HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-05-03, Page 14(MS) — Feeding songbirds in the
winter has become a national
pastime.
There is something very satisfying
about watching those cute little birds
flitting back and forth from shrubs to
the feeders.
Keeping those feeders filled
makes us all feel good.
So how come most of us never
think to feed the critters living in the
soil under our lawns and gardens?
What critters you ask?
Well, in a healthy soil there are
billions and billions of microbes
such as beneficial bacteria, fungi and
protozoa working their little tails off
for the plants growing in that
soil.
What most of us don’t realize is
that, just like the songbirds, those
microbes need food to survive, in
this case organic matter.
A lack of food for the microbes
means poor soil for growing
plants.
How do you feed the beneficial
bacteria in your soil?
It’s simple really. You put a layer
of organic matter such as Canadian
sphagnum peat moss or finely
chopped leaves on the surface of the
soil and the earthworms will pull
that stuff down into the soil — sort
of like a catering service for the
microbes.
The earthworms eat some of that
organic material and in turn produce
valuable fertilizer in the form of
worm poop.
As important, however, is that
they pull the fresh organic material
down into the soil where the bacteria
and fungi and other valuable soil
critters can get to it. All those
beneficial organisms make up a
community now called the “soil food
web.”
Plants growing in a healthy soil
with a happy soil food web are going
to need less fertilizer.
They will seldom suffer attack
from disease and pest insects, and
they are more likely to grow to their
potential in terms of size, great
foliage, and wonderful flowers or
fruit.
In addition, the plants living in that
soil with all that organic matter will
not need as much watering.
Another name for the food for the
soil food web is mulch. Most of us
are familiar with mulch for the
garden, but who thinks of mulching
the lawn?
Either in the spring or fall apply a
thin layer (about 1⁄8 inch thick) of
Canadian sphagnum peat moss
(When you’re finished, your lawn
will look like it has had a light
dusting of organic material).
This provides an incredibly
valuable food source for those soil
creatures. Your lawn will love to be
mulched.
If you spread that layer of
critter food on your lawn in
the spring or fall every year for
three to five years, you will see a
major improvement in the density of
the turf.
You will notice a major
reduction in disease and will
likely see a reduction in
problems from grubs and moles;
all because you feed your soil
critters just as you feed your
songbirds.
PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2007.
Down to earth
Mulching your lawn with a thin layer of peat moss every
spring and fall provides a valuable food source for the
creatures in the soil, which is important for a healthy lawn.
(MS photo)
Feed the lawn’s beneficial critters
NNooww IInnttrroodduucciinngg......
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