HOME & GARDEN
Between The Leaves
By Mick O'Brien
Hello dear readers, It's Mick O’Brien here from Profound Horticultural. I am a senior practicing Horticulturist residing on Bribie Island, who has been writing informative gardening articles for various publications over the last 10 years including, Horticultural guest contributor for the Queensland published STG- Subtropical Gardening Magazine, the Holistic Bliss Magazine on sustainable gardening practices and the last 3 years writing monthly articles for a local newspaper while I have been running and operating our successful soft landscaping garden business locally on the Island for over 10 years. I am very excited to be on board with the Bribie Islander Magazine and talking - “Between the Leaves”. I look forward to contributing many fine and informative horticultural garden articles for you to read and digest - well into the future. So stay tuned! It all starts with the soil and being my first article with the Bribie Islander it would be fitting to briefly touch on the importance of building healthy soil. We all know Bribie Island is predominately sand-based and these structureless soils have trouble holding water, but some are also hydrophobic, (which will not accept water) we also have sandy loams, clay loams and acid sulphate soil pockets, which are typical in the lowland coastal areas. Generally, when landscaping, we are usually dealing with the topsoil, when we start digging holes for trees and plants in our yards, we certainly see some variations of soil textures and colours depending on which part of Bribie Island we are digging in. Also, soil pH levels can vary around the district and
can be anywhere between pH 5.0 to pH 7.0, but generally, most of our garden topsoil is around pH 6.5, which most plants can access their necessary minerals available without suffering any nutrient disorders.
BUILDING OUR SOIL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? Soil building - is when we want to improve our soil structure and its fertility with the aim of increasing the water holding capacity, (Especially needed for sandy soils) and by creating a soil where microorganisms can co-exist, such as earthworms and beneficial bacteria and fungi. Some specialist fungi can work in a symbiotic relationship with plant roots and supply hard to get nutrients and attract and hold moisture in the soil profile. We have all heard of the benefits of adding compost to soil and worm castings or composted manures, but there are an underground plethora of microorganisms working dutifully turning organic residue such as leaves or wood waste into a friable, rich, and fertile humus layer, just like the rainforest floor, as it recycles itself and feeds the forest. This is why we make our own compost for our veggie gardens. We are essentially replicating nature by recycling organic waste to feed our soil and the microorganisms which in turn make available the minerals needed for healthy plant growth. When we create an Australian native garden design, we do not necessarily need to improve the soil to veggie garden standards, as some naturally endemic species have adapted over millennia to thrive in low nutrient-poor soils, so choosing the right plants for the right environment is imperative! Stay tuned for issue 138, for our follow-on gardening articles.
VAM fungi = (Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizae) in the soil profile which attaches itself to the fine plant roots in a symbiotic relationship.
Healthy soil teaming with live earth worms:
Healthy soil, healthy roots and the sprout of life begins again!
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Fully Qualified Horticulturist Dip.Hort. (MAIH)
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Call Mick NOW! 0417 618 203 Issue 136 Mar 26, 2021
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