Tilth can be loosely defined as the structure and texture of the soil, which is directly related to its health. Soil that has a compact, dense tilth is not as healthy as a dark, rich, crumbly-textured soil. There is a general spectrum of soil types: clay soil being at one end and sandy at the other. A truly healthy soil is right in the middle of the two. We call this loamy or balanced soil. Healthy, loamy soil has some clay, some sand, rock particles, organic matter and tons of live microbes. It is dark and crumbly and is able to retain moisture and nutrients, while still allowing roots to penetrate deeply and, miraculously, with the assistance of air and water, healthy, loamy soil can produce its own nutrients. This is the type of soil that John and Bob’s creates over time.
Sandy soil consists of small, fine particles that allow water and nutrients to leach out too quickly. Roots can grow deeply in sandy soil but are reaching for the unattainable that has trickled away into the ground water systems. Sandy soil often leaves plants dry and malnourished. If you squeeze a ball of sandy soil, it will crumble in your hand. Sandy soils have a very loose, gravely texture, with particles varying sizes.
Most sandy soils lack organic matter and do not retain water or nutrients well because of their porous nature. While pooling water isn’t a concern, the lack of consistent moisture and sufficient nutrients are. And without much organic material to improve soil structure and feed soil life, sandy soils are loose and offer limited physical support. This makes erosion and wind damage ongoing concerns.
John and Bob’s Smart Soil Solutions can amend sandy soil and bring it back into balance. This is accomplished by using all 4 products together — Optimize, Maximize, Penetrate and Nourish — for the best results.
Optimize and Nourish adds much-needed organic matter back into the soil, which can lower the percentage of sand. They also give food for microbes and worms, creating a more complex web of organisms in the soil. These organisms will move through and aerate the soil by tunneling and eating as they go.
Optimize coats soil particles, helping them cling together and to hold water and plant food near the roots. The result is a better exchange of air and water and better moisture retention in sandy soil.
Maximize contains hosts of live bacteria, fungi and protozoa which wake up from their dormancy when added to soil. They help create a complex web of health and fertility that helps bring soil texture into balance over time.
By adding organic matter and live microbes to the existing soil, it is possible to create a fertile, rich and crumbly soil that is easy to till and will grow abundant life!
Overly loose soil structure and lack of nutrients make sandy soil difficult to grow in, and subject them to erosion from water and wind.