Surrey Homes | SH74 | March 2021 | Interiors supplement inside

Garden
Clockwise from above left: Organic matter is the best
soil conditioner; Dahlias like rich soil; Willow will grow in
damp soil; Use cloches to warm the soil up in spring
compost) will improve the soil structure. Soil needs to
have tiny pockets of air in it – to encourage earthworms
and beneficial micro-organisms and help the plants’ roots
penetrate. Plant roots also need oxygen. The addition of
organic matter also helps the soil to retain nutrients and
moisture – and prevents weeds. Mushroom compost is
alkaline, which is good for vegetable gardens. Manure
and compost are excellent, adding bulk and nutrients.
Make sure any horse or farmyard manure is well rotted,
or it will scorch roots and may contain pathogens.
No digging
The theory is that digging does more harm than good,
disturbing the balance of micro-organisms and destroying
the structure of the soil and releasing carbon into the
atmosphere. Stop digging and the soil becomes more
stable, there’s less likelihood of erosion, and you won’t
need to water it a lot as it will retain more moisture. The
plants will be healthier, because the soil is healthier and
there will be fewer pests. There is no need to dig if you
have good soil and can wait for the worms to incorporate
organic matter down into the soil – spread a thick layer of
manure over in autumn/winter and let nature do the rest.
Feed me
The three main plant nutrients are: nitrogen (chemical symbol:
N) for good leaf growth, phosphorous (P) for promoting
strong root growth and potassium (K) for flowers and to aid
the ripening of fruit. These key elements are available to the
plants – dissolved in the soil and are taken up by the plants’
roots. Plants can’t use atmospheric nitrogen, but some (legumes
like peas, beans and lupins) have developed small nodules
on their roots to house symbiotic bacteria that are able to fix
nitrogen from the air and make it available to the plant.
Use chemical fertilisers containing nitrogen sparingly,
as overdoses of nitrates are very bad for the environment
and can also cause plants to grow too fast, resulting in
thin sappy leaves that are prone to pests and diseases.
Other important nutrients such as magnesium, calcium
and iron are usually present in the soil in sufficient quantities
to maintain plant health. The exceptions are acid-loving
plants that can only access iron from soils with a low pH
– in alkaline soils they become chlorotic. Grow plants like
Camellias and Rhododendrons in ericaceous compost.
Whether your soil is sandy, chalky or unyielding clay,
it will benefit from a nice thick layer of organic mulch –
apply right now at the beginning of the growing season.
This will feed the soil and the soil will feed the plants.
For details of Jo’s gardening courses visit hornbrookmanor.co.uk or contact Jo on 01233 861149.
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