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Champion Country Tuesday, June 15, 2004-17 Ira ~t~ï~IIe-1 Could your garden pass a soul test? How well do yau know your sali? lt's an important question for the health of the plants in and araund your hause. Good sali does more thon provide a foundalion for roots ta grab on ta. Well-structured sali lets the roots breathe easily, provides the right amount of nutrients and water ta the plant, and has the right pH balance for the kind of plants you're trying ta grow. Poor soli can inhibit plant growth in a num- ber of ways. If if has too high a dlay content, if wiil compact easily, drain poorly, prevent air from getting ta the rmots, and dry inta hard clumps. If Ws toa sandy, it wiii drain too quickiy, erode easily and have difficuly hold- ing nutrients for the plants ta use. Good sali strikes a balance between these two extremes. When you pick up a handfui, it feels maist and baose wifhaut faling through your fingers, has a fresh, dlean smell, and a rlch dark colour. To find out what your sali structure is like, stur a handfui into a clear glass of water and let t sit for severai hours, until the water clears. The coarse, heavier sand particles will even- tualiy settie ta the bottom, with dlay and st layering the top. Some humus (organic mot- ter) wili ikeiy float on top of the clear water. Looking at the side0 of the glass, you can tell what yourt sali is primarily cWo mode of. AcdI4 If ifs mostly sand, dlgging in lots of pH organic malter such -7 - Ne*tral as Hiiview® Triple Scale Mie wiii improve tif a great deai. Ifi s lcraa masily sif and dlay, - k8itflltY if wili benefit from the addition of 1 washed sand ta 1 heip if drain and aerate weii, Ail salis wiii benefif from liberai appilcations of compost. If yau dont have yaur own com- post, try Green Earfh® Premium Compost. Work nie sali by turning it aver and mixing if weii ta a depth of at ieast one foot, before pianting. SOIL pH LEVELS Acidity or aikaiinity in nie sail is measured by pH values, on a scale of 1 (mast acid) ta 14 (most aikaline) with a level of 7 cansldered "neutrai" Each level is ten times mare or iess than nie next, le. Ph 5 is ten times mare acldic nian 6 and 100 x more acldic than 7. The pH level influences nie avaiiabiiity of nutrients for you plants, as weil as nie type of plants you can graw. Most plants wiil grow weii in a pH range of 6.5 ta 7.2, where nutri- ents are readiiy availabie ta them, But ta start, it helps ta know what your present sali pH value is. Yau can buy a simple, inexpen- sive sali test kitftram your garden centre. Acid salis con be neutralized by adding Green Earth® Dolomific Ume. Be sure ta read nie label and change nie sali pH siawiy and carefuiiy, ta ensure yau dont upset nie bal- ance toa for in the opposite direction. Compost wiii aisa heip neutralize sali pH and add nutrents at nie same ime. Aikaline salis can be neutralized by adding Green Earth® Peat Mass, or smal omounts of C-i-L® Aiuminum Suiphate. SOIL NUTRIENTS Ail plants need a gaad balance of nie major nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potash). as weil as minar or "micro" nutrients such as magnesium, coppe, iran, calcium, mangonese and many others in minute quantities. You con test your sali for nie pres- ence of these nutrients and add thase that are needed in the form of fertilizer. They wili quickiy become avoulable ta the plants (praviding your sali pH is fairiy neutrai) and promote heaithy growth. Regardiess of pH level, the absence of any key nutrient con cause grawth probiems. Using a premium quaiity water-saiubie fer- tilizer like Piant-Prod® Ai-Purpase Fertilizer 20-20-20 wiii heip ta ensure plants get nie baianced nutriton they need. - News Canada oeePLUUS ECtCH(s t/he L/e of Your EfaipmeiMt Mmw e the trne ta gve your Outdoor Power Equipment a tun-upi BrIgg & Stratton ha ail the fmnnncePrducte you need ta astend the Ite of ypur engine. Juat pick up the Brigge & SMrttn Maintenancee Kit you need tram Halton Power Equipment or letua do it for you. Yau can be eeeumed your Brigge & Stratton powered equipment will etasi up easy and mun et maximum pediomancel " Your Power Source" NALTON POUER EQUIPMENT g /. ' Patsà Rapalé Fr Ait mail Egn 20 Main St. W. Milton 906-875-3286 BSNSmD HOE 'toaiv antn y J Jinthe WHO DOES UT eb elDIRECTORY aos ltie a lO mnonth. pon>t dela, kâ For more information cali Joice 905-878-2341 caI oda~