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The foundation of any garden, be it organic, container, square foot – whatever, is it’s soil but how many of us actually understand how these soils develop into the different types we have in our garden – mine is almost solid clay.  It is my frequent mutter that you could take a spade of soil and dump it straight onto the Potter’s Wheel!

Soil is created from the primeval actions of the earth in its growth and development.  Formed of rock mixed with vegetable and animal material over eons of time it becomes the friable and crumbly humus we like to have in our gardens. As the rocks moved and collided they were gradually ground down to form the fine particles that we associate with our soil, and so it still goes on.  Many of the particles dissolve in water and are mixed with the decaying biological material to form a slurry that eventually dries out and is deposited as soil.

During the formation of the earth much of the slurry that was created  went through a great deal more before it became the soil we treasure today.  Often the dissolved rock would be compressed and subject to huge temperature changes which reformed it at a molecular level.  The effect of heat, cold and weather caused more crumbling and eventually those rocks would break down as well.  This mechanical action would form relatively large particles of mixed animal, vegetable and mineral matter akin to the sandy soils which are so easy to work and which have such good drainage properties.

Clay Soils, with which I am only too familiar, are formed in a slightly different way.  The rock from which it was formed is attacked by acids in the atmosphere, mainly generated from Carbon Dioxide. This produces a chemical change, rather than the mechanical one which produces gritty, sandy soils.  Vast amounts of water are required to create this kind of chemical change and the resulting mud based soils.  This also has a dramatic effect on the way the soil behaves when it is waterlogged.  Gritty, soils allow the water to flow through but clay flocculates, or flows together, and forms lumpy masses so however much other material you work into it, it will always be clumpy.

Soil Acidity is also critical to the well being of your garden.  Many plants are tolerant of high or low acidity, though there are some which are not.  For example if you want your Blue Hydrangeas to stay blue then you need an acidic soil with a low pH value.   The acidity of the soil affects the solubility of nutrients and their availability to the plants, highly acidic soils can have high concentrations of iron and aluminum which will be toxic for a number of plants.  Acidity is caused by rainwater leaching away alkaline minerals, the decay of organic material and the formation of weak organic acids within the soil.  This acidity can be counteracted by using lime bearing soil additives in just the same way that you would add composts and soil conditioners to sandy soils.

The quality of your garden depends on the quality of your soil and how you care for it, so it is wise to be aware of the type and condition of the soil when planning and planting your garden.

Lizzie Westerley has spent many pleasurable years developing her garden and her gardening skills.  You can find more of her insights and information on how to make your garden equally magnificent at http://www.gardencuttings.com More information on Good Garden Soil

Compost, made from decomposed grass clippings, leaves, twigs, and branches, becomes a dark, crumbly mixture of organic matter.

Learn how composting works. Even a newbie to composting can make good quality compost. It can be compared to cooking as art or part science. The following 7 factors will help you master the art of composting.

1. Materials
After a time anything that was once alive will naturally decompose. But, not all organic items should be composted for the home. To prepare compost, organic material, microorganisms, air, water, and a small amount of nitrogen are needed.

These items are safe to compost at home:
* grass clippings
* trimmings from hedges
* vegetable scraps
* leaves
* potting soil that has grown old
* twigs
* coffee filters with coffee grounds
* tea bags
* weeds that have not went to seed
* plant stalks

These items are Not safe to compost at home:
* weeds that have went to seed
* dead animals
* pet feces
* bread and grains
* meat
* grease
* cooking oil
* oily foods
*diseased plants

2. What To Do To Make It Work
There are small forms of plant and animal life which break down the organic material. This life is called microorganisms. From a minute amount of garden soil or manure comes plenty of microorganisms.

Nitrogen, air, and water will provide a favorable environment for the microorganisms to make the compost. Air circulation and water will keep the microorganisms healthy and working. The nitrogen feeds the tiny organisms. You may have to add a small amount of nitrogen to the pile.

Putting on too much nitrogen can kill microbes and too much water causes insufficient air in the pile. You just cannot add too much air.

3. Beneficial Microorganisms
Bacteria are the most effective compost makers in your compost pile. They are the first to break down plant tissue. Then comes the fungi and protozoans to help with the process. The arthropodes, like centipedes, beetles, millipedes and worms, bring in the finishing touches to complete the composting.

4. Smaller is Better
The materials will break down faster if the microorganisms have more surface area to eat. Chopping your garden materials with a chipper, shredder, or lawnmower will help them decompose faster.

5. Size of The Pile
The activity of millions of microorganisms generates heat in the compost pile but a minimum size 3-foot by 3-foot by 3-foot is needed for a hot, fast composting pile. Piles that are any larger may hamper the air supply needed in the pile for the microorganisms.

6. Moisture and Aeration
If you can imagine a wet squeezed out sponge with its many air pockets, then this would be the ideal enviroment for the microorganisms in the pile to function at their best. Pay attention while your pile is composting, to the amount of rain or a drought you may have. Water in a drought and maybe turn the pile in a lot of rainy days. The extremes of these two may upset the balance of the pile. The use of a pitchfork would come in handy at this time.

7. Temperature and Time
Keep your pile between 110F and 160F and the beneficial bacteria will love it. Not too cool nor too hot.
The temperature will rise over several days if you keep a good ratio of carbon and nitrogen, maintain lots of surface area within a large volume of material, and maintain adequate moisture and aeration.

-Importance of Compost-

+Compost has nutrients, but it is not a complete fertilizer.

+Compost provides nutrients in the soil until plants need to use them.

+ It loosens and aerates clay soils

+ Retains water in sandy soils.

-Using the Compost-

+ A soil amendment, mix 2 to 5 inches of compost into gardens each year before planting.

+ A potting mixture, add one part compost to two parts potting soil.

+ Make your own potting mixture by using equal parts of compost and sand or perlite.

+ A mulch, prodcast 2 to 4 inches of compost around annual flowers and vegetables, and up to 5 inches around your trees and shrubs.

+ A top dressing, mix finely sifted compost with sand and sprinkle evenly over lawns.

The final thing I would suggest once you have mastered the art of composting is to look very seriously at making your very own aerated compost tea. This elixir will give you results that are hard to believe.

Basic Info for Organic Gardening

Article Source: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com