How To Enrich Poor Soil

Prevent your nutrient-depleted soil from weakening and killing your trees, shrubs, and plants. Knowing how to keep your soil fertile will drive robust growth in your yard and garden.

toddsmariettatreeservices.com gathered information on how to Identify, enrich, and maintain your soil.

Types of Soil

Your soil is much more than dirt that you dig a hole in to plant something. Before attempting to improve or enrich your soil, identify what type it is:

Sandy Soil – This type of soil is usually formed as rocks like granite, limestone, and/or quartz fragment and breakdown. Sandy soils are poor soil types for growing plants because it has little to no nutrients and poor water holding capacity, which makes it hard for plant roots to absorb water and establish themselves.

Silt Soil – Composed of broken-down rock and mineral particles, smaller than sand but larger than clay. This soil retains water better than sandy soil and is the more fertile of the soil types. However, silt soil is easily stripped away by moving water currents, adding to potential erosion problems.

Clay Soil – This soil has the smallest and most tightly packed particles, leaving little to no airspace. Smooth when dry and sticky when wet, clay soil is the densest soil and does not drain well or provide sufficient space for roots to thrive.

Loamy Soil – Often referred to as agricultural soil, loamy soil is a combination of sand, silt, and clay soils. This soil presents a better ability to retain moisture and nutrients while having higher pH and calcium levels.

Watch this video for three ways to easily test your soil and determine its type.

Soil Enrichment

Grow more healthy, vigorous, and productive plants and trees by enriching your soil. Every soil type can be improved. Here’s how:

To Improve Sandy Soil – Sandy soils contain little to no clay or organic matter, they don’t have structure, and particles won’t stick together, even when they’re wet.

• Work or till in 4 to 5 inches of organic material like compost or well-rotted manure
• Grow cover crops in the offseason
• Mulch around your plants, shrubs, and trees with organic material like hay, straw, bark, leaves, or wood chips. Mulch regulates soil temperature and retains moisture.
• Each year, add a minimum of 2 more inches of organic material to the soil

Tip: Cover crops may include buckwheat and/or phacelia in summer and vetch, daikon, and/or clovers in fall.

Read Proper Mulching Techniques Around Trees for more information about applying mulch properly.

To Improve Clay Soil – While most clay soils are rich in minerals, they lack a porous quality for roots to push their way through. These soils are also easily compacted by foot traffic and garden equipment. Here’s how to reduce compaction and enrich clay soils:

• Work or till in 3 to 4 inches of organic material like compost or well-rotted manure
• Grow cover crops in the offseason
• Mulch around your plants, shrubs, and trees with organic material
• Each year, add a minimum of 1 more inch of organic material to the soil

Note: The addition of organic material to clay soils provides better results when applied in the fall.

To Improve Silty Soil – While more fertile than sand or clay soil, silty soils are generally more dense, poorly-drained, and prone to the effects of erosion. Here’s how to help silty soils:

• Add 1 inch of organic material like compost or well-rotted manure
• Grow cover crops in the off season
• Eliminate foot traffic, resting garden equipment, and till only when necessary to avoid soil compaction
• Each year, add a minimum of 1 more inch of organic material to the soil

Note: The addition of sand and clay to silty soil can have disastrous results when done improperly. You would be better served by allowing the organic material to slowly modify the soil.

How To Improve Soil

Every soil has a unique texture and physical characteristics. However, all soil types can suffer when neglected and abused or be significantly improved with the right management techniques. The following serve to evaluate and improve all soil types:

Test Your Soil – You can find home soil test kits ranging from $15 (basic kit) to $900 (professional kit). Such tests measure the pH (acidity/alkalinity) and nutrient content of your soil.

You can send your soil samples to a North American Proficiency Testing Program (NAPT) participating laboratory by visiting naptprogram.org/about/participants and searching by laboratory name or state.

Also, most state universities provide soil testing services through their Cooperative Extension Service. Likely, they will provide soil testing and fertilizer/amendment recommendations based on test results.

Tip: Contact your state university or search for their extension for pricing and available services.

Watch this video to see how soil is tested in a laboratory.

Increase Soil Biodiversity – Organisms like nematodes, amoeba, fungi, bacteria, and earthworms are essential for the healthy growth of your plants, shrubs, and trees. Soil management practices that increase a soil’s organic matter and its biodiversity include:

• Amending organic material into the soil regularly
• Moisture control (watering)
• Careful selection and application of fertilizers
• Mulch barren soil and around shrubs and trees, including gardens
• Minimizing or eliminating soil tillage
• Retaining and improving plant cover and using cover crops to shield the soil

Note: If adding manure to enrich your soil, use composted or aged manure. Fresh manure can “burn” growing plants and grasses.

Tip: Add earthworms to your compost pile. This will significantly enrich your compost, and when adding that compost to your soil, the worms go with it.

Watch this video from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations about soil biodiversity.

Control Soil pH Levels – Soil pH preferences vary between grass, plant, and tree species but most prefer soil pH between 5.8 and 7.2. You can safely adjust your soil’s pH to accommodate your grass, plant, or tree’s requirements by:

• Lowering soil pH or making it more acidic, amending aluminum sulfate, sphagnum peat, elemental sulfur, iron sulfate, acidifying nitrogen, and/or organic mulches
• Raising soil pH or making it more alkaline, incorporating limestone, agricultural lime, wood ash, and/or hydrated lime

Tip: Before planting anything, be knowledgeable of your pant’s preferred soil pH and make necessary adjustments to the soil. Frequent soil tests will help you maintain optimal soil conditions for what you are growing.

Watch this video to see how to adjust soil pH.

Enriching Your Soil

In this article, you discovered how to identify your soil type and composition, How to enrich your soil, and how to maintain its health.

Enriching your soil will help you grow healthier grasses, plants, shrubs, and trees, making them less susceptible to disease and insect infestations.

Ignoring your soil’s composition and biodiversity will lead to your landscape’s poor performance, plant death, and difficulty growing anything healthy.

Sources:
environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/land-and-soil/soil-degradation/soil-biodiversity
hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/1994/4-6-1994/ph.html
whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost/fundamentals/benefits_benefits.htm
ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=28605

Todd’s Marietta Tree Services

200 Cobb Pkwy N Ste 428 Marietta, GA 30062
(678) 505-0266

Originally published on: http://www.toddsmariettatreeservices.com/how-to-enrich-poor-soil/

Azalea Planting and Care for Your Marietta Yard

Azaleas are one of the most beautiful perennial shrubs you can have in your yard. They are also one of the most poisonous to people and their pets, yet they remain one of the South’s favorites to plant.

Planting azaleas in your Marietta Georgia yard will give a springtime color show with their signature blooms year after year. Closely related to rhododendrons, this easy to care for shrub is a slow grower but well worth the effort and wait.

The team at toddsmariettatreeservices.com collected the following planting, blooming, toxicology, and care information for those wanting to add azaleas to their yard or landscape.

Azalea Information

Azaleas are a member of the genus Rhododendron, which comprises well over 800 species and upwards of 10,000 named selections. Azaleas thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9 and are capable of reaching several feet in height and width depending on the species.

Rhododendrons and Azaleas – While the two belong to the same family (Ericaceae), it is not difficult to tell them apart. Azaleas have much smaller leaves and funnel-shaped blooms, while rhododendrons have bell-shaped flowers and much larger leaves.

Evergreen or Deciduous – Depending on the species, azaleas can be evergreen or deciduous shrubs. Those of the deciduous species will lose their foliage and begin dormancy in mid to late fall.

Spring Flowers – Azelias bloom in early spring and continue to do so through late spring. Varieties such as the encore azalea will bloom a second time, extending the blooming period into the summer.

Planting and Caring for Azaleas

Planted in the right location and given the proper care, azaleas will thrive and will provide onlookers with a springtime show of color year after year.

Planting Season – In most areas, fall and spring are the best times to plant azaleas. In colder regions such as USDA Hardiness Zones 4 and 5, planting may occur in summertime. In warmer areas like zone 9, planting may even happen in the winter.

Planting Location – Azalea sun tolerance varies by species and selection. When planting azaleas, look for areas that are partly shaded, near hedges, under tree canopies, or the east and north side of a home or structure. Locations sheltered from heavy winds are best.

Soil Type and pH – Well-drained, humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil offers the ideal conditions for growth. Soil with heavy clay or sandy properties needs significant amounts of organic material, such as compost added to it to provide the same conditions.

Azaleas thrive in acidic soil. A pH level of 4.5 to 6.0 should be maintained to provide optimal health and growth conditions.

Planting Instructions – One of the keys to successfully growing azaleas is proper planting. The following will help you get it right:

• Dig a hole 8 to 10 inches deep.
• The hole should be three times as wide as the root ball.
• Mix in copious amounts of organic material to the removed soil.
• Add enough of the mixed soil back to the hole so that the top of the root ball is approximately 2” above ground level.
• Replace and mound the amended soil in the hole until level with the edge of the root ball.

When planting in soil with high clay content, make the hole four to five times wider than the root ball and plant the azalea so that the top of the root ball is 3 to 4 inches above ground level.

When planting in sandy soil, the top of the root ball should be level with the surrounding land.

Watering Your Azaleas – After planting azaleas, water them thoroughly. For the first 18 months after planting, avoid frequent short watering. Deep watering at least once per week will keep the root ball from drying and allow for better root growth.

During late fall be sure to frequently deep water your azaleas and all other deciduous plants and trees. They handle the winter months and dormancy much better when well hydrated.

Fertilizers – Early spring and early summer are the best times to apply organic fertilizers. Avoid the use of chemical fertilizers as azaleas are not as nutritionally needy as other plant species.

Do not fertilize after mid-summer. Doing this will encourage new growth, which will not have time to “harden” before the winter months.

Mulch – After deep watering a newly planted azalea, apply a 3-inch layer of porous organic mulch around the plant. Keep the mulch 2 to 3 inches from the stem to avoid rotting and decay.

Reapply mulch in late fall, maintaining the 3-inch depth, thus keeping the roots sheltered from the cold or freeze.

Pruning – For small or younger azaleas, tip pruning in mid to late spring will encourage thicker and more compact growth.

When pruning more mature azaleas, do not remove more than one-third of the foliage. Removal such as this will stress the plant and leave it vulnerable to infestation and disease. If heavy pruning is needed, do it in annual stages allowing the plant to recover between each stage.

As pruning activities encourage new growth, do not prune after mid-summer.

Toxicology of Azaleas

Like the rhododendron, azaleas are highly toxic. The leaves and nectar contain andromedotoxins which act to lower the blood pressure of the person or animal that consumed it.

Mad Honey – In parts of Turkey, bees are deliberately fed nectar from azaleas and rhododendrons to produce what is known as “mad honey” or “Deli Bal.” This occasionally lethal treat contains a naturally occurring neurotoxin called grayanotoxin which may result in blurred vision, numbness, nausea, fainting, seizures, and in rare cases, even death.

Grayanotoxin Poisoning – If you suspect that a child (or adult) has consumed azalea leaves, stems, or flowers, seek immediate medical attention. Depending on the quantity consumed, symptoms such as respiratory distress, hypotension, bradycardia, constricted pupils, salivation and muscle twitching, or seizure may occur.

If your pets have consumed the leaves, stems, or flowers, seek veterinary assistance immediately. Symptoms from grayanotoxin poisoning include vomiting, depression, diarrhea, and anorexia.

If you suspect that your pet has consumed a poisonous plant or substance, you can call the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or visit https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control

Insect Infestation and Illness

Insects and diseases tend to avoid vigorous plants. However, when azaleas are stressed, they may fall victim to lace bugs or Phytophthora.

Lace Bugs – We do not recommend the use of insecticides. They can kill off the lace bug’s predators leaving the plant defenseless against them. Insecticidal soaps or neem oil sprayed on the plant every two weeks is an effective measure in controlling this pest.

Phytophthora – This soil-borne fungus thrives in poorly drained soil and is very difficult to treat. Symptoms of Phytophthora fungus infection are:

• Reduced growth.
• Any new growth will appear smaller than usual.
• Leaves will shrivel or droop.
• The bark at the base will turn dark red or brown.

Protecting azaleas from this pathogen begins in the planting stage. Avoid planting in poorly drained soil and keep your plant healthy. Pathogens like this are less likely to affect healthy plants.

Once infected, your best course of action may be to remove the entire plant and the soil it grew in, destroying or disposing of both. Any attempts to prune affected regions of the plant may serve only to propagate the spread of the pathogen to other plants.

Before replanting in that location, it should be treated with a fungicide and verified that other plants in the same area are not afflicted. Remember that this is a fast-moving root fungus that thrives in poorly drained soil. Adding organic material to the soil before any planting will help protect the roots of your plants.

Azalea Care for A Beautiful Marietta Georgia Landscape

Azaleas can be a gorgeous addition to any landscape. However, before planting them, it is vital to know not only what you are planting, but also how to plant it and care for it.

In this article, we’ve discussed how to properly plant and water azaleas, as well as how to choose the right location for them. You’ve learned about their toxicology and how the consumption of the plant by animals or children may lead to serious health problems up to and including potential death. Finally, we’ve presented how to treat and contain instances of infestation and illness.

Without the proper planting and care, your azaleas will struggle to reach maturity and become susceptible to infestation and disease. By following the above guidance during and after planting, your plant will respond with robust growth and beautiful blooms in the spring.

Sources:
https://www.azaleas.org/wp-content/uploads/attachments/Azalea_Care_Flier.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3404272/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azalea

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Todd’s Marietta Tree Services

200 Cobb Pkwy N Ste 428 Marietta, GA 30062
(678) 505-0266

Originally published on: http://www.toddsmariettatreeservices.com/azalea-planting-care-your-marietta-yard/