Different Soil for Different Crops - さまざまな作物のための異なる土壌

First and foremost, to find out the right soil and pH level for your trees is not rocket science. The pH scale indicates acidity or alkalinity. A soil with a pH number below 7 is acid, while one with a pH above 7 is alkaline. Garden plants typically grow best in neutral or slightly acid soil (pH 7 or slightly below; see illustration at left). Most won't thrive in highly acid or highly alkaline soil, though a few have adapted to such extremes. In general, some nutrients cannot be efficiently absorbed by plant roots if soil pH is too high. If it is too low, on the other hand, nutrients may be taken up too efficiently: the excess cannot be processed fast enough and overloads a plant's system, causing it to languish and die.

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Local climate gives you a clue to the likely soil pH. In high-rainfall areas, soils are often acidic. It's in these regions that you tend to find acid-loving plants like azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and blueberries. Alkaline soils, in contrast, are typically found in low-rainfall areas. Many of the plants popular for waterwise gardens--sorts that need little water once they are established--do well in soil on the alkaline side. The olive, native to the Mediterranean basin, is one example of a plant that thrives in alkaline soil; oleander (Nerium oleander) and pomegranate also perform well.

If you're not sure about your soil's pH, you can test it yourself with one of the inexpensive test kits sold at most garden centers. Such kits can be relied on to tell you whether your soil is basically alkaline, acid, or neutral. If you suspect that your soil is highly alkaline or acid--or if a do-it-yourself kit so indicates--you may want to confirm the diagnosis with a professional soil test. Such tests are analyzed by laboratories; along with the results, you'll normally receive recommendations for correcting the pH of the soil tested.

Lime, available in either ground or powdered form, is often suggested to raise pH. Ground limestone is the slightly less potent of the two and raises pH more slowly. The amount needed depends on the soil texture (more is needed for clay than for sandy soil, for example) and other factors. Wood ashes and oyster shell also make acid soil more neutral.

To lower pH, common sulfur is the least expensive choice, though ferrous sulfate and aluminum sulfate are sometimes recommended instead. Ferrous sulfate, which also adds iron to the soil, is of the most help to plants that show yellow leaves as well as overall poor health. You'll also lower the pH of alkaline soil over time by regularly applying organic amendments such as compost and manure.

To determine how much lime or sulfur to add, follow the advice included with your test results. If your soil is extremely acidic or alkaline and you need to change the level by more than one point on the pH scale, it's best to bring in a professional: he or she can both analyze test results and perform an on-site evaluation to determine whether the soil can be amended successfully and how best to go about it.

If amending the soil just isn't feasible, plant in raised beds filled with problem-free, well-amended topsoil; or choose native plants that thrive in the unamended soil.

Professional Soil Tester Three Way Meter

Foods for example can be classified into two groups namely the acidic food group and the alkaline food group. These foods are categorized as such because they affect the urine pH level when they are consumed. Hence, taking in too much acidic food will lead to systemic acidosis whereas too much ingestion of alkaline foods may also lead to severe alkalosis. Nevertheless, the proper balance of acidic and alkaline food intake is required for various purposes.

To understand more about this concept, it is important to know about the pH scale. This scale runs from 0 to 14 with the bottom half (0 to 7) belonging to the acidic range and the upper half (7.1 to 14) belonging to the alkaline range. Under normal circumstances, the human body tries to maintain a slightly alkaline pH of 7.4 through mineral deposition and withdrawal from bones and soft tissues. It is said that 50%-80% of the daily food intake must come from alkaline foods to retain the body’s acid-base equilibrium.

Alkaline foods include fruits (citrus, watermelons, papaya, mango, grapes, melons, pears, apples, banana, kiwis, peaches, pineapples, cherries, avocados), a range of vegetables (parsley, spinach, okra, broccoli, squash, celery, green beans, carrots, beets, lentils, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips), oils (grape seed oil, olive oil, canola oil) and other food products like goat cheese, hazelnuts, chestnuts, raw sugar and wild rice among others.

Popular examples of acidic foods are blueberries, prunes, cranberries, white bread, prunes, pasta, wheat, pork, beef, shellfish, ice cream, peanuts, beer, alcohol, string beans, kidney beans, walnuts, plums, store-bought juices, rye bread, brown rice, organ meats, eggs, cold water fish, pumpkin, eggs, sesame seeds, corn oil, sunflower seeds, fatty dairy products, honey, margarine, lima beans, skinless potatoes, navy beans, pinto beans, canned fruits, oats, white rice, cashews, coffee, pistachios, wine, turkey, chicken, lamb and majority of condiments.

There are many health-conscious folks who believe that an alkaline-rich diet is better than its acidic counterpart. Having such will prevent too much acid from accumulating in the bloodstream as well as reduce the risk of degenerative disorders such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and cancers to name a few.

1. Basically, the majority of fruits, grains, and vegetables are alkaline foods while meat products are usually acidic in nature.

2. Because the body is slightly alkaline in nature, you must make sure to eat enough alkaline-rich foods because it is a lot healthier compared to eating too much acidic foods.

The story of Masanobu Fukuoka

Masanobu Fukuoka taking care of rice fields

Fukuoka was a plant scientist working in Japan in the 1940s, advising the government on the best crops and edible plants to sustain the country during the war. Shortly afterward, he had something of an epiphany about science and gave up his job and returned to the countryside to farm.

Science, Fukuoka concluded, is part of the problem, not the solution. It only seems to solve problems that it created in the first place, like a man who breaks his own roof and then is pleased with himself when he manages to fix it. When fields are ploughed, or trees are pruned, farmers create problems for themselves which means more work. Convinced there was a ‘natural’ way to farm without all these techniques, Fukuoka began experimenting with how little he could do. “I was aiming at a pleasant, natural way of farming,” he said, “which results in making the work easier instead of harder. ‘How about not doing this? How about not doing that?’ – that was my way of thinking”

Up in the mountains, he developed a method (or rather a non-method) that flies in the face of modern farming. “I ultimately reached the conclusion that there was no need to plow, no need to apply fertilizer, no need to make compost, no need to use insecticide,” he wrote. “When you get right down to it, there are few agricultural practices that are really necessary.”

This conclusion required a good deal of trial and error and lots of dead plants along the way. The One Straw Revolution tells his story, from his start as an idealistic young man to a troublesome visionary with a constant string of visiting experts, researchers, and traveling hippies wishing to learn his secrets.

Those secrets include such imaginative ideas as planting one crop before the other is harvested, so

Bestseller Book The One Straw Revolution

that the new crop gets the jump on any weeds. Fukuoka grew his vegetables ‘semi-wild’ on the mountain slopes, sometimes pressing seeds into balls of clay so they wouldn’t be eaten by the birds, and then throwing them out to take their chances. He farmed rice and barley, harvesting it and scattering the straw straight back onto the fields, a policy of “returning to the soil everything grown in the field except the grain itself”. Nitrogen fixing ‘green fertiliser’ such as white clover grew across the ground in between crops and across the orchard floor around his citrus trees. Chickens and ducks roamed free and ate the insects.

But, you don’t really read The One Straw Revolution for gardening tips. For one thing, it’s only directly relevant to Japan. More importantly, the book is as much a work of philosophy as it is a life story or an explanation of natural agriculture. Fukuoka believed that we don’t really know anything about how nature works, and that much of modern farming was setting itself up for failure. He rails against growing out of season vegetables that are a “watery concoction of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash, with a little help from the seed”, and Japan’s growing taste for meat. He predicted that if the Japanese diet continued to change the way it was, there would be a food crisis in thirty years time. In that he was not uncorrect – Japan is the world’s biggest food importer, and has led the charge in land-leasing deals in Africa.

“If we do have a food crisis it will not be caused by the insufficiency of nature’s productive power, but by the extravagance of human desire”, he wrote, advocating a simpler lifestyle closer to nature. His simple living code extends to work too. “I do not particularly like the word ‘work'” he writes in my favourite little passage. “Human beings are the only animals who have to work, and I think this is the most ridiculous thing in the world. Other animals make their living by living.”

Fukuoka is an amiable and ingenious writer, and The One Straw Revolution is full of passion for the earth and its generosity, and bemused irreverence towards false ideas of progress. You won’t agree with everything he says, perhaps his views on education and health in particular, but this is nevertheless an unusually wise and refreshing read.

Interesting Books on Bonsai can be found here:

The Complete Book of Bonsai --> I've been into bonsai for 25 years and this is the basic Bible for beginner and intermediate bonsai enthusiasts. It has an excellent section on techniques, including pruning, wiring and whatnot, and it has a large species-specific tree guide. If you're into bonsai and want only one book, this is it.

Indoor Bonsai The Great Selection --> Creating beautiful, healthy bonsai is a wonderful skill that anyone can learn, with a little time, patience, and this all-inclusive manual. With color photos and drawings to illustrate the points, it introduces all the cultivation techniques; offers expert advice on location, soil types, watering, and pest control; and provides intricate instruction on training the bonsai--including pruning, wiring and stretching it.

The Secret Techniques of Bonsai --> In The Secret Techniques of Bonsai, the author of the groundbreaking Bonsai With American Trees teams up with his son to offer not only the basics for creating perfect bonsai, but also secret techniques they’ve developed over years of careful work and observation.

Bonsai Survival Manual --> Problem solving when your Bonsai get sick. Expand your gardening repertoire as you create a captivating and exquisite miniature world. In this introductory guide, Colin Lewis covers everything you need to know to design, grow, and successfully maintain attractive bonsai.

Bonsai and the art of Penjing --> Bonsai & Penjing, Ambassadors of Beauty and Peace describes how Chinese penjing and North American bonsai were later added to the Museum, making its collection the most comprehensive in the world. Stories of individual trees and forest plantings are featured, as are the roles played by the skilled and talented creators of these living art forms people such as John Naka, Saburo Kato, Yuji Yoshimura, Harry Hirao, and Dr. Yee-Sun Wu.

Bonsai with Japanese Maples --> With their delicate foliage, seasonal color changes, and intricate pattern of branching, Japanese maples are among the most popular and suitable plants for bonsai design. In this long-awaited book, internationally renowned expert Peter Adams discusses both the specific horticultural needs of Japanese maples as bonsai subjects and illustrates proven techniques for creating and maintaining beautiful specimens.

The Modern Bonsai Practice --> The most current, useful information on growing Bonsai. A fresh, practical, definitive, comprehensive reference guide to the finest art of horticulture: growing miniature trees. Common sense bonsai answers separating myth from fact with depth and detail. Appropriate for both bonsai hobbyists and experienced practitioners.

More Bonsai articles can be found here:

Please click here for more information on --> Chinese Penjing Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> The Origins of Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> The Art of Saikei Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> Japanese Tanuki Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> How to Water a Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> Bonsai Healing Methods

Thank you for visiting my blog and feel free to subscribe or leave your message in the comment section below. Please always remember, good feedback or bad remarks, it doesn't matter!

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Awesome Organic Fertilizers - Review

Choosing the right fertilizer for your lawn can be a real challenge especially if you are just starting out and don’t exactly have a clue what to use. However, when it comes to choosing lawn fertilizer products, there are three important elements that are needed for the proper growth of your lawn and plants. These are: hydrogen, oxygen and carbon.

While these nutrients are readily available in the environment, there are also certain nutrients that are not readily available to plants especially those that do not exactly stay long in soil and need to be replenished on a regular basis.

Each of the nutrients contained in lawn fertilizers have a critical role to play in the overall health and survival of your plants. By applying fertilizers, you can be sure these nutrients are available to them.

Among the important macro-nutrients among plants include phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. Secondary nutrients that are also required include magnesium and calcium but both in lesser quantities. You should also check for boron, copper, manganese, cobalt, chlorine, zinc, nickel and molybdenum to complete your list.

Milorganite 0636 Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer

With the much publicized adverse reactions of chemical fertilizers, the availability of organic varieties presents a great alternative for many. Milorganite is an organic nitrogen fertilizer that can be used on a variety of applications such as shrubs, lawns, vegetables, trees, flowers and even gold courses.

This 36-pound bag contains 4% iron that is non-staining, which is just the right amount to bring out that attractive lush green hue. You can actually apply this fertilizer any time within the growing season and it’s known to work well with any type of climate.

The organic fertilizer is composed of heat-dried microbes and has met the EPA standards, which imposes one of the stringent criteria in the industry when it comes to protecting the health, safety and environment.

Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer

Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable and Herb Fertilizer is a superior blend of fish bone meal, feather meal, kelp meal, alfalfa meal, soft rock phosphate, fish meal, mined potassium sulfate, humic acid, seaweed extract, pro-biotic seven champion strains of beneficial soil microbes plus Ecto and Endo Mycorrhizae. Primary Uses: Feed tomatoes, Summer vegetables, Winter vegetables, Herbs, Root crops, Established vegetables and During transplanting. 5-7-3 formulation. This is the second year I have used this product and I even begin to say just how awesome it is!! Last year I had tomatoes that weighed over 2 lbs and lots of them. And the bloom boost is the best I have ever found, my flowers are just going crazy, and the flowers last a long time. I totally recommend this product!!

Safer Brand 9333 Ringer Lawn Fertilizer

A green lawn is a healthy lawn, and a healthy lawn is a product of a thriving ecosystem within your soil. That’s why Safer Brand has created Lawn Restore II – an organic fertilizer that immediately goes to work to ensure the proper balance of natural elements in your soil, in turn giving you a healthier, greener lawn in just 3-5 days. Backed by over a quarter-century of research and development, this formula is the best choice for any turf; use it to promote greening in fresh sod, or bring life back to existing grass. Number One reason to use, It's safe for humans as well as pets. Well I should qualify this, its the safest I have found so far.

Shin Nong PRO ORGANIC All Purpose Fertilizer

100% Natural & Organic fertilizer for All Purposes and easy to use. Maximizes microorganism activity for healthier and stronger soil & plants. It provides organic matter essential for microorganisms. It is one of the building blocks for fertile soil rich in humus. Develops bigger & stronger root to improve the structure of the plant and increase it’s ability to hold water and more nutrients. Greater resistance to disease and insect attacks. Never harms soil & plants. No danger of over-concentration. Once a healthy soil condition is reached, it is easier to maintain that level with less work.

This is an amazing fertilizer! I started growing an avocado tree about a year ago and my fertilizer didn't work on my tree. After countless types of fertilizer, I came upon this Pro Organic All Purpose fertilizer. I used it on my tree and after about a month it started growing! I strongly suggest you buy this if you plant anything.

DR. Earth Pure and Natural Fertilizer

Ideal for providing balanced and fast nutrition for all vegetables, flowers, bedding plants, potted plants, all trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials and even spot-treating lawns. Rich in wild-caught Alaskan Fish Bone Meal, Wild-caught Alaskan Fish Meal, Valley Grown Alfalfa Meal, High Country Feather Meal, Naturally-mined Potassium Sulfate, Aged Bat Guano, Cold Water Kelp Meal, Micro-active Micro nutrient-rich Seaweed Extract (synergistically boosted with 11% micronized humic acids for maximum bioavailability).

How Fertilizer Helps Your Lawn

Fertilizer helps to provide the required nutrients in the soil that plants, including lawn grass, need to successfully grow. Three of the elements that are vital include carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. In addition, there are other nutrients, which are quickly depleted from the soil that require replenishing. This is accomplished through the application of fertilizer.

Macronutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium come in second behind oxygen, carbon and hydrogen, but are still important. Secondary nutrients such as magnesium and calcium are not as important, but smaller amounts can give your plants the boost that they need. Micronutrients including manganese, cobalt, copper, iron, chlorine, boron, molybdenum, zinc and nickel complete the nutritional checklist to ensure that your lawn is receiving all of the nutrition that it needs to thrive. These are the ingredients that a high quality fertilizer should contain. Read more about how to apply lawn fertilizer.

Different types of fertilizers

The two main types of fertilizers are granular and liquid. Liquid forms act very quickly as they are absorbed into the plant. These are usually purchased in a concentrated form that you dilute with water and apply every 2 to 3 weeks. They may either be applied with a watering can or hose-end sprayer.

Granular fertilizers are sprinkled on the surface of the ground by hand for smaller areas or with a mechanical spreader for larger areas. They are used in a dry form so will require watering after they are used. Granular fertilizers are divided into two different classes. Quick-release fertilizers usually last for 3 to 4 weeks before any additional applications are needed.

This type is water-soluble nitrogen and is good for any general fertilizing use. Slow-release granules are water-insoluble nitrogen fertilizers that are intended for specific uses. They come in either sulfur-coated coated with lasts for around 8 weeks or polymer-coated coated with lasts for up to 12 weeks.

Different types of lawn fertilizers

Your lawn has changing nutritional needs at different times of the year. Here are a few tips for helping you to select the right fertilizer formulation that will help to encourage the establishment of new grass and to keep it healthy throughout the seasonal cycles.

Starter fertilizers and winterizes

These mixtures are recommended for new lawns and as they are heavy on phosphorus to encourage healthy root growth. For the last fall application, a winterizer that is also heavy on phosphorus will provide nutrients for root preservation during the winter months.

Weed and Feed

Fertilizer formulations that are known as Weed and Feed mixtures contain weed killers in a dual purpose mix that kills broad-leaf weeds while nourishing lawn grass. This is useful for helping to eliminate noxious weeds such as crabgrass and dandelions. When a weed and feed product contains post emergent weed killers, they are intended for weeds that are already present and can be seen. Those containing pre-emergents are intended for killing weeds at the germination stage, but do not kill weeds that have already broken through the ground.

What to look for in lawn fertilizer

The bags that contain the fertilizer are clearly marked with a set of three numbers. The numbers represent, in this order, the amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium that are included in the fertilizer. The numbers are known as the NPK. These are the main ingredients. Nitrogen helps in the development of leaves and for producing a healthy green color. Phosphorus promotes root growth and Potassium or potash also assists root development and helps plants to become more disease resistant.

The numbers represent the percentages of the given nutrient, so you will know which ingredients are predominant. This is helpful in choosing a mix that will either promote more leaf growth, green your grass or reinforce the root system. Inert ingredients are necessary for helping to distribute the fertilizer, so don’t be alarmed if there is a fairly high percentage in the bag. This does not lessen the effect of the other ingredients and it can actually be beneficial in preventing chemical burn.

In the event that weeds become a problem, the application of a weed and feed blend will help to eradicate any broad-leaf weeds such as dandelions, which can become a nuisance. Look for weed and feed products that are formulated to kill the types of weeds that you see most in your lawn grass. In most cases, these are clearly indicated on the bag.

Conclusion

Lawns require very specific formulations with include nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. There are different mixtures that serve a variety of purposes for lawn health. Fertilizers that are intended for other plants may not work as well for grass, so when shopping, look for the fertilizers that are specifically designed for use in lawn care.

Even if your lawn looks green and healthy, it is important to remember that grass has the need for nutritional elements that may initially exist within the soil, but may be fairly quickly depleted. Replenishing the nutrients is accomplished through the application of the recommended formulation of lawn fertilizer. You now have the information about what your lawn needs to maintain good health throughout all seasons of the year. By following the simple tips included in this guide, you are prepared to choose the lawn fertilizer that will work best to promote optimum lawn health. 

Once the hottest period is past, in late August or early September (depending on the region), temperatures return to normal, below 30°C (86°F), and plants then readopt their normal growth activity. This is also the moment when attention needs to be focused as much as possible on fertilization, which needs to supply the plant with the substances it needs to develop, consolidate new growth, reconstitute exhausted reserves and strengthen itself to best cope with the winter season.

In autumn, it is preferable to use fertilizers that are low in nitrogen, which is better for encouraging vegetative growth, especially for young plants and those that are in the construction phase. The feed also needs to be rich in phosphorus – to stimulate root growth and prepare a good flowering for the spring – and in potassium, to strengthen the plant, increase the roots’ assimilation capacity and consolidate the new growth that has been produced during the season.

Chemical fertilizers, which should be used with great care, can be put quickly to use by plants. Conversely, the nutrients of organic fertilizers need to break down by fermentation to be assimilated: this is why they can only be used by the roots 20 to 30 days after they have been applied.

More interesting articles on Bonsai can be found here:

Please click here for more information on --> Chinese Penjing Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> The Origins of Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> The Art of Saikei Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> Japanese Tanuki Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> How to Water a Bonsai

Please click here for more information on --> Bonsai Healing Methods

Thank you for visiting my blog and feel free to subscribe or leave your message at the comment section below. Please always remember, good feedback or bad remarks, it doesn't matter!

  Jav