Soil Science for Gardeners: Working with Nature to Build Soil Health(Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series)

Build healthy soil and grow better plants Robert Pavlis, a gardener for over four decades, debunks common soil myths, explores the rhizosphere, and provides a personalized soil fertility improvement program in this three-part popular science guidebook. Healthy soil means thriving plants. Yet untangling the soil food web and optimizing your soil health is beyond most gardeners, many of whom lack an in-depth knowledge of the soil ecosystem. Soil Science for Gardeners is an accessible, science-based guide to understanding soil fertility and, in particular, the rhizosphere – the thin layer of liquid and soil surrounding plant roots, so vital to plant health. Coverage includes: Soil biology and chemistry and how plants and soil interact Common soil health problems, including analyzing soil's fertility and plant nutrients The creation of a personalized plan for improving your soil fertility, including setting priorities and goals in a cost-effective, realistic time frame. Creating the optimal conditions for nature to do the heavy lifting of building soil fertility Written for the home gardener, market gardener, and micro-farmer, Soil Science for Gardeners is packed with information to help you grow thriving plants.

Table of Contents:
Introduction What Is Soil Health? Using the Book Terminology SECTION 1: UNDERSTANDING SOIL 1. Soil Basics     Components of Soil     Origin of Soil     Soil Particles     Soil Texture     Importance of Particle Size     Air and Water     Aggregation and Soil Structure     Soil pH 2. Plant Nutrients     Ions     What Is Salt?     Movement of Nutrients in Soil     Essential Plant Nutrients     Micronutrients     Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC) 3. Soil Life     Energy Food Web     The Power of Large Molecules     Ratio of Fungi to Bacteria     Chemicals in the Soil     Pathogen Control     Identification of Microbes 4. Bacteria     What Do They Eat?     Where Do They Live?     Role in Disease Prevention     Ideal Environment     Role in Building Soil Aggregates     Conditions that Harm Bacteria     Nitrogen Fixation 5. Fungi     What Do They Eat?     Where Do They Live?     Fungi at War     Fungal Parasites     Mycorrhizal Fungi 6. Other Organisms     Actinomycetes     Algae     Protozoa     Nematodes     Arthropods     Earthworms 7. Organic Matter     Decomposition: Converting Dead Things into Humus     Truth About Humus     Too Much Organic Matter     Compost     Chelation 8. Rhizosphere     Root Exudates     Soil Enzymes     Effect of Desiccation     Soil pH Levels     Dynamic Microbe Population     Allelochemicals     Plants Are in Control SECTION 2: SOLVING SOIL PROBLEMS 9. Identifying Soil Problems     Why Do We Fertilize?     Soil Testing     Plants as Indicators of Soil Problems     Plant Tissue Analysis     DIY Test Kits     Determining Soil Texture     Crusted Soil     Quantification of Microbes     Level of Organic Matter     Compaction     Hardpan     Drainage 10. Gardening Techniques That Affect Soil     Tilling     Working the Land     Mulching     Hoeing     Cover Crops     Raised Bed Gardening     Crop Rotation     Companion Planting 11. Solving Chemical Issues     Buffer Capacity     Increasing pH     Decreasing pH     Saline and Sodic Soils     Increasing CEC     Synthetic vs Organic Fertilizers     Understanding Fertilizers     Synthetic Fertilizers     Organic Fertilizers     Fad Products 12. Solving Microbe Issues     Inoculation     Solarization     Controlling Pathogens     Compost Tea     Best Practice for Increasing Microbe Populations 13. Increasing Organic Matter     Options for Adding Organic Matter     Cover Crops     Vermicompost     Bokashi Compost     Biochar     Biosolids 14. Dealing with Structural Problems     Compaction     Drainage Issues     Modifying Soil Texture     Clay Soils     Sandy Soils SECTION 3: A PERSONALIZED PLAN FOR HEALTHY SOIL 15. Developing a Plan for Soil Health Improvement 16. How Detailed Should You Get? 17. Soil Health Assessment     Chemical Tests     Soil Sampling Instructions 18. Soil Health Action Plan     Soil Health Assessment     Action Plan     Action Plan Follow-up Appendix A: Soil Health Assessment Form Appendix B: Action Plan for the Year Index About the Author About New Society Publishers

About the Author :
Robert Pavlis has been an avid gardener for over four decades. He is the owner and developer of Aspen Grove Gardens, a 6-acre botanical garden that features over 3,000 varieties of plants. Specializing in soil science, he has been an instructor for Landscape Ontario and is a garden blogger, writer, and chemist. The author of Building Natural Ponds, Pavlis is a well-known speaker whose audiences include Master Gardener groups, horticultural societies, orchid societies, and garden shows such as Canada Blooms and the FarmSmart conference. He teaches gardening fundamentals at the University of Guelph and garden design for the City of Guelph, Ontario, where he currently resides. www.gardenmyths.com www.gardenfundamentals.com www.youtube.com/Gardenfundamentals1