Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-22
Soil improvement
Structural Change With Whatever
Materials Are Available HELPS Some
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Gorden Editor

best plant growth. It is also
essential that they be incorpo.
rated to a suitable depth.
Obviously. the major part Of
the plant roots are in the upper
4 to 6 inches of the soil. How
ever, many bulbs, trees and
shrubs are much deeper rooted
and this should be taken into
consideration in the preparation
of the soil. Most gardeners in
preparing a bed for daffodils.
roses and lilies will dig the soil
to the necessary depth, 8 to IL
inches, and add such materials
as are needed to improve the
structure for the root systems
Of the plants.
It has been noted many times
over, that Kentucky bluegrass
makes a most luxuriant growth
when it gets into flower beds.
Perhaps this is an indication
that we ought to prepare the
soil for the lawn as carefully
as we do our flower beds. This
Is seldom practicable. About the
best we can do for the lawn is
to give it q good start and de-
pend upon dead grass roots and
applications of fertilizer and top
dressing to maintain the soil
structure. Some will use the new
mechanical devices that help to
crumble the soil beneath the
sod. Top dressings Of humus
material each season will do
much to maintain the soil struc-
ture and favorable growing con-
ditions for the grass plants and
many will follow that standard
practice.
Splash Erosion Effects.
In our flower beds and in other
cultivated areas, 1t Is indicated
by research that much can DO
done to maintain good soil struc-
ture through the use Of surface
mulches. This tends to protect
the soil from splash erosion"
the name used to describe the
churning of soil particles by fall
ing raindrops. The first result Of
the churning Is to seal the open
ings of the soil structure, the
second is to wash away the
smaller soil PARTICLES. A surface
mulch may be used to prevent
the raindrops from striking the
soil. For this purpose the mulch
need not be thick enough to stop
weed growth-as little as q ton
of straw per acre will do.
The home gardener may use
compost, peat moss or almost
any other form of humus to i'm
prove the structure Of the soil,
as well as to maintain it through
mulching. Raw materials, such
as fresh sawdust, straw or leaves.
will serve the purpose, but until
partially rotted, the bacteria
action on them drains nitro
egn from the soil. Unless this
is prevention through the addi-
ton of supplemental nitrogen.
the plants will suffer. How
ever. this may be the most
feasible method because Of
the availability of such materials
and the absence or high cost of
more desirable materials.
So far manure and sand have
not been mentioned. It takes a
great deal of sand to make an
appreciate change in the soil
structure-a layer several inches
thick If the structure is to be
improved to a depth of 4 to 6
inches. Mixing this volume of
sand with the soil is hard work
and is best done with power
equipment. Manure, in most
cases is not only expensive but
the weeds and small amount Of
plant food present make it Of
questionable value for such q
purpose. A few bales of alfalfa
hay would be just as effective for
soil Improvement. Heretofore.
we have tended to follow certain
practices which are hardly FEAST
BILE under modern conditions.
The important thing is to i'm
prove the soil with whatever ma.
terials are available with the
least cost and effort.