Soil Zoe Brenna Lexi

Daily Dirt

In This Issue Bacteria— It’s Everywhere!!

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SOIL -where does it come from??

-why is it important??

Craft Corner As shown in the photo at right, I created a hand-made art piece to write about. After deciding between a painting and an art craft, it dawned on me that I should be creating something made with soil. The Yin–Yang symbol immediately came to my attention.

I decided to make my own “earthy Yin-Yang” to represent how soil works with other life forms (in my case, flowers) to keep the world alive. I began to think of ways to make my idea come to life. Once I had my pot and soil, I needed the flowers for the “Yin” part of the symbol. I asked my mom if she could take me to a store to buy some flowers. But before we left, I realized that I’m not doing the Earth a favor by driving in a car to a shop where I would buy some flowers in a plastic container, and then drive home again. I would actually be doing our planet a disservice. And obviously that is not my goal. So I took a walk to collect some white flowers for my Yin. I didn’t know that I would only need to walk to the end of my street. It was pretty amazing that everything I needed for my project was practically in my backyard and I had no idea. This assignment inspired me to become more involved with my actual backyard and to plant a garden. I now have peas, strawberries, sunflowers, zinnias, succulents, poppies, tangerines, and a grapefruit tree that I intend to nurture daily.

Zoë

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Local Landscaping Jose L. is a groundskeeper at the Rose Bowl Golf Course in Pasadena; CA. One of our editors went in as a reporter to interview him on 4/9/13. He let us in on where they retrieve the soil from, how it gets here, and some landscaping tips and facts.

SM: Do you only use one type of soil for the entire course?

JL: No, we actually use three different types.

SM: Are there any differences between the soils you use?

JL: The first one is more of a dry, clay soil. We also use a potting soil and mulch.

SM: Why are there so many?

JL: Well, each one is used for a different purpose. The potting soil is only to nurture our plants, and the clay and mulch are used for the grass. You see, the grass seeds are planted into the clay soil. Then the top seed is covered with a thin layer of mulch to trap moisture for the seeds while they grow.

SM: Do you have an idea of where your soil comes from?

JL: I’m not positive, but I know it is delivered to us by a California supplier.

SM: Does it arrive easily?

JL: We have to order the soil ourselves by the cubic yard and a long pickup will come out holding about 30 cubic yards for us to shovel and spread across the course.

SM: Since you receive from a semi-local source, can all three kinds of soil be found in California?

JL: The clay soil and mulch are naturally found, but the potting soil is specially made from a variety of different organic matter making a more moist texture to nurture the plants.

SM: Well, that’s all the questions we have for you. Thanks so much for your time with us.

JL: Thank you for asking me.

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SIMPLICITY Throughout the hideaway escaping lizards make themselves heard with the crashing of scales.

From the distance come spontaneous low growls whizzing right out of earshot as soon as they come.

Wind is guiding the slight hint of mint through the arousing dust, once in a while interweaving with the aroma of childhood awaking from the blood stained petals.

Far off is the sloped entrance garnished with yellow petals.

Above me the sparrow is calling to the sky.

Thin and stiff leaves tower my head they rustle, exposing layers upon layers.

Wrinkled and rough, their uplifting trunk was aging at my back.

Everything was on the verge of scorching except for the shaded fuzzy brush bristles dancing down my forearm.

To my right was an elegant resting screened by a bountiful doorway of curled twigs.

When I peer to my left I see a pathway cutting through the orchard washing all trespassers with the orange blossom’s subtle scent of nectar, honey, and citrus.

Scenery Setters UNDERGROUND I feel the damp grass against my bare feet.

What is under the grass?

I feel the hot, light sand sift between my toes. What is under the sand?

I feel the hard wooden floor supporting my soles. What is under the house?

I can picture the pale worm slithering without purpose.

The fungi as their messengers growing wherever they please.

Do they ever feel us walking on the ground above their heads?

Ever hear us screaming over the weathering of the soil?

Do they ever wonder what life is like above as it

As I stood to observe, my body walked out of the palm tree’s shadow into an increasingly heating sunshine. It blinded me briefly before a monarch settled down opposite my seat.

Why do people have to over complicate life to enjoy it?

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Gingko Trees

Scientific name: Ginkgo biloba L. Other Names: Maidenhair tree Conservation Status: Endangered Habitat: Does fine in any place with full sunlight, and sandy soil Key Uses: Ornamental, medicinal Known Hazards: Ginkgo toxin which can be poisonous if

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My roots are strong and break you apart, And yet, you nurture me Even if don’t say thank you.

You give me a home to grow stronger and reach the sun You give me opportunities to blossom.

How can I thank you?

How can I possibly repay you?

I could sacrifice myself to you Decompose into fertile soil.

Make a new sprout blossom, And nurture another soul.

Not only humans can do acts of kindness, The Earth gives us more than we think, It gives us shelter and food and opportunities to blossom, To become something new.

I am connected with you Just like the moon and the stars They aren’t really connected.

But they always end up together You and I are much more than a human and soil.

You are the moon, and I am the stars.

We both shine light on the world, But you shine the brightest.

Without you, The world would be dark and empty.

Not only do you make homes for the sprouts like me, You make homes for those with more legs that I, Much smaller than me, But do so much more in their small lives, Then I will do in a lifetime.

Lexi

Groovy Gardens

Lizards prance around the garden Whilst I watch from afar On my little red bench I’m surrounded by rosemary A small bell around at cat’s neck passes by I hear nothing but birds songs.

What are they singing?

Little bushes of flowers I’ve never seen Seem to appear everywhere I look Bees serenade the plants Dancing around each one, Making it feel special A breeze visits Brushing against every leaf Every berry Strands of my hair flow with the rhythm What would the world be like without the wind?

Colossal branches protect me from the sun As leaves whisper in the wind “Wisha Wisha” What are they saying?

Will I ever know the answers to these questions?

C a ta l o g t i t l e C a t a l o g

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GROW YOUR OWN VICTORY GARDEN!!

A victory garden is a community garden grown to sustain its community members. A community garden reduces the amount of chemical intake, and is always available, to the people living in the immediate area.

People become more aware about eating a healthier diet, and eat foods by their ripe seasons instead of having

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Letter’s from the Editors: To be honest, I didn’t know much about soil coming into this. I thought I would learn about it, and always forget that key details that really mattered. It surprised me how important soil is to this environment and without it a huge part of this world wouldn’t exist. When I learned about topsoil loss, I paid more attention to my backyard and made sure all my plants were properly planted and the soil around it was healthy and moist. I did more research about how to save the earth and give back. You could say my green thumb turned into a green hand.

Soon I began going around the neighborhood and telling my neighbors what was really going underneath their feet. I even convinced my neighbors to grow food of their own, instead of buying genetically modified foods from the grocery market. Soon enough my whole neighborhood became green.

Before I began the Soil Unit this year, I just thought dirt was dirt, nothing special. But it turns out that I was very wrong.

If you go back far enough, soil is the beginning of basically everything. Not only do humans and animals benefit from soil, even the microorganisms that most people ignore thrive off of it. I also didn’t know that different types of soil affect colors and species of plants as well as nutrient levels in foods that grow from them. After the Soil Unit, I’ve learned so much about soil that I can’t keep it all to myself; I’m telling my family about what I know, too. Now we have a garden growing in our backyard, and I can proper-

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It’s hard to believe that something we describe as ‘dirty’ is the life source for our food and therefore our existence. Honestly, I am the kind of girl who can’t stand having dirt surrounding or in my nails, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Before my school’s soil unit I saw flowers and trees and just thought ooh that’s pretty.

Now I have a better understanding of how the plant is grown, what factors contributed to its upbringing, and how this could possibly affect me in any way. So that brings me to the important question: Why should I care? Well, if there is no soil there are no nutrients. Without nutrients there will be no plants able to grow.

If there are no plants the carbon dioxide our breath gives off can’t be exchanged for the oxygen we breathe, not to mention our lack of food supply. Our society has evolved around this constant process.

Brenna