Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Pego Rice <firekeeper38@yahoo.com>]

No doubt that soil test can render some useful information, however the soil exists in 4 dimensions and a soil test barely exceeds 2.  What it does not tell is how vigorous the web of mycelium and bacteria is, releasing nutrients to the root, nor how deep the roots that grow in and near your garden travel to bring out a different set of more minerally nutrients.  These soil tests test only the surface of things, but a tree or a carrot goes further, brings to the surface something else.

 

This, I think, is why experience is so critical, speaking as someone who had to start from scratch. 

 

Yours, Pego

 

<<I suspect timing is a factor here as well, all of these nutrients cycle (become more or less available) depending on temperature, ambient light, soil physics and so on. These days I'm more curious about getting soils tested for bacterial population densities which also cycle depending on soil moisture content , temperature , etc. Still the best tool I think for me is just looking at it and smelling it, particularly when its wet.