nutrient, Soil organisms and co

Of course, the garden soil does not only consist of the mineral components and the water content. For the plants to flourish, there are also such factors as the organic soil components, the available nutrients and the soil organisms are important.

The soil flora is one of the organic components of the soil. These are bacteria, for example, mushrooms, Algae and lichens. A positive effect of the microorganisms is the binding of nitrogen, so that it is available to the plants. On the other hand, they can also attack and damage the plants. As always, it all comes down to the right mix.

Of course, this also applies to soil organisms. We don't like to see some of them at all, like the nematodes or the ants. On the other hand, one can be happy about others. Earthworms are the best helpers, that the gardener can only imagine. They break down the organic components and mix the soil. In doing so, they ventilate the soil and promote gas exchange and water flow. This creates ideal conditions for plant growth.

I once took over a garden myself, whose previous owner had destroyed almost all soil life through the use of chemicals. It took a lot of effort and a long time, until I could speak of “healthy soil conditions” again. Until then, every earthworm found was greeted with great joy and treated with the utmost care.

Are the organic components broken down by the organisms in the soil?, then the nutrients it contains are released. This more or less transformed substance is called humus. It will be dismantled all the faster, the more intensively a soil is worked. With good soil, however, there should be a balance of minerals and humus. It follows, that you get to the bottom, if it is constantly being edited, should also keep adding new organic components. This is particularly important when growing vegetables in the home garden. Manure, Compost and green manure are sensible solutions here.

The main nutrients for the plants are nitrogen, Phosphor, Potassium, Magnesium, Called calcium and sulfur. There are also various trace elements. How it is with your personal garden soil, the best way to find out is through a soil survey. Many garden centers even offer free examinations in the spring. Of course, they want to sell their fertilizers. (But you don't necessarily have to get involved.) Samples from his garden soil, but you can also send it in and have it examined for a fee. The Chamber of Agriculture of North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, offers a special soil analysis service for houses- and allotment garden owners. Those who keep an eye on their garden, he can also recognize it from the pointer plants, which nutrient elements are missing or sufficiently available in its soil.

Arnica grows on nutrient-poor soils, Bloodroot and devil bite.
Soils rich in nutrients show hogweed, Big nettle, Kornblume, dandelion, Taubnessel (Red and white), Bird ants and fence winds.
We find Hasenklee on soils that are poor in lime, sorrel, Wiesenknopf and Wild Pansy.
Ackersenf, Field barbarrel and hyssop represent a lime-rich soil.

Pointer plants or indicator plants give due to their intolerance / “specialization” Information about the nature of the soil and possibly. Pollutants:

Soil rich in nitrogen: Ackerhellerkraut, Ackersenf, Dock knotweed, Bärenklau, Ringelkraut (einj.), Stinging nettle, Honorary award, Erdrauch, French herb, Goose thistle, Goose foot, Giersch, Shepherd's purse herb, elder, chamomile, Burdock weed, On the basis of, dandelion, Report, Quecke, black nightshade, Taubnessel, Vogelmiere, Milkweed.
Soil poor in nitrogen: Ackerfuchsschwanz, Hollow field tooth, Hairy rattle pot, Besenginster, Hornkraut, Hungerblümchen, chamomile, odorless, Wicke, hairy, Ziest.
Magnesium rich soil: Gamander, Red thimble, Stinky Niswurz.
Potassium rich soil: Bärenklau, Report, Fuchsschwanz, Red thimble.
Soil rich in lime: Ackergauchheil, Ackerglockenblume, Field hornwort, Ackersenf, Bindweed, Adonis, Nettle, Honorary award, Field delphinium, Gamander, Goose thistle, Hasenklee, Pickaxe, Huflattich, Corn poppy, Klee, at. Milkweed, Hepatica, Toadflax, dandelion, Marigold, delphinium, Sickle carrot, Cranesbill, Tauben-Skabios, Taubnessel, Devil's claw, Chicory, Wiesenknopf, Meadow sage, Milkweed.
Soil poor in lime: Adlerfarn, Farm mustard, Dreibl. Honorary award, Fadenhirse, Feldspark, yellow exuberant flower, Dog chamomile, at. Sorrel-, Wood sorrel, Horsetail, Pansy.
Soil rich in humus: Brennnesssel, dandelion, Vogelmiere.
Alkaline soil: Ackergauchheil, Field hollow tooth, Ackersenf, Field pansy, Ringelkraut, sparsette, Creep. Fingerkraut, Wild oats, Hollow tooth, Luzerne, Sonnwendwolfsmilch, Chicory, Meadow cranesbill, Meadow sage.
Acid soil: Ackerspörgel, Ackerziest, Adlerfarn, Honorary award (Veronica), daisy, Hasenklee, Hederich, Hollow tooth, (Dog)chamomile, Wood sorrel, at. Sorrel, Holly, rape. Pansy, woolly honey grass.
Soil poor in nutrients: Adlerfarn, daisy, Heidekraut, Shepherd's purse, Hungerblümchen, Little sorrel, Margerite, Overgrowth flower, Wood sorrel, Pansy, White clover.
Soil rich in nutrients (Humus): Ackerhellerkraut, Ringelkraut, Stinging nettle, Distel, Erdrauch, French herb, (whiter) Goose foot, Hederich, Shepherd's purse, Huflattich, Report, (schwarzer) Nightshade, Blunt-leaved dock, Vogelmiere.
Nasser, compacted soil, Waterlogging: Ackerminze, Ackerschachtelhalm, Ackerminze, Dock knotweed, Beinwell, Breitwegerich, Goose finger herb, Buttercup, Huflattich, Climbing herb, Creeping buttercup, dandelion, Celandine, Sumpfziest, Knotweed, Wiesenknopf.
Dry soil: Field hollow tooth, Bluthirse, Dyer's chamomile, Hollow tooth, white carnation, Heron beak, Sickle carrot, summer- Adonis, Sun rose, Cranesbill, Wegerich.
Bottom with bottom cooker: Ringelkraut, Stinging nettle, klein, Honorary award (efeublättriger u. persischer), Erdrauch, French herb, (whiter) Goose foot, chamomile, Knotweed species, Dead nettle species, Vogelmiere, Spurge species.
Soil poor in soil cooker: Mutterkraut, Knotweed, Quecke.
Soil with waterlogging: Ackerminze, Dock knotweed, Goose finger herb, Huflattich, crawl. Buttercup, Horsetail, Knotweed, gr. Wiesenknopf.
Condensed, heavy soil (Clay, Your): Ackerfuchsschwanz, Ackerkratzdistel, Ackerminze, Ackerschachtelhalm, Breitwegerich, Goose finger herb, Goose thistle, Huflattich, radiant chamomile, Knotweed, Mullein, crawl. Buttercup, dandelion, Knotweed.
Soil with shade plants: Adlerfarn, Giersch, Gundermann.
Sandy soil: Heidekraut, Kiefer, Corn poppy, Mullein, Vogelmiere, Milkweed.
Neutral ground: chamomile.
Alternating damp or constantly wet soil: Binsen, Giant ostrich grass, Seggen.
Moist to wet soil: Ackerminze, Real meadowsweet, Goose finger herb, Hainklette, Knotweed, creeping buttercup, Horsetail, Marsh marigold, Sumpfplatterbse, Forest horsetail, Dwarf bellflower.
Possibly lead soil: Welsches Weidelgras (Lolium multiflorum), Meadow cress (Cardaminopsis states).

We will think again about the tasks of the individual nutrients separately.

In no case should you ignore the pH value of the soil. This also has a great influence on plant growth. This describes the concentration of hydrogen ions in one liter of soil solution. In general, it is also known to gardeners new to gardening, the rhododendron likes acidic soil, without knowing exactly what is meant by it. That means, that the pH of the soil necessarily falls below 7 should lie. The value 7 stands for a neutral floor. Above this one speaks of alkaline conditions. Most plants love a neutral to slightly acidic garden soil. Sour up 4,5 like, for example, the aforementioned rhododendron, Blueberries and kiwi.