Climate and Soil (II)
SOIL
Not all soils are equal.
It is important to know the ground to choose the plants best suited to each case.
Know how your garden soil. These are the main features:
1. Texture
2. Depth
3. Drainage
4. pH
5. Humus content and mineral nutrients
6. Saline soil and water
1. Texture
Sandy soil, clay or fine (the ex is intermediate, or sandy or clay).
Sandy soils (think of the beach sand as an extreme case) are dry and poor in nutrients. Drain very well, does not become waterlogged, but they dry too quickly and you have to irrigate and fertilize enough.
The lawns are doing just fine sandy soil and most plants of dry or sub-desert climates, such as Cacti and other succulent plants native Mediterranean …
Clay soils are heavy styling, with a tendency to compact and poorly drained. One positive feature is that they are rich in nutrients (they have large “pockets”).
The texture can be determined with the hands, if it is clay or sandy. See the “Method of Churrito” for texture.
Apart from choosing the most suitable species is recommended to improve both soil types. Both sandy and clay soils are improved by providing organic matter: compost, mulch, compost, peat, humus, etc., 1 to 3 kg per m2 mixed with soil. Organic matter gives cohesion to the sandy soils and clay soils sponge.
If the soil is heavy clay, as well as organic matter is also recommended distributing river sand, between 15 and 30 kg/m2.
2. Depth
Sometimes there is not traversable by hard rock roots, for example, 40 cm. deep, or a compacted layer of clay, rubble, concrete … This is bad because it impedes root development. The more soil the roots have extended without limitations, plus size reach the plants.
Dig a hole with a spade and see if there is a hard layer or not.
If it is shallow, many trees and shrubs do not thrive properly, it will be dwarfed by this cause. Provides soil.
List of trees and palms for soils with limited thickness of soil to the roots.
3. Drainage
Clay soils tend to puddle, which rots the roots. Although not all clay soils drain poorly. Attention to the lowlands, where water accumulates.
The drainage is tested by filling a hole with water and observing the time it takes to “suck.”
If there is poor drainage, choose species that can withstand these conditions better suffocating. Check the list previously suggested for clay soils.
The fruit are very sensitive to waterlogging.
There are mixtures of grass more resistant to excess water.
Poor drainage improvement with some of these measures:
- Install drainage pipes.
- Provide outstanding at the ground to avoid puddles.
- Provide sand: about 2 to 3 cubic meters or more per 100 m2.
- Provide soil organic matter: the air, sponge.
Source: http://articulos.infojardin.com/articulos/diseno-jardin-clima-suelo.htm
image source: www.scientificamerican.com/media/inline/global-soil-map-agriculture-climate-change_1.jpg