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I'm curious. What makes a soil suitable for growing vegetables? What can we grow in a soil that isn't? Is it possible to transform an unsuitable soil into a

I'm curious. What makes a soil suitable for growing vegetables? What can we grow in a soil that isn't? Is it possible to transform an unsuitable soil into a good one?

rapind 3y ago
As a complete outsider, I found this fascinating series of talks a few years ago that go into great detail on soil for farmers: https://youtu.be/uUmIdq0D6-A https://youtu.be/uUmIdq0D6-A
- teh_klev 3y ago
  I watched these a few years back and agree they're a really interesting set of talks.
- lukas099 3y ago
  Cornell University has an excellent soil science course online: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs7Y2nGwfz4HPoRAaB64c-MdF1kK-P-Wy https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs7Y2nGwfz4HPoRAaB64c...
bluGill 3y ago
> What makes a soil suitable for growing vegetables? There are many factors. Sand/clay mixture (I think there are other types of "rocks" that make up dirt as well). How much organic matter is in the soil. How much water is available (which in a function of both the above and local rainfall). How loose/compacted the soil is. What temperature the soil is. How deep the various soil layers extend. Fertilizer is good, but different plants need different amounts (2-4-d was developed has fertilizer but it is mostly used as a weed killer) There is probably more that I can't think of. Note that the right soil for one type of vegetable is often wrong for another. There isn't a one size fits all. > What can we grow in a soil that isn't? That depends on what you have. Desert soils can grow cactus (add water and they can often grow more). I've seen trees grow in the cracks of rocks. > Is it possible to transform an unsuitable soil into a good one? Define good? Do you care about costs? Around me there are a number of places where coal strip mines closed 100 years ago, and the soil was good for a few scatter weeds, the DNR has a grant program to transform those into grass land, and in 3 years that bare ground can support cows but it will be thousands of years before it can grow corn. Global warming will melt permafrost and those areas will then support plants, but they will never support tropical plants (at least not assuming any likely level of global warming). Modern housing developments strip away all the top soil but gardeners often buy enough manure to redevelop the soil into a garden - at great expense. Depending on how you define good you can get very different answers.
deleted 3y ago
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I'm curious. What makes a soil suitable for growing vegetables? What can we grow in a soil that isn't? Is it possible to transform an unsuitable soil into a good one?

rapind 3y ago

As a complete outsider, I found this fascinating series of talks a few years ago that go into great detail on soil for farmers: https://youtu.be/uUmIdq0D6-A https://youtu.be/uUmIdq0D6-A

teh_klev 3y ago
I watched these a few years back and agree they're a really interesting set of talks.
lukas099 3y ago
Cornell University has an excellent soil science course online: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs7Y2nGwfz4HPoRAaB64c-MdF1kK-P-Wy https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs7Y2nGwfz4HPoRAaB64c...

bluGill 3y ago

> What makes a soil suitable for growing vegetables? There are many factors. Sand/clay mixture (I think there are other types of "rocks" that make up dirt as well). How much organic matter is in the soil. How much water is available (which in a function of both the above and local rainfall). How loose/compacted the soil is. What temperature the soil is. How deep the various soil layers extend. Fertilizer is good, but different plants need different amounts (2-4-d was developed has fertilizer but it is mostly used as a weed killer) There is probably more that I can't think of. Note that the right soil for one type of vegetable is often wrong for another. There isn't a one size fits all. > What can we grow in a soil that isn't? That depends on what you have. Desert soils can grow cactus (add water and they can often grow more). I've seen trees grow in the cracks of rocks. > Is it possible to transform an unsuitable soil into a good one? Define good? Do you care about costs? Around me there are a number of places where coal strip mines closed 100 years ago, and the soil was good for a few scatter weeds, the DNR has a grant program to transform those into grass land, and in 3 years that bare ground can support cows but it will be thousands of years before it can grow corn. Global warming will melt permafrost and those areas will then support plants, but they will never support tropical plants (at least not assuming any likely level of global warming). Modern housing developments strip away all the top soil but gardeners often buy enough manure to redevelop the soil into a garden - at great expense. Depending on how you define good you can get very different answers.

deleted 3y ago

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