There is an entire ecosystem of billions of microorganisms in the top few inches of soil that work together to create healthy fertile soil. In the park visitor activity strips away (erodes) or crushes (compacts) that essential top layer of soil. We take steps during the winter months to improve the soil in the park. You can improve your soil as well by following our steps, listed below.
How to Nourish Your Soil
KNOW YOUR SOIL: Send samples of your soil to the Rutgers’ Soil Testing Laboratory, a wonderful service available to New Jersey Residents. The lab report gives detailed suggestions on how to amend your soil.
MIMIC NATURE: Take a look to determine your property’s needs. Is it open like a meadow or more of a woodland’s edge? Woodland soil is rich in organic matter, when we remove fallen leaves, we take away organic matter. On lawns if we take away grass clippings, we remove nutrients. Stopping these habits save time and improve the soil.
CONSIDER COMPOST: Adding a thin layer of compost works wonders for soil, air, structure and moisture retention. It provides plants nutrients. Applied once a year, you will see improvement. If you aren’t making your own compost, purchase it from a reputable source.
PROTECT TOP SURFACE SOIL: Mulch acts as a buffer between the ground and plants. Among its many benefits, it keeps the soil cooler - essential to root growth. It prevents erosion of top soil during heavy winds and rain. It suppresses weeds and it decomposes over time adding nutrients. Choose the type of mulch that makes sense for your garden.
USE WHAT YOU HAVE: Save untreated cardboard boxes, newspapers, grass clippings, leaves, un-diseased plant clippings, and coffee grounds and put them to work improving your soil in a technique called sheet composting or lasagna layering.
Be aware: if applying fertilizer, NJ has strict laws to follow about application in order to protect water supply.
Go Deeper:
For a deep dive into soil, we recommend “Soil Science for Gardeners” by Robert Pavlis and the Netflix Documentary, “Kiss the Ground”.
Children’s Corner:
Learn to identify the soil components in your yard with these fun kid-friendly experiments.
A fun for all ages activity is sheet composting or lasagna layering. This simple technique is a great way to introduce children to soil.