It’s About Thyme
by CHRIS WINSLOW
“$1 into the soil;
10 cents into the plant”
Success in the garden begins with careful soil preparation. A simple rule to follow: Put your money and efforts into the soil, and the plants will follow.
Another way to look at it: Put a dollar into the soil and 10 cents into the plant. Most put 10 cents into the soil and a dollar into the plant. Which do you expect to have the best results?
Central Texas’s soils provide a great challenge. They range from black clay to limestone, rock and caliches. One extreme holds water forever, while the other dries out in less than a minute. One thing they all have in common: they lack organic matter.
The solution is simple: compost. Mixed liberally with the native soil, this is a reliable source of nutrients and humates which help to condition the soil. When you add it to clay, compost increases aeration and drainage. Add it to limestone, and it helps to retain moisture.
Compost can be made in the backyard or purchased ready to use. When getting started with a new vegetable garden or flower bed project it’s best to go with the ready-to-use.
(Backyard composting takes time to produce a useable product. The best time to start a backyard compost project is yesterday or even better – last month!)
When you buy ready-to-use compost, you’ll encounter a world of choices. Some are made from manure – mostly turkey or chicken – and other compost comes from decayed vegetative matter.
One of the best vegetative composts comes from the organic cotton fields near Lubbock. Cotton gin trash, the composted refuse from cotton processing, is a fine soil amendment.?You can even find this product with the addition of elemental sulfur to help neutralize the effects of our soil alkalinity.
Another highly effective compost comes from alfalfa. This composted legume is rich in humates and is one of the best soil additives available.
Mulching is another important soil enrichment process. Mulch is the blanket that goes over the surface of the planting bed. It helps to conserve soil moisture by slowing down evaporation and helps to moderate soil temperatures.
It keeps the soil warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Many a plant has been saved by a good layer of mulch.
Mulches break down over time and add to soil quality. Soft wood mulches such as pine decompose faster than hard wood mulches. Soft wood mulches need to be replaced more frequently, but help to build soil faster.
Mulches can be mixed with compost to make a “living” mulch with a dual purpose. This combination mulches and conditions the soil for your plants at the same time.
Soil in Central Texas is a big challenge. Lucky for us, there is a ton of options that can help us grow a successful garden.
Happy gardening everyone!
If you have a question for Chris, send it via email to iathyme@yahoo.com. Or mail a postcard to It’s About Thyme: 11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748 www.itsaboutthyme.com
