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Plants & Farm StoriesFeb 18, 2025
3 Things to Know About Soil Health
Where we might see only dirt, farmers see much more. The right soil can make or break your success in growing plants, whether on a windowsill, in your backyard garden, or on a commercial farm like ours. As the land begins to thaw and nature wakes up for spring, our farmers are focused on soil health. From amending the soil with compost and organic fertilizer to planting cover crops and blending a custom soil mix, they spend a good deal of time ensuring our plants have what they need to take root and thrive.
Read on to learn more about soil health – and how you can apply the same principles to your own garden.
Basic Components of Healthy Soil Biology:
45%
minerals
(sand, silt, clay)
25%
air
25%
water
5%
organic matter
as food source for soil organisms
Soil Is Bursting with Life
The top two inches of soil is where 70% of beneficial bacteria reside - with 800+ billion microbes in a single pound of soil.
The soil needs to provide plenty of air, water, and food to give a good home to the beneficial nematodes, protozoa, earthworms, and mycorrhizal fungi. Soil should have at least 2-5% organic matter from dead/decaying organisms and 25% of soil should be porous to provide oxygen for microbial respiration. A 25% moisture content in your soil ensures water is always available to sustain life underground.
Soil Type Matters
Potting Soil: A generic term for soil used in containers; may contain dirt, compost, and other organic materials but often lacks proper aeration and drainage.
Potting Mix: Soilless blend of peat moss, bark, perlite, and vermiculite; lightweight, sterile, and ideal for potted plants due to excellent drainage and aeration.
Garden Soil: Amended natural soil designed for in-ground gardening; combines topsoil with organic matter and nutrients to enhance structure and fertility.
Topsoil: The uppermost soil layer rich in organic matter, available nutrients, and soil dwelling organisms.
You Can Create Custom Blends
Every bountiful crop begins with healthy young seedlings, and it all starts in the greenhouse. One of the keys to our success is planting our seeds into a robust potting soil blend. Try doing the same with your garden this year and see what a difference it makes!
To Create Your Own Soil Blend:
Combine two (5-gallon) buckets of Coconut coir/fiber, one (5-gallon) bucket compost, 1 (5-gallon) bucket pumice and 3 cups of all-purpose organic fertilizer. Blend completely and use this for all starts as well any up-potting of plants into larger containers.