How to Improve Soil Quality

One of the best ways to have a beautiful yard is to build healthy soil. Your plants depend on soil for nutrients, oxygen, water, and much more. If your soil isn’t balanced and healthy, your land will be susceptible to various problems, such as lack of air and nutrients, soil erosion, and too much or too little water. There are many ways to improve soil quality, and we’ve gathered some important tips to get you started. Keep reading to learn more! If you’ve any questions or you are looking for some quality equipment for your farm or yard, be sure to visit Rivera's Machinery, Inc. in Donna, Texas.

Improve Drainage

With good drainage, there is less chance of runoff, nutrient loss, and soil erosion. Well-drained soil means plants are healthier and there are fewer chances of damage. To improve drainage, you’ll want to add organic matter to improve pore space and build up available organic carbon. Compost, organic mulches, living plants, and cover crops can help improve drainage, water holding capacity, nutrient retention, and plant root growth. As these plant materials are broken down by the microbes, the material eventually becomes humus, a more stable form of organic matter.

Use Compost

Compost adds valuable organic matter to the soil. This organic matter improves the physical and chemical attributes of the soil in different ways, from supplying nutrients to encouraging healthy soil microorganisms and worms. At least once a year, you’ll want to add a couple of inches of compost, aged manure, and other natural soil amendments to the soil.

Soil Aeration

Plant roots need oxygen to grow and to absorb nutrients and water. When soil is compacted, flooded with too much water, or has poor structure, there just isn't enough air for plant roots to thrive. Soil that’s too fine may not have enough space for air to fully penetrate. Sandy soil, on the other hand, may have too much air and can cause organic matter to decompose.

Monitor the Water Level

if the soil is too wet, the air will be forced out. This means your plant roots and organisms will be at risk of suffocating. Fortunately, adding organic matter to the soil will help absorb excess water to ensure it’s retained until the plant roots need it. Adding compost or manure into the top three or four inches of soil will help resolve this.

We hope that this guide to enhancing the quality of your soil has been useful. If you have any questions or need some quality farm equipment, get in touch with us at Rivera's Machinery, Inc. in Donna, TX. We welcome all our patrons visiting us from Harlingen and San Benito, so stop by today!