible but can lead to incredible results. Join us on this journey as we demystify the process and demonstrate how you too can cultivate healthy, vibrant soil to support your gardening dreams.
Definition of Soil
Soil is a complex natural system composed of mineral particles, organic matter, water, air, and living organisms. It serves as a medium for plant growth, a regulator of water supplies, a recycler of raw materials, a habitat for soil organisms, and an engineering medium. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of soil components:
Mineral Particles: These include sand, silt, and clay, which provide the structural framework of soil. The proportions of these particles determine the soil's texture and influence its drainage, aeration, and nutrient-holding capacity.
Organic Matter: Composed of decomposed plant and animal residues, organic matter improves soil structure, water retention, and nutrient supply. It includes humus, which is stable organic matter that enhances soil fertility.
Water: Soil water, or soil moisture, is crucial for plant growth. It dissolves nutrients in the soil, making them available for plant uptake. The amount of water in soil depends on its texture, structure, and organic matter content.
Air: Soil air is essential for the respiration of plant roots and soil organisms. Good soil aeration helps maintain a balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide, which is vital for healthy plant and microbial life.
Living Organisms: Soil is teeming with life, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, insects, and worms. These organisms play crucial roles in decomposing organic matter, cycling nutrients, and maintaining soil health and structure.
Functions of Soil:
Plant Growth Medium: Soil provides physical support, nutrients, and water to plants, enabling them to grow and thrive.
Water Regulation: Soil stores and filters water, regulating its flow into groundwater and surface water systems.
Nutrient Cycling: Soil is essential for the decomposition of organic matter and the recycling of nutrients, making them available for plant uptake.
Habitat: Soil is home to a vast array of organisms, contributing to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
Engineering Medium: Soil provides a foundation for human structures and activities, supporting buildings, roads, and agricultural practices.
Soil Horizons:
Soil is typically organized into layers, called horizons, which have distinct characteristics:
O Horizon: Organic layer composed of leaf litter and decomposed organic material.
A Horizon (Topsoil): Rich in organic material and minerals, this layer is crucial for plant growth.
B Horizon (Subsoil): Accumulates leached minerals and nutrients from the upper layers.
C Horizon: Consists of weathered parent material and little organic matter.
R Horizon: Unweathered bedrock.
In summary, soil is a dynamic and vital natural resource that supports plant life, regulates water, recycles nutrients, and provides a habitat for a myriad of organisms, all while serving as a foundational medium for human activities.
Can we Create Soil?
Creating soil is a complex process that mimics natural soil formation, but it is possible to create a soil-like medium suitable for plant growth by combining various components. This process is often referred to as creating or making soil, and it involves several steps to ensure that the resulting product has the necessary physical, chemical, and biological properties of natural soil.
Here’s a basic guide on how to create soil:
1. Gather Raw Materials:
Mineral Components: These include sand, silt, and clay. The proportions of these particles can be adjusted to create the desired soil texture. For a balanced garden soil, you might aim for a loamy texture (approximately 40% sand, 40% silt, and 20% clay).
Organic Matter: This can include compost, leaf mold, peat moss, or aged manure. Organic matter is essential for providing nutrients, improving soil structure, and enhancing water retention.
Additional Amendments: Depending on the specific needs of your plants or the deficiencies in your mineral components, you might add lime to raise pH, sulfur to lower pH, or other soil conditioners like biochar.
2. Mixing Components:
Combine Mineral Particles: Start by mixing the sand, silt, and clay in the desired proportions to create the basic mineral component of your soil.
Incorporate Organic Matter: Add a substantial amount of organic matter (usually 25-50% by volume) to the mineral mixture. Thoroughly mix the components to ensure even distribution of organic matter throughout the soil.
Adjust pH and Nutrients: Test the pH of your mixture and adjust it as needed. You can add lime to raise the pH or sulfur to lower it. Additionally, incorporate a balanced organic fertilizer or rock dust to provide essential nutrients.
3. Develop Soil Structure:
Aeration: Ensure the soil is well-aerated by adding coarse materials like perlite or coarse sand if necessary. This helps improve drainage and prevent compaction.
Water Retention: If the soil tends to dry out too quickly, add more organic matter or materials like vermiculite that help retain moisture.
4. Encourage Biological Activity:
Microbial Inoculation: Introduce beneficial microorganisms by adding a small amount of soil from a healthy garden or using commercially available microbial inoculants.
Earthworms: Adding earthworms can help aerate the soil and decompose organic matter, contributing to a healthy soil ecosystem.
5. Allow Time for Development:
Composting Period: Let the mixed soil rest for a few weeks to a few months. This period allows the organic matter to further decompose, microorganisms to establish themselves, and the soil components to integrate fully.
Benefits of Creating Soil:
Customized Soil: You can tailor the soil to meet the specific needs of your plants and local growing conditions.
Sustainable: Using locally available materials and recycling organic waste reduces the need for commercial soil products and promotes sustainability.
Healthy Plants: Properly created soil can lead to healthier, more productive plants by providing optimal conditions for root growth and nutrient uptake.
Creating soil is a valuable practice for gardeners and can be especially useful in areas with poor native soils. By understanding the components and processes involved, you can produce a high-quality growing medium that supports robust plant growth.
How We Use Biomimicry and Permaculture
At the heart of our success lies our use of biomimicry and permaculture principles. Biomimicry involves emulating natural processes to create sustainable and efficient systems. By observing how nature builds soil through the decomposition of organic matter and the interactions between plants, microorganisms, and animals, we've developed methods that replicate these processes on our property.
Permaculture, on the other hand, is a holistic design philosophy that emphasizes working with nature to create self-sustaining ecosystems. By integrating permaculture principles into our gardening practices, we've created a balanced environment where soil health is continuously regenerated.
Developing Intellectual and Experiential Capital
Our journey began long before we started our gardens and food forests. Since childhood, we've been fascinated by natural ecosystems, spending countless hours studying wildlife and their habitats. This early passion laid the foundation for our future endeavors.
Our formal education includes undergraduate degrees in zoology and biochemistry, followed by obtaining a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and post-doctoral board certifications. These academic achievements have provided us with a deep understanding of biological processes and ecosystem dynamics.
Additionally, we have completed a Permaculture Design Course, which has equipped us with the practical skills and knowledge to apply permaculture principles effectively. This combination of intellectual capital from our formal education and experiential capital gained from hands-on practice has been instrumental in our soil-building efforts.
Through trial and error, we've discovered the best ways to combine organic matter, manage water resources, and encourage biodiversity. Each season brings new insights, allowing us to refine our techniques and enhance our soil-building processes.
Creating the Soil Components
Here's how we build our soil:
Composting: We recycle kitchen scraps, garden waste, and other organic materials into nutrient-rich compost. This compost is the backbone of our soil-building efforts, providing essential nutrients and fostering microbial life.
Leaf Mold: By collecting and decomposing fallen leaves, we create leaf mold, a fantastic amendment that improves soil structure and moisture retention.
Green Manure and Cover Crops: We grow specific plants that are later incorporated into the soil. These green manures and cover crops add organic matter, enhance soil fertility, and prevent erosion.
Mulching: Mulching with straw, wood chips, and other organic materials protects soil, retains moisture, and slowly breaks down to enrich the soil.
Biodiversity: Planting a diverse range of species, including nitrogen-fixing plants and deep-rooted perennials, helps create a dynamic and resilient ecosystem that supports soil health.
By combining these methods, we've transformed our land into a thriving, productive haven. We are excited to share our journey and techniques with you, demonstrating that building soil is not only possible but can lead to incredible results. Join us on this journey as we demystify the process and show you how you too can cultivate healthy, vibrant soil to support your gardening dreams.
