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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Sound Garden Usually Begins With Rich Soil

Phyllis Stephens The Spokesman-R

With the celebrations of Earth Day and Arbor Day this month, what could be more appropriate than dedicating a series of articles to earth-friendly gardening.

The concept is certainly not new. Our forefathers practiced composting, crop rotation, mulching and plant diversity long before the term organic gardening hit the books. Yet, somewhere between the time of our ancestors and today, we drifted into a gardening world that demands high-yield bumper crops, perfect flowers and fruit, manicured gardens and a bug-free environment.

Fortunately, the pendulum is beginning to swing back. Organically grown foods are becoming more popular. Organic food supermarkets, like Huckleberries, are springing up around the country. Part of this trend stems from a fear of pesticides, and what their overuse and misuse may be doing to our environment and to our health.

We’re inviting birds back into our gardens, not just for their cheerful dispositions but also because they consume thousands of bugs. We’ve recognized that a compost bin in the back garden is as essential as a rake and a hoe. As for that occasional worm found in the apple, we’re learning to eat around it.

And with that, let’s dig in … so to speak.

If asked what are the most essential elements to life, we would probably respond air, light and water. But what about soil? I don’t mean the brown stuff on top of the refrigerator or under the bed. Or even much of what we walk on, pave over or plant in. We’ll call that dirt.

I mean the rich, sweet-smelling earthy material teeming with life, moisture, minerals and energy. I mean warm, soft, friable matter that is constantly changing. I mean healthy soil.

If this description doesn’t fit your soil, then it’s time to build it. It’s time to create a balance between air, water, minerals, humus and living organisms.

Begin by working in organic matter. This is material that was once living and is now dead and decomposing - leaves, root parts, grass clippings (clean of weed killers), vegetable and animal waste, green manure crops such as vetch, peas and annual rye and compost.

Microorganisms feed on this material, reducing it to food for plants. This decomposed matter holds and slowly releases minerals and nutrients to the plants. To maintain healthy soil, organic matter must be added each year. It is the food of the soil, and soil cannot live without it.

With organic matter comes microorganisms. These are the life of the soil. They include bacteria, fungi, algae, protozoa, yeast, germs and nematodes. According to the “Organic Manual,” there are about 50 billion microbes in one tablespoon of soil. The primary job of these fellows is to break down organic matter - first into humus, then humic acid, and finally into the basic elements for plant life. For microbes to survive, they must have a constant supply of organic matter, moisture and oxygen.

Healthy soil is also teeming with macroorganisms, the bigger fellows - rodents, mites, slugs, snails, termites, larvae, beetles, centipedes, millipedes, crickets, ants and of course, the real champions of the soil, the earthworms. Some of these large critters feed on living plants, some on dead and decaying plants and others on living organisms. And of course, there are those that have no food preference at all. They just dine on all three. The waste matter the macrobs leave behind is worked on by the microorganisms.

While the macroorganisms are busily searching for food, they are constantly digging and burrowing through the soil, loosening, aerating and opening it to oxygen. Remember, these hardworking miners of the soil must be protected if we hope to keep the soil healthy. If we try to kill off the seemingly destructive guys, we also destroy the beneficials. A healthy soil is a balanced soil. When the balance is disturbed, trouble begins.

Our grandparents spoke of the rich, black earth. With a little knowledge and tender care, we, too, can create the underground world of rich, teeming life.

Next week we’ll look at ways to grow vegetables organically.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Phyllis Stephens The Spokesman-Review