The Dirt on Soil
First, the pH of your soil is important. Bonsai trees love an
acidic grow medium, one with a pH level between 4.0 and
5.5. The soil I used—some leftover alkaline soil in the wrong
bag—wasn’t the right type or nearly acidic enough. With a pH
of over 7.0, it prevented the tree from absorbing the nutrients.
Now, if my soil had been only slightly off the pH mark, there
is a world of simple solutions readily available to restore
balance. There just wasn’t any saving myself this time.
Secondly, the new soil I used was the wrong texture. Soil
texture changes depending on the ratio of its main compo-
nents—clay, sand, and silt. A balanced combination of these
three makes for a general or everyday soil often referred to as
loam. Loam, which is gritty and sticky to the touch, is easy to
work in and is free draining.
Clay and silt soils, on the other hand, are dense and not gritty.
They can be easily rolled into a ball and they dry very hard.
They also hold water and nutrients well. Sometimes too well;
without proper drainage, water can collect in this soil causing
root-rot and other undesirable conditions. (For the record, this
is exactly what happened to my little tree. I used a clay soil,
and the excessive moisture retention eventually drowned the
roots.) Additionally, the density of clay soil makes for harder
work in the garden, takes longer to warm up after a cold winter,
and can prove difficult for certain plant’s roots to penetrate.
Sandy soils are light and airy. It feels gritty to the touch and
will fall apart while being rolled into a ball. A sandy soil works
well for those plants that require less watering as all the gaps
between the particles make for good drainage. However, its
porous composition also allows for the washing away of valu-
able nutrients. So, regular feeding is important.
There are also hybrid soils that can be identified with their
textures. Sandy loam forms a ball but breaks up easily, sandy
clay rolls into a ball with a rough and scratchy outer texture,
and silty loam has a slippery feel with a silky texture.
Well, there you have it. Before you plant or replace your soil,
go online and learn why kind of soil you need. If, unlike me,
you get the correct soil with the right texture, the proper
nutrients, and the right pH, you will avoid causing your
garden undue harm. Your plants will truly thrive, and you’ll
save yourself a lot of unnecessary work trying to nurse them
back to health.
“APPARENTLY,
ALL SOILS DON’T
ALWAYS WORK
FOR ALL PLANTS,
TREES, AND
VEGETABLES”
grow cycle
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