In response to a deluge of questions seeking advice on soil improvement, this week we will take a look at how to go about rescuing soil which has either been ‘used up’ or appears to be ‘un-plantable’.
Soil, whatever its type (sandy, clay, etc.), is a living, breathing entity which, just like human beings, requires careful nurturing — in the form of food, water and air — if it is to be actively healthy enough to operate as a successful growing medium for whatever type of plant you wish to cultivate. If not correctly cared for — this is a never ending process — it becomes sick and, again just like human beings, can actually die and ‘dead soil’ grows no plants.
There is an established trend, probably invented by malis and certainly perpetuated by them, that garden soil must be dug out, carted away and completely replaced very couple of years or so which, providing the soil is cared for, is not the case. One can only surmise that either malis have no basic understanding of soil or — and this is not a pleasant thought — that they make a profit for themselves in the process, possibly even selling used soil from one garden to an unsuspecting customer under the impression that it is ‘new’.
The richer the soil, the healthier the plants; but that doesn’t mean you have to change the soil
It could — and this is highly possible — be that a mali has all but killed the garden soil he is supposed to care for, by overuse of chemical interventions as, judging from experience and readers’ observations, Malis are addicted to using toxic chemical sprays as often as they can; plus, some of them insist on regular overdoses and chemical fertilisers too. Malis, it is important to understand, judge their success according to overall ‘show’: the size of flowers, greenness of grass, absence of weeds being their measure and they will try to persuade homeowners to spend absolute fortunes on nursery bought plants to help their own reputation along — few malis are content to sow seeds, tend them and await results. They want to impress you with ‘knowledge’ — sadly lacking in the majority — and dazzle you with ‘instant garden spectacles’ before demanding a pay rise!