Act naturally while embracing the science
To stay on top of your garden’s success, it helps to lean on the groundbreaking agricultural research coming out of our own state
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It is natural to connect to your plants "from the ground up," longing for that coveted deep green color, that gratifying multitude of buds, that promising rapid growth, that prideful, even posture, and most importantly, the absence of stress indicators.
That is great! Using your eyes to assess plant vigor, you are taking a very personal and natural approach toward gardening derived from best scientific practices for assessing soil health.
Digging Deeper: The road to success dips below the surface of beds and pots where beauty and bounty begin. To stay on top of your garden's success, it helps to lean on the groundbreaking agricultural research coming out of our own state. Alan Sundermeier, a retired OSU Extension educator and soil health expert, reminds growers that true plant success relies on monitoring five core soil health indicators:
Plant Vigor: Utilizing your eyes to check for strong growth and rich color.
Soil Tilth: Assessing the physical condition of the soil, checking for crusting, proper structure and compaction.
Soil Life: Encouraging the active underground food web, from microscopic microbes to earthworms.
Soil Air and Water: Ensuring the soil can breathe and drain properly so roots don't drown.
Fertility Management: Supplementing your dirt with the exact nutrients it needs.
Satisfy your senses and your plants as you wield tool and toil. Then, supplement those natural instincts with a modicum of science. This means committing to routine soil testing when the results will be most useful--and most likely to be acted upon.
If taking a soil sample sounds like work, you just aren't stopping to smell the roses! As you part the earth, you are actively assessing your soil tilth for compaction and structural health. You are participating in the very foundation of science.
A Five-Senses Backyard Feast: When you feed the life in your soil, the soil feeds your plants, and eventually, those plants feed you. That is where the real magic happens! Your gardening efforts turn into a spectacular, five-senses backyard feast:
See: The vibrant, explosive colors of fresh vegetables on your dinner plate.
Hear: The satisfying, crisp crunch of a perfectly grown, hydrated cucumber.
Feel: The warm, smooth skin of a sun-ripened tomato picked straight from the vine.
Smell: The sweet, intoxicating aroma of fresh-picked basil leaves bruised in your palm.
Taste: An absolute explosion of homegrown flavor that no grocery store shelf can ever match.
So, let's get dirty, embrace the science, and build better soil! Just don't forget to mark your upcoming soil testing day down on your very own soil calendar so you can track your garden's journey from the ground up.
For More Information: Have questions about taking a soil sample or improving your garden's tilth? Contact the Mahoning County Extension Office or call the Master Gardener Volunteer Hotline at (330) 533-5538. You can also visit our local resource page at the OSU Extension Mahoning County website.