02433cam a2200301 i 4500 296068610 TxAuBib 20140530120000.0 131216s2014||||||||||||||||||||||||eng|u oc2014009652 9781770852266 pbk. 1770852263 pbk. eng rda TxAuBib rda Reid, Keith. Improving your soil [BOOK] : a practical guide to soil management for the serious home gardener / Keith Reid. Buffalo, N.Y. : Firefly Books, 2014. 272 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm. txt rdacontent n rdamedia nc rdacarrier Includes index. Seasons of the soil -- Getting started : what type of soil do you have? -- What is soil, and why is it important? -- Different soils, different challenges -- Soil texture : the bones of your soil -- Soil structure : the skeleton of your soil -- Soil water -- Irrigation basics for gardens -- A little bit of soil chemistry -- How soil holds nutrients -- Soil life and soil organic matter -- Harnessing biological cycles for our benefit -- Feeding your plants -- Sustaining the land -- Glossary of soil terms -- Appendix I. Selected laboratories for testing garden soils -- Appendix II. Agricultural and horticultural extension resources -- Appendix III. Chemical symbols and formulas. Intended for both small and medium-size gardens, Improving Your Soil reveals the steps to take to achieve the perfect soil base in which to grow plants. With directions on amending poor soil, modifying mediocre earth, aerating compacted topsoil and substrates, and testing pH levels, this book enables gardeners to nurture their plants and promote more abundant growth. The features of good soil include proper structure and nutrients that encourage healthy plant growth. Soil in "good tilth" is loamy, nutrient-rich and friable because it has an optimal mixture of sand, clay and organic matter that prevents severe compaction. Improving Your Soil shows gardeners how to improve the soil in their garden to encourage good seed bedding and a strong root system for proper nutrient disbursement throughout various soil depths. 20140530. Garden soils. Soil management. Gardening.