NOT FOUND: plant lady1.jpgDid I say dirty? Yes, I did. I could have been more to the point, but “Let’s Get Soily” didn’t sound as fun. Growing up we called it dirt. “God made dirt; dirt don’t hurt” was usually said by an elder when we dropped some food or candy in it, shared also with the 3-5 second rule, or when we came in covered in it. Mud pies, to the young, aspiring chef, topped with grass clippings, were commonly presented in make believe. Dirt bikes, old dirt roads, dirty laundry, dirt has been here forever. God made Adam out of dirt. However, I never realized the importance of dirt until I went to college and started calling it soil! Now that changes everything. From something to be washed off and to avoid getting into our mouths or on our clothes, to the most important, critical necessity to support life forms.
Ever thought of the vitamins we take and how important they really are to us for vitality and health? Where also do you think they come from? Either from the dirt (iron, zinc, magnesium, etc) or from plant life supported by the dirt (vitamins A, B, C, D, E, potassium, calcium -- well cows eat grass grown in dirt and we get the milk -- ginko biloba, rose hips, all the antioxidants found in greens, fruits, etc.) Our plants, trees, veggies, crops, etc, depend on the same things we do so they can in turn recycle it all back to us. Food, air, water and nutrient needs are quite the same for us and them. Many of y’all have come to me with tragedies which have occurred in the garden or landscape, having done everything in your power to the plant, tree, shrub, etc. Let’s just refer to them as “friend” and at a loss as to how or why our friend didn’t make it. Hey me too, y’all ain’t alone. However, that’s where I got my idea to cover this for November. We shouldn’t have to do much of anything to our friends. Our focus needs to be in the soil, that dirty four letter word.
Although plant friends receive some materials from the air alone during photosynthesis, the process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from the sun, our green friends use the carbon dioxide and water, while releasing oxygen as the waste product. They depend hugely on the root system to feed them. Remember they breathe through the leaves and eat and drink through the roots. Now, since the root systems depend on the soil to provide all of the necessary nutrients, air, and water, our focus turns to the importance of the soil, the porosity of the soil, and the availability of oxygen in the soil. The roots do the opposite of the leaves. The roots do take in the water, and nutrients, but the roots also obtain the oxygen carried in by the water, and release the carbon dioxide as its waste. Hard, compacted (whether or not clay) soil cannot support very well or for long (although there are exceptions). The hard soil does not allow water or oxygen to be readily available to the root systems. It’s not actually the hard soil that kills, it’s the displacement.
When someone drowns, it’s not actually the water that kills them or drowns them, it is the absence of the displaced oxygen. Water has filled the void, therefore, choking them out. Not all people die from drowning, nor do all plants. Some oxygen is still in the water, hence H2O hydrogen being the 2 parts, oxygen one. Sometimes it’s a slow process, sometimes instant, sometimes correctable. When we understand the dynamics, it makes it easier for us to try and fix or prevent.
NOT FOUND: plant lady2.jpgRecently I touched on all y’alls unique soil types. Whether or not you live in the country with undisturbed soil or in a housing tract where it was at the mercy of the grading or compaction from machinery, the soil in your yard is a combination of its past rocks, debris, dead plants, animals, etc. This is where its characteristics are derived from. Your neighbors could be the exact opposite, or ten feet away in your own yard could be the complete opposite in either direction. Parent soils help contribute to our soils today. Whatever types they were are indicative to the mineral contents. Secondary characteristics are at the mercy of overturned earth either from us or when the builders brought in the machinery and additional soil.
Ideally, we want crumbly, porous soil that allows oxygen and water to flow and at the same time retain vital nutrients. The roots not only support our friends, they create the rhizosphere which is the habitat around and between the roots and dirt. Don’t wanna go to “college” y’all, but doing too much or not enough to our soil determines the impact of our efforts. The living organisms in the rhizosphere include nematodes, worm, beneficial fungi, bacterias, etc. It’s a dirty world but someone’s got to live there (Ha! Ha!). Anyway, all of this activity and stuff creates and provides support for the root system. Worm poop is the best, gophers, moles, and voles, etc, suck, however, they aerate and poop, which is beneficial. Hey, you may have rodents, but you’ll have great soil. Dirt is fun and a key to production. Biotic vs abiotic – the presence or lack of having life form, the soil we need is biotic and what we must do to the soil to have it become present of life form, weighs heavily on the damage caused, because the more we disrupt our soil the more we disrupt those microbial cycles going on. Earthworms and nematodes and microbes may not be able to reproduce such micro-habitats between our tilling/overturning.
What takes a lifetime to build can be destroyed in seconds. It’s a balance of perspective in which we are to obtain in order to truly get dirty! Well guys, this was how I had to talk in college. Thank God y’all don’t make me do that too often, but I needed this time to fully explain the importance of soil. We need to feed and protect and nurture our soil. It then will, in turn, do the same to our friends. God made dirt. Dirt don’t hurt, but it sure does help. Next month we’ll dive into mulching and its benefits vs. the damage from frost. Y’all can’t wait.
See y’all then,
Your Plant Lady
Answer to how to protect my tree from frost:
Carol Throp
Just in time, come see me on aisle 2, we have plankets, “plant blankets” on clearance, also from them you can copy the idea and create your own for larger areas or beds with the cloth weed block cloth we sell in outside garden and twine we have cheaper in hardware.
Phyllis Jones
Most likely from what you have described, your citrus tree is losing its trees from over watering. However, maybe this issue will provide valuable insight as far as drainage and oxygen to the root system.
Please both of you come and see me Tuesday through Saturday. I’m there at least until 2:00 pm. Keep in mind the best times are between 10 am and 2 pm weekdays, from 9 am and 9 pm on weekends. Those are power hours and Home Depot dedicates those times specifically for Customer Service, nothing else.
See y’all then