Soil management is applying various processes and practices to promote and maintain soil health and ensure plant health. Farmers and those in the agricultural industry manage soil to maintain crop health. Homeowners can also take advantage of this service to keep their properties pristine and their landscapes healthy and valuable. Managing soil is ultimately about creating and maintaining the conditions that meet plants’ essential needs, and is an area of plant health care (PHC).
Plant nutrients and organic matter are especially crucial factors for soil and are often a significant element of soil management practices. Plants need certain nutrients like phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium to stay healthy. Organic matter improves the soil’s capacity to hold water, helps keep the soil aerated so roots can grow, promotes biological activity, and helps fight pests. Knowing how rocky the soil is or the soil’s pH balance, is also crucial to determining how to properly care for the soil and the plants in a landscape.
Soil Testing
The first step involved in soil management is to test the soil and analyze its current condition. Soil testing provides information such as nutrient levels and organic matter. A landscape professional needs to develop and tailor plans to a particular area to most effectively address the soil’s needs. Landscape professionals test the soil to figure out what those needs are. The test results influence the overall plan and some of the specific strategies a landscape professional will use.
Adding Plant Nutrients & Organic Matter
Nutrients and organic matter are vital to the soil, and depending on the test results of a property, adding these two elements is a significant aspect of soil management. Landscape professionals have many options when adding nutrients or organic matter to the soil. Fertilizers and lime are used to supplement plant needs. Lime contains magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate, which can increase pH and decrease soil acidity. Composting is an excellent way of adding organic matter to the soil.
Other soil management techniques and practices include the following:
- Mulching around trees or flowers
- Irrigating
- Aerating
- Removing weeds
Soil is one of the most critical factors for your plants’ health, and a plant health care professional will manage your soil to keep your property beautiful.