The Ideal Garden Soil

How to keep the microscopic creatures in your dirt happy so that they help you grow a great

garden.

History of amending the soil

• Ancient – river bank Flood areas, rock and mud slides – Egypt, under lake powell

• China/ Middle East ancient– animal manure

• French late 1700s - Bio Intensives, working the soil to incorporate nitrogen improved growth.

• 1800s – Justus VonLiebig (NPK) vs. Julius Hensel (Bread from stones)

Modern History of Nutrient Dense food

• Charles Northern, 1936 http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/modernmiraclemen.pdf “The alarming fact is that foods – fruits and vegetables and grains – now being raised on millions of acres of land that no longer contains enough needed minerals, are starving us – no matter how much of them we eat.”

• Alfred Howard/Lady Balfour

• J.J. Rhodale

• Rudolf Steiner

• William Albrect/Carey Reams

• Arden Anderson

• Unfortunately, in spite of many years of warnings, we have not made much progress.  “Highlights” from a 2004 study evaluating USDA food composition data of 43 garden crops between 1950 and 1999 show that as a group the vegetables contained:

• 16% less calcium

• 9% less phosphorus

• 15% less iron

• Protein down 6%,

• Vitamin B2 down 38%

• Vitamin C down 15%

• A 2009 study looking at declining nutritional values came to the following conclusion:  “Recent studies of historical nutrient content data for fruits and vegetables spanning 50 to 70 years show apparent median declines of 5% to 40% or more in minerals, vitamins, and protein in groups of foods, especially in vegetables.”

• …Robb Wolff

Today

The Basis of Nutrient Density

In order to grow nutrient dense food we need to be focusing on what nutrients are in the plants when we eat them, not shelf life,

transportability, yields by weight, or looks.

The Refractometer measures the brix level.

How do plants eat?

An athlete’s nutrition

• Carbohydrate

• Protien

• Fat

• Vitamins - 30 +

• Minerals – 50 +

Elements useful to the plant

Positive Major Elements

• Calcium• Magnesiu

m• Potassium• Sodium• Hydrogen

Negative Major Elements

• Sulfer• Phosphorus• Chlorine

Minor Elements

• Iron• Zinc• Manganese• Copper• Boron

Trace Elements

• Chromium• Cobalt• Iodine• Molybdenum• Selenium• Tin• Vanadium• Nickel• Flourine• Silicon

Macronutrients

Form in which Absorbed Important Roles/Functions Deficiency Symptoms

carbon CO2 major component of organic compounds; presence defines “organic”

rarely limiting as a nutrient; no specific symptoms

hydrogen H2O major component of organic compounds rarely limiting as a nutrient; no specific symptom

oxygen H2O, O2 major component of organic compounds rarely limiting as a nutrient; no specific symptoms

nitrogen NO3−, NH4

− part of amino acids, proteins, nucleotides, nucleic acids, chlorophylls, coenzymes

chlorosis; severe cases: turn yellow, die; some plants turn purple as anthocyanins accumulate in vacuoles; nutrient most likely to be deficient in soil

potassium K+ involved in osmosis, ionic balance, opening and closing of stomata; activator of enzymes; necessary for starch formation

weak, spindly stems and roots; older leaves especially affected—mottled with dead spots along margins and dead tips; roots more susceptible to disease

calcium Ca2+ component of middle lamella of cell walls; enzyme cofactor; involved in membrane permeability; component of calmodulin (regulator of membrane and enzyme activities)

root and shoot tips die; young leaves and shoots most affected, die back at tips and margins first

phosphorus component of ATP and ADP (essential energy-carrying compounds), nucleic acids, several essential coenzymes, phospholipids of membranes

stunted growth of whole plant; dark green color; antho cyanins accumulate in vacuoles giving purple tinge to leaves; second most-likely nutrient to be deficient in soil

magnesium Mg2+ center of chlorophyll molecule; activator of many enzymes

leaf tips and margins turn upward on mostly older leaves; chlorosis, mottling, some dead spots and reddish color of leaves

sulfur SO42− component of some amino acids, proteins,

and coenzyme A; can be absorbed through stomata as gaseous SO2

young leaves with chlorosis between the veins: sulfur is rarely limiting

Micronutrients

Form in which Absorbed Important Roles/Functions Deficiency Symptoms

iron Fe2+ or Fe3+ required for chlorophyll synthesis; component

of cytochromes and nitrogenase (important in respiration and photosynthesis)

short, slender roots; chlorosis between the veins in leaves

zinc Zn2+ activator or component of several enzymes; involved in auxin synthesis, maintenance of ribosome structure

leaf size and internodal length much reduced; leaf margins deformed; chlorosis between veins, especially in older leaves

molybdenum

MoO42+ required for nitrogen fixation and nitrate

reduction (nitrate reductase)chlorosis starting in older leaves and progressing to younger; death of interveinal areas and then of whole leaf

boron influences Ca2+ utilization, formation of nucleic acids, maintenance of membranes; essential for growth of pollen tubes

young tissues most affected; apical meristems die; root tips swollen and discolored; young leaves yellow at base, twisted

copper Cu2 or Cu2+ activator of enzymes, present in some; involved in oxidation-reduction

wilting and twisting of dark green young leaves; often with numerous dead spots on blades; copper is rarely deficient

manganese Mn2+ activator of enzymes, required for O2 release

in photosynthesis, integrity of the chloroplast membrane; electron transfers

interveinal chlorosis and dead spots; thylakoid membranes disintegrate

chlorine Cl− involved in water balance (osmosis), ionic balance; probably essential in photosynthetic O2−-releasing reactions

leaves wilt; turn reddish bronze in color; chlorosis, dead spots; stunted roots with abnormal thickening near tips

nickel Ni essential part of enzyme in nitrogen metabolism

leaf tips with dead spots

Plants need nutrients

• Nitrogen

• Phosphorus

• Potassium

• Elements – 14 to 23 the plant requires.

• Trace Elements – plants can store in bioavailable form for human use.

Science In Agricultureby Arden B. Andersen, Ph.D.

The Ideal Soil: A Handbook for The New AgricultureBy Michael Astera

Recommended Readings

www.soilandhealth.org

What are we doing and why?

• Soil Test- Law of minimums…Find the right balance….

• Adding bacteria and bacteria food (compost, manure, aerated compost tea, sugars in the soil)

• Mycorrhizae

• Slow watering

• Deep dug beds that maintain soil stratification.