Tree health care experts share ways to improve your soil and help your garden plants thrive.
Soil Quality Is Key to a Healthy Garden and Healthy Trees
Terms for different kinds of soil are often thrown around when discussing the growth of plants and plant health care. You may hear people discussing clay, sandy or loamy soil, as well as the pH level of the soil. These terms may sound like a bunch of jargon, and may be confusing to the lay person who is not an intensive gardener.
You don’t need to know everything about soil to have a beautiful yard or a successful garden, but there are a few tips that can make any garden better.
What Does It Mean to Have High Soil Quality?
Good soil quality is different depending on the types of plants that are native to it.
There are a few factors that are common to all good soil:
- Nutrients
- Drainage
- Looser soil for root mobility
- Relatively low salinity
Different plants may need different pH levels, but native plants, which are best for the ecosystem, usually need similar soil types. Compact soil can be lessened with tools, but if it is then walked over or tilled, the soil will become even more compacted.
5 Steps for Quality Soil
Any soil can be helped by the following steps:
- Soil Testing: This can be done through a purchased kit or through professional testing with a tree service company. This tests the composition of the soil as well as the pH and nutrient levels.
- Add Organic Matter: This adds nutrients to the soil to help the plants thrive. It also helps keep the soil loose for both the creatures that enrich the soil and well as for root growth and absorption of water and nutrients. Examples of this material include aged animal manure, dead leaves and compost.
- Use Cover Crops: These are plants that provide a net gain of nutrients for the soil. Some plants can go through their life cycle and feed the soil through their decay. These also help protect the soil against temperature extremes that can damage roots.
- Build Raised Beds: Building beds that are 3-4 feet across means that they can be stepped over and a gardener can avoid compacting the soil.
- Keep Adding Organic Material:The best way to keep a garden growing well is to continue to feed it with fresh layers of organic material.
If this seems intimidating, then you may want to seek the help of a plant health care professional such as an arborist.
How a Certified Arborist Can Help
There are many ways that an arborist can assist homeowners beyond tree risk assessment and tree removal. They can do in depth soil analysis and make recommendations about what plants will work best for your landscaping or garden. They can assist with the implementation of the plan as well, helping to lay mulch and organic fertilizer along with tree trimming and tree pruning.
About Greater Pitt Tree Service
Serving the tree health of the Greater Pittsburgh, PA Area, Greater Pitt Tree Service offers both residential and commercial tree services. Call today for a free estimate.