5 Tips to Get Your Soil Healthy & Plants Thriving

Soil is a mixture of minerals, organic matter, water, air, and organisms.

Having good soil means strong and healthy plants. Plants grown in good soil need less watering and maintenance, they're more likely to survive and thrive, and are less prone to pests and diseases.

Every soil is different, but most soils benefit from adding organic matter.

To see if you need to do further improvements: test the soil pH, check if the soil absorbs water and if adding gypsum to clayey soil will help.

Soil organic matter is anything living or dead in soil.

Living soil organic matter includes plant roots, animals, and microbes.

Dead soil organic matter includes animal and microbes faeces (poo) or anything that is now dead and in a stage of decomposition (i.e., rotting or rotten).

Having soil organic matter is important because it holds onto and slowly releases nutrients and moisture, adds air to the soil, and provides food for organisms. All of which create good soil quality and promote plant growth and health.

You can add organic matter to soil by mixing in things like manures, bone meal, fishmeal, seaweed, compost (see How to Make Your Own Compost), and coco fibre. You can also grow green manure crops then dig in, and use organic mulches - such as wood chip or sugarcane - on top of the soil which eventually breaks down and goes into the soil.

Add a variety of different organic materials to keep the soil organisms happy.

Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser is a mixture of chicken manure, bone meal, fishmeal and seaweed and is suitable for use in organic gardens.

Soil Nutrients are elements that are absorbed mostly by plant roots. There are "major nutrients" that are needed in large amounts and "minor nutrients" that are needed in small amounts.

Major nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K); as well as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S).

Minor nutrients (also known as trace elements) include iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni) and chlorine (Cl).

Soil nutrients are needed for plant growth, reproduction, health and survival.

Without soil nutrients, plants can't grow, flower, fruit, or survive, and will be prone to pests and diseases.

Use a fertiliser that is suited to your plant's needs.

For most plants, including native plants, use Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improve & Plant Fertiliser.

For vegies and herbs use Yates Thrive Natural Vegie & Herb Organic Based Pelletised Plant Food.

For fruiting trees use Yates Thrive Natural Citrus & Fruit Organic Based Pelletised Plant Food.

For flowering plants use Yates Thrive Natural Roses & Flowers Organic Based Pelletised Plant Food.

Most fertilisers and soils already have enough minor nutrients (trace elements) so adding these in separately is not essential.

Soil pH is a measurement of how acidic (sour) or alkaline (sweet) soil is.

If the soil pH does not suit the plant's needs (not the right flavour), then the plant can't access soil nutrients. It doesn't matter how good the soil is and how much fertiliser you apply, if the soil pH is incorrect the plant will not use it.

Find out what soil pH your plant needs, then test the soil pH - if the soil pH is too high (alkaline/sweet) apply Yates Soil Acidifier Liquid Sulfur, and if the soil pH is too low (acidic/sour) then apply Yates Hydrangea Pinking Liquid Lime & Dolomite.

Soil moisture is how much water is in the soil.

Too much soil moisture can cause plant roots to rot, struggle or die.

Too little soil moisture can cause plants to wilt, grow slowly (stunted), or die.

If the soil is too wet you can try to grow water-loving plants, improve the soil drainage, add more soil on top, if the soil is clayey try adding gypsum, and prune nearby trees to help dry out the soil quicker.

If the soil is dry, add organic matter and mulch. Test if the soil is absorbing the water, and add a soil wetter such as Yates Waterwise Soil Wetter.

Soil air is the space (pores) between soil solids (particles) and liquids (generally water). Soils that have little to no soil air are called compacted soils.

Soil air allows plant roots and animals to breathe, and microbes to decompose organic matter.

If there is not enough soil air plant leaves may go yellow, brown and drop; and the plant may also struggle and die. Microbes also die and stop decomposing.

If there is too much soil air plants dry out quickly, then wilt and die.

Add organic matter, especially compost, and for particularly compacted soils where there is little to no air, aerating the soil with a corer or garden fork will also help.

Soil life is the living organic matter in the soil. These can be invisible (i.e., microscopic) or visible (i.e., macroscopic) to the naked eye.

Invisible (i.e., microscopic) soil organisms include bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi, protozoa and nematodes.

Visible (i.e., macroscopic) soil organisms include Earthworms, insects, Springtails, Mites, Centipedes, etc.

Not all soil life is beneficial and some are harmful (e.g., Phytophthora Root Rot).

Soil life benefits soil quality by breaking down organic matter and through their activity in the soil. Soil life has an impact on soil organic matter, nutrients, moisture, and air.

They make soil nutrients available through decomposition and sometimes through symbiosis (plant-microbe relationship). They improve soil moisture and air by tunnelling, and sticking soil particles together.

For plants to thrive, there needs to be a good mixture of soil life (biodiversity) and the soil needs to be kept healthy.

Adding organic matter, and fixing the soil where it is needed will help promote a soil that is healthy and full of soil life.