Types Of Soil Moisture Sensors

But again, a soil test will tell you your pH and how much of what amendment to add—never guess. Proper soil pH, which creates a healthy environment in which plants can grow, gives the farmer his or her best shot at high yields.

Alternatives: Rake up and use the grass cuttings from your yard. Know the source of your manure, if you use it, and ask what they are feeding, where the animals are grazing and what has been sprayed there.

When adjusting your soil's pH, add only the recommended amount of any product as indicated by a soil test to make an effective pH change without going too much in the opposite direction.

Although organic matter can improve your soil's ability to retain nutrients, this particular measurement is hard to change significantly. Adding compost is one simple and effective way to add organic matter (and plant food to boot).

Cold weather and the holidays mean you'll likely be starting off the new year with plenty of wood ash, wine corks and the liquid byproduct of all those adult beverages. They've donated their essentially sterile urine—ammonia kills pathogens—for use...

These raw materials don't break down as fast, thus allowing for long-term availability in soil. Don't add wood chips to vegetable gardens if you can help it, though they do work well in paths.

Sunflowers Marcel Sigg/Flickr One of my favorite memories from visiting family in North Dakota is standing on the top of a grain silo, looking over miles of sunflowers ( Helianthus annuus ) in bloom.

I hefted two identical bunches of carrots at the grocery store the other day, both firm and bright orange with a tousled top of vibrant green leaves; however, one was labeled organic and the other conventionally grown.

Soil-less Container Mix 1/2 cubic yard sphagnum peat moss 1/2 cubic yard vermiculite 10 pounds bone meal 5 pounds limestone 5 pounds blood meal 3. To make your own potting soil, tailor the ingredients you use in your mix to how you will be using it.

The water that drains down to the water table can percolate into groundwater to replenish our aquifers or flow laterally to feed streams and rivers during the dry summer months. Soil is the backbone of our farms, and something we need to pay careful attention...

Cornell University says that just adding more mulch to “freshen the look” not only wastes mulch but can suffocate the roots of shallow-rooted species and cause cankers to develop around the bases of susceptible trees and shrubs.

For best yields, add mature compost to the planting area first. Mulch In order for most mulches —especially those made from sawdust or soft wood—to break down, they need nitrogen.

In the spring, I used this old soil to pot up divisions of hostas, daylilies and other perennials to share with friends. The technique utilizes layers of organic matter to create a new planting bed right on top of existing sod.

To clean up the dirt, I pass it through my big green sifter. Two of my favorite tools are my soil sifters. Me, I'll be busy today liberating another piece of my garden from the Rock and Stone troops.

If amending the soil is like making sure your plants have enough food to eat, then foliar feeding is like giving your plants a shot of liquid vitamins. Adding an amendment your plants don't need wastes money and can lead to compounded nutrient problems,...

Text by Kelly Wood/Photos by Rhoda Peacher Growing in raised beds has many advantages: It can be easier on aging backs and knees, and the soil conditions inside a raised bed can easily be kept optimal.

There's nothing more critical to the success or failure of a farm or garden than its soil. Stir the soil once or twice during that time to allow it to dry out a bit. For all soil tests, it's important to obtain a representative soil sample.

The Magnesium levels were on the very high side of the scale.I contacted the owner of one of the better rose nurseries in the area. Nitrogen is transit in soil, that is it moves through the soil quickly and levels change at a rapid pace.One last note,...

The resultant walls are pretty strong even though the concrete is really only about 8 to 10 inches thick in most places. I'll also knock the fronts out of a few bottles on the top row and fill the space with dirt so I can plant hanging things that will...

They're obviously not based on hard science, but they often come from observations that have been passed through generations. Iron also plays a role in the respiratory function of plants, where they convert carbon dioxide to oxygen.

Corn is projected to be the crop most affected by this phenomenon, mainly because the 50-degree soil temperatures it requires to develop are only present half as far north as they were last year.

Lime is best incorporated into the soil, but if you're applying it to an already-established area, it can be watered in by rainfall or irrigation. Even the poorest soils can be improved to yield a productive crop by adding beneficial amendments, which...

In the end, the best approach to maintaining healthy soil is a mixture of observation, soil testing, care and a dedication to the fact that soil is a living, breathing resource that, if treated accordingly, will never stop producing for you.

Trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere, and a 48 to 50 percent of their aboveground woody tissue is constituted of such. Lynsey Grosfield Using wood in the garden can take a variety of forms, most of which depend on size.

The reason for this, at least in most parts of the country, is that raised beds dry out faster. First, of course, it's important to point out that not everyone grows in, nor perhaps likes, semi-permanent raised beds.

Only plant seeds that you would other-wise transplant, Patterson says, and follow any seed-packet instructions for presoaking or scarification. Otherwise, once you have strong seedlings, you can place the entire block into the garden, spacing according...

Whether you choose to use it as a top-dressing or till it into the soil, just a few inches of organic matter added once or twice a year supplies all the nutrients plants need for optimum growth.