Sections
Guide sections
The guide is divided into four topics. First, what soil is made of and the different types. Then fertility and organic matter, water and air in the soil and, finally, the problems that most often affect a garden: compaction, erosion and salinity.
Soil with room for air, water and earthworms does a good part of the gardener's work by itself. Our job is to stay out of its way.
The sections cover the questions anyone with a vegetable bed or flower border runs into: why soil sets like concrete after rain, what to do with fallen leaves, why mulch matters, how acidic soil differs from alkaline. We deliberately leave out specialist agronomy, recipes with application rates and product reviews.
Soil composition and types
Soil is made up of mineral particles, organic matter, water, air and countless living organisms. The balance between them decides whether your soil is light or heavy.
- Soil in a weekend (in Russian)
How to take a sample, tell the soil type by feel and note down what you see, so you know what you are working with.
- Terms about composition
Humus, soil texture, structure and soil organisms explained in plain words.
- Questions about soil composition and type
How a loam differs from a sandy loam, why chernozem is dark and whether you can change your soil type.
Fertility and organic matter
Fertility rests on humus and the living part of the soil. Compost, mulch and green manure feed them, and a well-planned crop rotation keeps a bed from becoming exhausted.
- How to make compost that doesn't rot
A step-by-step practical article: location, layers, moisture, aeration and signs that it is ready.
- Collection: "Your first season on the plot"
A reading path for anyone who has just taken on a piece of ground for the first time.
- Terms about soil care
Compost, mulch, green manure, crop rotation and liming: what lies behind each word.
Water and air in the soil
Roots breathe just as leaves do. If the pores in the soil are waterlogged or squashed, the plant suffers even when there are plenty of nutrients around it.
- Collection: "Sandy soil that won't hold water"
What to read if moisture drains out of your beds faster than you can water them.
- Collection: "Heavy clay"
How to help ground that stays wet for weeks in spring and cracks in summer.
- Answers about mulch and watering
How covering the surface saves moisture and why frequent shallow watering is not a good habit.
Soil problems
Compaction, erosion and salinity develop gradually and are not obvious at first. The sooner you spot them, the easier it is to stop things getting worse.
- Soil properties in the glossary
What acidity, salinity and compaction are, and the signs that help you spot them.
- Answers about acidity and fertilisers
How to check your soil's pH, when to think about liming and how to handle fertilisers safely.
- New articles
The guide's article feed: articles on soil problems appear here as they are finished.
See also
- Guides
How to make compost that doesn't turn into a smelly mess: steps, mistakes and a checklist. Plus the article catalogue.
- Questions
Short answers about soil composition and type, compost, mulch, green manure, acidity and fertilisers.
- Collections
Reading paths: your first season on the plot, heavy clay, and sandy soil that won't hold water.
- Reference
Glossary: humus, soil texture, structure, pH, salinity, compaction, mulch, green manure.
Sources
- V. V. Dokuchaev, "Russian Chernozem" (1883)
- UN / FAO: materials on World Soil Day and the International Year of Soils
- Textbooks and encyclopaedic sources on soil science
This article reflects the general understanding of soil science as of the date it was prepared. Every plot has its own soil, so before making big changes to how you look after it, it is worth having a soil test done and reading the label of any product you plan to apply carefully.