Hill Gardens of Maine -- Successful Vegetable Gardening, Part 1

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The Success-Oriented Vegetable Gardener, Part 1—First, The Soil
by Fred Davis, MG, Hill Gardens of Maine (To view other articles, click: Archives)

Warning! This article—and those that follow in this series—may contain in-your-face "tough-talk" that, while enlightening, might also bruise a few egos and tromp on a few toes.
Tough....but, in my estimation, necessary.

Welcome through Fred's Garden Gate! Well, yes, it is a bit early to talk of planting peas in Maine; and no, I don’t believe anyone has spotted robins dragging worms from the ground. No, green isn’t the predominant color in lawns yet. . .fact is there aren’t even any lawns yet!

I don’t know about you but I’m ready to begin some serious thinking about next seasons' vegetable garden!

But in no time at all the howl of mowers and tillers will fracture the peace, and large clods of muck will be churned into small particles of garden soil. Well, maybe. Let’s look closely at soil—our garden’s foundation, what makes it “tick,” and the things gardeners do to nurture—or harm—garden soil.

The world's thin, somewhat exhausted and overworked layer of topsoil is really quite the interesting concoction. It’s made up of itsy-bitsy pieces of sand, clay, organic matter (“humus”), a few chemicals (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and a number of other “minor” elements), even tiny fragments of our past—rust particles, pieces of old buildings, residues of animals and people—plus air, water and lots of roots, pebbles, “bugs” and soil micro-organisms. Mixed together and allowed to quietly occupy its spot with minimal external disruption, soil is literally a living organism capable of supporting varied plant life.

I'm saddened when I see a novice gardener, after arriving at the decision to have a vegetable garden, go out into the middle of their backyard lawn, nibble away at the top 3 or 4 inches of grass and what they call "dirt" with a little home-size rototiller...then sprinkle on some fertilizer the use and function of which they have little or no concept... poke in a few bargain-price seeds...then, about two weeks later, stand—with shoulders drooping and expectations in tatters—next to what is in the process of returning to a somewhat rough and disorganized patch of "lawn" with a few scattered veggie seedlings fitfully struggling to out-compete a magnificent re-growth of invasive grasses, plantain and dandelions.

Complications arise when people do something which interferes with the normal scheme of things—plowing, trodding upon, over-fertilizing, applying dreadfully-dangerous substances to control (or attempt to control) a whole host of insect and disease invaders. All that, compounded by too little or two much water, fertilizer, tilling and other similar abuses, robs previously-healthy, vibrant, alive soil of its will or ability to survive. At that point, an ever-descending spiral usually ensues. Because seeds fail to sprout, plants seem to languish, and vegetables shrivel, pucker and rot, well-meaning gardeners dump on more fertilizer, attack the rapidly-expanding flocks of bugs with increasingly lethal chemicals...and the very last, almost desperate act is to call the Cooperative Extension for help. . .or to give up in utter frustration.

Don’t laugh...both you and I have seen it happen—sometimes a little closer to home than we prefer. But it doesn’t have to be that way! With just a little thought, effort, and coaching from your local expert or library, your vegetable (and flower) garden can be alive and healthy, producing an abundance of attractive and nutritious crops that will make you and your family happy and healthy—and make your garden the talk of the neighborhood.

Some straight-talk about "step-down" gardens

Valuable and hard-won garden topsoil left bare and unprotected during the hard times of winter suffers mightily! Rain pounds and grinds surface particles into a fine mud which quickly plugs the normal pores of healthy soil structure. Because water can no longer soak-in efficiently, it follows the path of least resistance...downhill and out of the garden, carrying with it organic matter and nutrition. When what's left dries out - still unprotected - wind scours away still more humus and important minerals. Gradually, over the years of such abuse, garden levels drop below surrounding uncultivated areas, becoming what I sadly refer to as "step-down gardens." Several step-down gardens are within walking distance of our home, representing only a fraction of the distressingly huge numbers across the country. Earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms abandon these plots, quite simply because there's little or nothing left there to eat other than artificial fertilizers - which must be applied because nothing would grow without chemical help. Such step-down gardens are almost always a light tan or khaki-colored and usually littered with coarse gravel and stones, finer soil particles and humus having long-since disappeared.

Truly healthy, alive and satisfyingly-productive garden soils are almost always higher than the surrounding uncultivated areas; they're dark chocolate color; they're teeming with beneficial soil organisms; they're the kinds of soil you could plunge your hand and forearm into with ease and pleasure. Don't try that in a step-down garden!

Most vegetable garden plants prefer deep, rich, dark and well-aerated soil. Soil particles need to be very much like crumbled cornbread and chocolaty-brown in color. Here’s a general guide: go grab a handful of soil from your garden and pinch a little between your thumb and finger. Does it feel “slippery?” Slippery soil is probably clay and will compact and perform poorly. Is it “gritty?” Gritty earth is likely somewhat sandy, will remain loose but won’t hold water or nutrition. What color is it? Pale tan soil is usually exceedingly low in organic matter and must be heavily fertilized to eke out a crop. Gray soil is most often a relatively poor clay, also with little organic matter and life. A medium brown color normally indicates the occasional addition of at least some type of organic matter (old manure, compost, leaves, rotted straw) and will usually grow an acceptable crop.

Soil which has been nurtured, loved, appreciated and kept alive is almost always that deep, chocolaty-brown we mentioned above. It produces juicy, succulent, vitamin- filled, satisfying and healthy crops. Huge carrots, wonderfully delicious sweet corn (two or three ears per plant!), abundant and perfect tomatoes, and baskets full of beans, peas and practically everything else you plant.

Healthy soil holds moisture because it’s loaded with organic matter; it doesn’t erode or blow away because it’s loaded with organic matter; it’s easy to cultivate because it’s loaded with organic matter; it has all the natural fertilizer it needs to produce a wonderful crop without buying bag after bag of the artificial stuff because it’s loaded with organic matter; plants are strong, insect-and-disease-resistant and have a pleasing, healthy-looking color because the soil is loaded with organic matter; it can be worked (without repeated bludgeoning with a rototiller) earlier and more efficiently because it’s loaded with organic matter. Hey. . .I think I’m beginning to see a pattern here!

The wonderful thing about it all: building healthy and productive garden soils costs less and takes no longer than coaxing dead ground into producing crops amidst a blanket of stones and a caustic bath of toxic chemicals.

Run down this checklist and bring life back into your soil:

—Wait until you can squeeze a handful of garden soil without dripping water on your shoe.

—Send a sample out for a soil test (the Cooperative Extension is there to help Find your local Extension Office.)

—Spread a liberal layer—three to four inches at least—of some form of organic material like old composted manure, fresh compost, shredded and rotted leaves, straw or washed seaweed over the surface. Compost naturally balances soil pH close to the correct level.

—If you have poor drainage, add a liberal amount of sand along with the organic matter. But never use sand in an attempt to break up heavy clay soils...it'll turn the slippery stuff into what looks and acts a lot like concrete. Coarse organic matter breaks up clay.

—Hand-spade or till it in (once) as deep as you are able. Twelve inches would be great! That's about the depth most spades can reach. Precious few garden-size roto-tillers can get any deeper than four or maybe five inches deep.

—Rake it out smooth without walking on it any more than needed.
—Vow to be a more attentive and responsible gardener this year...and do nothing which will bring harm to your soil—the most valuable asset your vegetable garden will ever have.

Jump to Veggies, Part 2 Understanding what makes up a plant.

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