The Importance of Soil

Ken Wachsberger

This story is personal. It’s about soil. If you saw the patch of dirt in my backyard that looks great now because it is covered with newly poured mulch but which will be filled with foot-long weeds by next spring because nothing else has grown there since we cut down our pine tree twenty years ago, you would understand.

So I was pleased to get some insight about soil from Joe Parr, who I wrote about in my last Bloom Blog entry. Parr is production and automation consultant for Supernatural Brand in British Columbia, producers of terra-soil, their patent-pending terraponics soil. Their terraponics growth system fuses “pure virgin clean earth elements with purified minerals combined with an air-pressure-powered nutrient reservoir delivery system attached to the growing surface.” He began by talking about pros and cons of soils that are commonly available for sale.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of types of soil and everyone has their own favorite blend of organic materials, or manures, urea, sand, black soil, brown soil, perlite, peat mass soil blends. The list goes on and on. Good soil you want to be rich with minerals and the correct blend of elements to have a perfect pH; bad soils are are out of balance. Not too many people understand how important pH soil is.

 

For growers wanting to grade and improve their soil, he suggests they “get it analyzed to identify what you may or may not have in it, so you know where to start. Use dolomitic limestone to adjust the pH if your soil test shows that your soil is low in magnesium. Pulverized limestone is the most common and inexpensive acid neutralizer.”

The company’s Signature line of soils and nutrients are certified to have no fillers or waste materials in their ingredients. To obtain them, they purchase from forty-six countries around the world, always, he says, checking documents to support claims of purity and quality. They are proudest of British Columbia’s contribution, especially the company’s bog, which is located six hours north of the company’s main office and manufacturing plant in Maple Ridge.

We are proud owners of our 20-acre humic bog in British Columbia’s Northern interior, high up in the ancient volcanic mountains. This is where we harvest the best naturally loaded humic peat we’ve come across in decades. Really special, beyond belief. Volcanos, glaciers, and an ancient sea floor all make an incredible mix for this particular 10,000-year old humic bog.

It is mined, he explains, “only three months out of the year due to the geographic weather conditions in that area that high up in the interior mountains.” It had long been on the company’s purchase radar, as it was where they purchased material for over twenty years.

“If you’re going to grow something to eat or use as medicine, why not use the ultra-best pure ingredients and methods to achieve the best possible results you can every time? Don’t cut corners and expect to achieve record results with sub-grade equipment and supplies. Let your plants dictate your success.”

Three Bonus Tips

• “Plants don’t wait to grow. If you have to do something like transplant or clone your plants, do it now. The longer you wait the less fruit of your labor you reap.”

• “Flush properly. Proper flushing allows you to get out all mineral deposits and avoid mineral buildup trapped within your plants.”

• “Make labeling what you are growing a part of your routine. It costs pennies, takes seconds, and will help you stay organized.”

Ken Wachsberger, editor of Bloom Blog, is an author and founder of Azenphony Press Writing and Editing.