Soil Health Basics

The key to healthy plants is healthy soil. By improving the quality of your soil you can quickly improve the health of your plants.

The components that make up soil are minerals, organic matter and air. With the correct proportions of each of these, it makes for a habitable environment for living organisms like worms and fungus. These living organisms, called soil life, are essential to plant health. They break down nutrients found within the soil into a form that can be consumed by plants’ roots.

The soil found throughout New England is extremely diverse. Even within your own yard it can be sand in one area and clay in another. Most soils whether they are sand, clay or somewhere in between, can be greatly improved by adding organic matter.

Organic Matter is partially decomposed plant matter. Although it accounts for only a small percentage, it is vital to the composition of healthy soil. It adheres to the minerals in the soil, forcing them to separate and creating pores for air, water and organisms to circulate throughout the soil. It’s full of nutrients, which are broken down by the soil life and consumed by your plants. It also absorbs water and retains it until your plants can utilize it.

At Mahoney’s, we offer dozens of products rich in organic matter like composts, manures and other amendments. We also offer soil additives like myccorhizae, which will increase the soil life. To learn more about what you can do to improve your soil, stop by and speak to one of our plant care experts.