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Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School Research Director, A-LIST

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Page 1: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil

Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School Research Director, A-LIST

Page 2: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

USDA

Page 3: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

What is Soil?

Page 4: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

1. Rome wasn’t built in a day…..

Page 5: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

What kind of soil do you want?

• Sufficient supply of nutrients • Good tilth • Well drained • Free of toxins • Low populations of pathogens • Resilient (resist degradation)

Page 6: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 7: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Soil Quality Enhancing Soil Quality Degrading organic material additions overharvesting plant growth bare fallow fibrous root systems of plants fire cool, humid climate hot, arid climate vegetative cover exposed soil minimal tillage operations intense tillage

erosion

Cultural and Environmental Factors Which Enhance/Degrade Soil Quality

Page 8: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

How do you build healthy soil?

Nurturing process: • Practices to add OM • Practices to minimize OM loss • Maintain good structure • Minimize tillage • Provide soil cover

Page 9: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

2. Test Your Soil. Don’t Guess!

Page 10: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Why Soil Test? • To evaluate

nutrient levels

• To determine soil pH

• To receive most appropriate recommendation for fertilizer & lime

• Economically prudent

• Environmentally responsible

Page 11: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Plant Nutrients

Page 12: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Brady & Weil, 1999

♦Affects nutrient availability (solubility)

♦Aluminum toxicity damages roots at low pH

♦Direct damage also possible at high pH

Effects of Soil pH

Page 13: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Plants have preferred pH ranges

Page 14: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 15: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 16: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Choosing Appropriate Fertilizer(s) • Should be based on soil test levels and plant needs

– Ratio of required nutrients will determine recommended grade

– May have to apply single-nutrient fertilizers

– Don’t rely on marketing (“Rose food”, “lawn fertilizer”)

• Read labels – Weed & Feed fertilizers have herbicide;

apply only to grass • Organic fertilizers

Page 17: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

3. Get the Nitrogen Right

Page 18: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 19: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Soil Test Fertilizer Recommendations include nitrogen requirements of your crop.

Nitrogen content is not part of the standard soil test.

The form of nitrogen that is available to plants, is short-lived in soil

Nitrogen recommendations are based primarily on seasonal crop requirements rather than on the actual nitrogen soil level

Page 20: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

4. Start a compost pile

Page 21: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

SOIL ORGANIC MATTER

Page 22: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Soil Organic Matter Effects

Page 23: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 24: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

5. Respect the underworld!

Page 25: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

In one teaspoon of “healthy” soil there should be: – 600 million bacteria – three miles of fungal hyphae – 10,000 protozoa – 20 to 30 beneficial nematodes in a teaspoon of soil

Dr. Elaine R. Ingham, Soil Food Web

Page 26: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 27: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Soil Ecology and Plant Nutrition

Page 28: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Selman Waksman • Waksman coined the term

antibiotics • It was at Rutgers that

Waksman's team discovered streptomycin and eomycin

• streptomycin being the first antibiotic to cure tuberculosis

• Dr. Waksman received the Nobel Prize for the discovery of streptomycin

Page 29: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

6. Mulch more. Dig Less!

Page 30: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

EXCESSIVE TILLAGE Aggregates break down

Increase erosion

Less water storage Less soil organisms

Fewer nutrients

Soil OM decreases

Surface compaction

More soil OM lost

Crop yield reduction

Page 32: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

7. Avoid traffic in growing areas.

Page 33: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Consequences of Compaction

Page 34: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 35: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

8. Plant a cover crop.

Page 36: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

What are Cover Crops? Cover crops are plants grown strictly to improve soil fertility and structure. Cover crops also provide insulation that keeps the soil cool in summer and warm in winter.’ What are Green Manures? Green manure is created when fresh cover crops are incorporated into the soil. Like cover crops, green manure increases the level of nutrients and organic matter in the soil. Cover Crops vs. Green Manure Cover crops are the actual plants Green manure is created when the green plants are plowed into the soil

Page 37: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 38: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Which Cover Crop is Right for You? Nutrient Scavengers

• Annual Ryegrass • Radish • Winter Cereal Rye • Oats

Nitrogen Producers

• Crimson Clover • Hairy Vetch • Austrian Winter Pea

Page 39: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

9. Crop Rotation!

Page 40: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 41: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research
Page 42: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Have A Plan

Page 43: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

10. Caveat emptor.

Page 44: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Where does ‘Topsoil’ come from?

Page 45: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Sustainability

Page 46: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

Sustainable Agriculture Research Education

Download a free copy at:

http://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/ Building-Soils-for-Better-Crops-3rd-Edition

WEB RESOURCES

Page 47: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

WEB RESOURCES Soil Testing for Home Lawns and Gardens http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/fs797/ Soil Sampling Instructions http://njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab/pdfs/home/Home_and_Landscape_-_Soil_Sampling_Instructions.pdf Soil Testing Questionnaire http://njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab/pdfs/home/Home_and_Landscape_-_Soil_Test_Questionnaire.pdf Nitrogen Basics http://nmsp.cals.cornell.edu/publications/factsheets/factsheet2.pdf

Page 48: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research

WEB RESOURCES Home Composting http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS811 Soil Organic Matter http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS1135 Improving Soil Quality By Increasing Organic Matter Content http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS1137 Cover Crops and Green Manure Crops: Benefits, Selection, and Use http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS849 Topsoil Suitable for Landscape Use http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS901

Page 49: Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil · Dirty Little Secrets: 10 Tips to Great Garden Soil . Karen A. Plumley, Ph.D. Soils Instructor, Rutgers Golf School . Research