#Soil Triangle

Mollisols! Grassland soils! This is one of the 12 types of soil! #soil #usdasoiltaxonomy #SoilNotDirt

After building many raised beds over the years, trying different materials and approaches, this is the method that’s worked best me. Layering wood, organic matter, minerals, and living inputs in a way that works with the natural processes already happening our soil. It holds moisture, feeds itself as it breaks down, and becomes more alive with each season. Nothing here is complicated, but the way it’s put together matters. It’s finesse ✨🌿 You’re not just filling a raised bed. You’re building a living system. #hugelkultur #livingsoil #regenerativegardening #growyourownfood #raisedbeds

DON’T let having clay or sandy degraded soils hold you back from starting a garden bed in ground!! I started out with Colorado hard pan clay here at the farm; it had been used as a mechanical repair site and had been driven over with heavy equipment, resulting in soil almost like cement. I thought I needed to bring in dump trucks of compost to amend the soil and create raised beds. The first year I did just that resulted in beds with excess phosphorus levels and salinity (common when using purchased compost as an amendment). I used plastic mulch as weed prevention, which further damaged the soil. It felt wrong. So I started teaching myself better ways. Ways that synced with nature and used seeds and plants to heal the soil, alongside natural organic matter that I sourced locally from whatever I could scrounge up for free. Five years later my soil is thriving. I have no fungal issues with my plants, no disease and very few pests. My ecosystem has balanced and it all begins with the soil. So many gardeners think we can’t grow in our own native soil, that buying in bagged soils will result in better gardens. But that can not only be untrue, it also creates unnecessary strain on our planet’s resources. Of course there are always exceptions such as contaminated soils or rock, or even mobility issues that can facilitate the need for raised beds, but if you have clay or sandy soils and not a ton of money to buy in bagged soils—don’t despair and don’t let it hold you back. Start with what you have. ❤️ We have a YouTube video hitting today discussing this in depth so head over there to learn more or hit me with your questions and thoughts here! (UPDATE: video is live, comment “regen” to get the link directly!) #garden #gardening #regenerative #soilhealth #microfarm #homestead #backyardfarm (Broadfork linked in bio!)

A little lesson on soil erosion for you! #environmentalscience #soilerosion #environmentaltechnician #climateaction

👇 Soil isn’t a thing… We commonly think about soil as just an inert object that we can squirt fertilizers onto. We measure the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium with great detail. We add more lime if the magnesium levels are low. We perform reductive soil tests, determine deficiencies and then pump the soil full of fossil fuel-derived synthetic fertilizers to correct small imbalances. But what if this entire paradigm (the NPK mentality) just fundamentally misunderstands what soil actually is? Soil is not a thing. It’s a process. The more soil science progresses, the more we come to understand that soil is actually a very complex process. It’s an entire ecosystem with trillions upon trillions of players. Bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods and even birds and rodents have vital parts to play in cycling nutrients. All of these soil creatures eat organic matter, or eat each other. And in doing so, they create a dynamic, living system that can’t be reduced to NPK readings. What this means for you as a gardener or farmer? Your plants will have reduced pest and disease pressure. Your soil will hold water better. Your vegetables will have higher nutrient and mineral quality. Your weed pressure will go down. Your soil will improve every single year. Your costs will approach $0 as inputs can be decreased over time, not INCREASED like with synthetic fertilizers. Your wildlife will appreciate it and you’ll get to live in a more beautiful space that is integrated with nature. Your plants will never be nutrient or mineral deficient in this soil because the bacteria and fungi cycle the nutrients and minerals directly to the plants EXACTLY when they need them. Comment “root exudates” if you’re curious about how this works. It’s actually mind blowing. Here’s the 5 (and a bonus) most important tools to build beautiful soil: 1. Compost 2. Cover crops 3. No-till 4. Deep mulch 5. Aerated compost tea 6. Chop and drop (dynamic accumulators) Do these things, and watch beautiful vegetables grow themselves. 🎼 Music by me and @elliottisaac_ What video do YOU want me to make next? #permaculture #notill #growveggies #marketgardener #backyardgarden

Soil Profile | All in one Shot #agriculture #mcaer #mpsc #ibps #agristudents

LOAM! Read my next post for what to do with the percentages! This is not a complete and official soil composition test, but it gives you a really good picture of it! I would also suggest digging deeper than the 6” I did…8” would probably be best. And it would be a good idea to try this for different areas of your yard too! Here were my measurements (I did it in millimeters because they’re just more accurate) Total layers: 54mm Sand layer: 25mm Silt layer: 22mm Clay layer: 7mm So….. 46% sand 41% silt 13% clay (Much different than I was guessing!) LOAM! My next post will show the soil triangle and how to use it 🙂 #soiltypes #soiltest #soilcomposition #loam #claysoil #sandysoil #silt #soilhealth #diygardenprojects #gardenexperiment #gardenreels #gardenreel #naturereel #diyreels #backyardfood #growfoodnotlawns #zone9b #soilscience #soilbuilding #soilmatters #growfood #selfsufficiency #backyardfood #nodiggarden #notillgardening #sonomacountysoil #californiasoil #sonomacountygarden

Ok, here it is—if you can only get ONE soil blocker, I recommend the 1.75” (what I call the mama bear). Most things won’t ever outgrow them or need potting up! But if you start lots of different size seeds like we do, you might want this trilogy of blockers! In the 3/4” we start things that are hard to germinate like Lisianthus or things that have a poor germination rate so we don’t waste a lot of space if they don’t grow. Things like poppies and larkspur that we only germinate quickly before planting our also go in these! The 1.75” is the most user friendly. They don’t dry out as quickly! Almost everything else goes into these so I never have to bother with potting up. Into the 2” go things like sweet peas (extensive root systems), tomatoes and peppers that grow quickly and need lots of room. Interested in learning more? Click the link in our bio for our free two-part soil blocking class on YouTube! #Garden #Gardening #GardenersOfInstagram #GardenersOfIG #PlasticFree #zeroplastic #SustainableGardening #RegenerativeGardening #RegenerativeAgriculture #zerowaste #betterhomesandgardens #magnolia #soil #seedstarting #soilblocking #soilblocks

Types of soil in India #EDU_TET0001

I’d 100% recommend doing the RHS l2 if you can, it’s 10/10 really! I’ll try and share some of my favourite things I’ve learned soon :)

You heard me right: if you have clay soil rototilling is one of the worst things you can do. It breaks up the clay soil particles which makes them compact MORE! Here’s a great alternative: use a broad fork (or a pitch fork) to create air pockets without disrupting the soil microclimate!

There are so many advantages of soil blocking. But often times people give up because they aren’t able to get those perfect blocks that hold their shape and hold up to watering. The moisture content of your seed starting mix is more important than the recipe of your mix itself. Too much water, they won’t stay in the blocker and actually form blocks. Too little water, the blocks will swell and fall apart when you bottom water your trays. The perfect amount of water is the key to getting perfect blocks every time. There’s a learning curve. If you’ve tried and failed…try again. And if you’ve never tried it…what are you waiting for??🌿 My blockers can be found in my “Amazon Favorites” in the link in my profile. Follow along for lots of seed starting tips as I get all my Fall and Winter veggies and flowers started. #garden #gardening #gardeninspiration #gardeninspo #soilblocks #soilblocking #flowers #cutflowers #cutflowergarden #cuttinggarden #flowerfarm #zone8a #northtexas #northtexasgarden #northtexasgardening