SoilErosion.com

Soil Erosion Problems and Solutions

Soil pH

How Soil Erosion Can Affect Soil pH

Soil erosion is generally caused by one of two elements: wind or water. These two elements distribute soil sediments differently during erosion. Depending on the conditions surrounding the erosion, there could be economic and environmental losses. Water and wind erosion affect soil content and may reduce microbe induction while raising soil’s acidity, or pH level, which interferes with growth and yield.

Knowing soil’s pH can provide insight into problems such as crop loss and low yield. When a grower knows and understands these issues, they can take action and prevent further economic losses.

What is pH?

A crucial factor for soil health lies in its pH level. pH, or potential hydrogen, measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in soil. These concentrations determine whether soil is acidic or alkaline. pH levels of 5.5 and under are desirable for producing healthy crops. Subsoils should measure 4.8 or lower for more alkaline soil. The lower the pH level, the less acidity is in the soil.

Soil’s acidity or alkalinity determines whether crops will see their full yield, or be reduced unhealthy, acidic crops. pH levels decide the stability of the land for crop production by the measure of nutrients available for both soil and plant health.

While low pH should not result in production losses, high pH concentrations and acidity disturb the induction of microbes into the soil, which will weaken its overall structure.

What is Soil Erosion

Sheet and gully erosion caused by water can strip topsoil of its nutrients and change soil’s structure so that its underlying subsoils are also compromised. Saltation, an effect of wind erosion, tosses soil particles into the air and carries them great distances. These particles can cause upper respiratory conditions to flare while they blanket homes and roadways, and smother crops.

The environmental impacts of soil erosion are felt in loss of crop yields due to soil compromise and nutrient unavailability. Loss of animal habitat is felt as insects and microbes are partly responsible for soil’s structure and integrity.

Agriculture suffers overall as it is this land stripped bare of its vegetation. It is bare land that is most vulnerable to erosion and resulting acidity. Development also suffers losses as infrastructure is weakened by erosion.

How Does Soil Erosion Affect Soil pH?

Soil that is maximized to maintain its value as a resource to produce healthy, thriving crops is lower in pH for alkaline soil. Reducing high acidity in soil is needed to produce strong crops and prepare the land for the next growing season. 

As erosion occurs, it takes more than just soil. Erosion carries fertilizers and pesticides along with it as it flows or blows. These sediment deposits might affect surrounding soils and spread (or cause) acidity to nearby areas. Because acidic soil is responsible for nutrient deficiencies and toxicities found in plants, balancing pH is a crucial component to economic health.

As erosion contributes to a rise in the water table, and because pH is usually higher in moist soils, water erosion poses serious consequences to soil’s balance and stability. As acidity accumulates, it might affect surrounding areas by furthering the imbalance and making it that much more difficult to correct or offset the damage.

Managing Acidic Soils

Once pH levels are high in topsoils, underlying subsoil horizons might also be affected. If the parent layer, or O horizon, becomes too acidic, the fight to bring back balance intensifies. Knowing the pH levels of planting ground before the first crops go in is a wise move to prevent unexpected disaster.

Fortunately, there are methods a grower can use to reduce soil acidity and bring pH levels to their ideal levels for their incoming crops.

  • Applying the proper amount of nitrogen and sulfur fertilizers can have a positive effect on pH and lower its levels over time. The key is adding the proper amounts of fertilizer at the appropriate time depending on the crop’s needs.
  • Liming is a tried-and-true method of lowering soil pH. However, this method has proven to be time-consuming and labor-intensive. Moreover, not every farm can afford to purchase lime to control pH. Liming’s effects tend to last a short time and may contribute to nutrient deficiencies in the soil. Liming may also trigger a decline in microbes, compromising soil’s crucial make-up.
  • Cropping practices that improve soil’s organic matter and soil’s overall health is the ideal method of reducing soil pH. Geotextiles in natural fibers like coir can be used in strip planting and terracing to serve double duty: reduce effects of erosion and balance soil pH. Coir’s neutral pH makes it an ideal accompaniment for soil to maintain its overall structure and integrity.

How to Test Soil pH

Testing soil pH is relatively simple and can be performed with various measurement techniques. Be sure to test soil in more than one location for an accurate pH range.

  • PH kit with pH paper: Look for kits that contain a relatively broad pH level scale of 1-14. Some kits may concentrate the range with reading levels between 4.5-10. This method tests soil by adding in a little water then dipping the strip in the soil to take a pH reading. 
  • Soil pH meter: These meters are used by pushing the probe into the soil to read the meter’s measurement. 

How to Prevent pH Imbalances in the Soil

Reducing runoff and erosion are key components in maintaining soil’s ideal pH. Protecting bare land with added vegetation and the use of geotextiles is warranted and recommended to reduce the effects of soil nutrient loss. Additionally, frequent soil testing can alert growers to potential problems before they plant the first seeds.

Soil is composed of many elements for a reason. A living, evolving material, soil’s make-up can be compromised by excessive erosion or runoff that not only affects the growing topsoil but the supporting horizons beneath. Soil pH doesn’t have to be complicated to maintain, and with a little diligence and regular testing, soil will sound the alarm when there may be something wrong.

What Does Soil Need to Stay Healthy?

The key to any beautiful yard or garden is healthy soil. Essential for providing nutrients and support, healthy soil can make or break your landscaping or gardening efforts. For some homeowners, the soil around the house isn’t ideal for growing the plants they want, which can make it almost impossible to create the yard of their dreams. Indoor or patio container gardens can struggle with the same issue. 

Luckily, there are several ways you can improve the health of your soil, whether in your yard or in a container garden. We’ve created this guide to provide information about what makes healthy soil and ways you can improve it. 

What Makes Healthy Soil

Gardeners have many opinions on what makes soil healthy. Often, soil health depends on the region, its soil type, and the plant life it supports. Some attributes of soil that are important to be aware of include:

  • Texture: Soil comes in many types, typically categorized as sand, silt, or clay. Many regions have soil that is a mix of these three types. Sand is the loosest, while clay is the most tightly packed.
  • Organic Matter: Organic matter can affect your soil in a number of ways, ranging from soil adhesion to absorption to food for the organisms that live below ground.
  • Air Retention: Ideally, soil should have about 25% air retention. This gets oxygen to the roots without allowing so much air that the plant rots.
  • Water Retention: Soil should also have about 25% water retention to allow for the formation of both large and small soil particles. This helps support plant movement and the presence of soil life.
  • Soil Life: Everything from mites to earthworms make their home in the soil, and their presence provides plants with much-needed nutrients. In addition, their movement in the ground keeps soil from getting too packed. 
  • pH Balance: pH level is one of the trickiest components to balance but is very important to your soil’s health. Some plants need more basic soil while others thrive on acidity. Being aware of and manipulating your soil’s pH balance can make a huge impact on the success of any garden or landscaping.

These factors all contribute to healthy soil. Knowing how to improve them can help plant life thrive. To tell what type of soil you have and whether you need to make any changes, fill one-third of a jar with water. Add soil, and shake the jar until everything is mixed. Leave it overnight; it should stratify into different levels as it settles, with the organic matter on top. Mark the different levels so you know your ratio of soil types. Make sure there’s organic matter on top. If not, you need to add some into your soil. 

Improving Potting Mix

Potting mix is a difficult substrate to get right. Container gardens are less flexible than yard gardens because they’re self-contained. One of the best ways to improve a potting mix is to add another substrate to enhance both the texture and the nutrients. Coir is a great organic soil additive to help your potted plants thrive. Thanks to its porous nature, coir keeps oxygen in the soil while still providing the needed nutrients. Because it’s so absorbent, it is also easy to re-wet. This helps your plants stay healthy if you’re dealing with dry conditions. 

To use coir as a potting mix, start with your favorite potting soil. Place a coir brick in a large container with plenty of water. It’s important to use a container that’s big enough: Coir expands significantly when soaking. After you’ve soaked the substrate fully, mix it in with your soil. We recommend a 40% coir to 60% soil mixture. It’s important to note that because coir is so absorbent, you have to be very careful about salt buildup. 

Another popular alternative is homemade compost. Start with a compost bin in your kitchen or outside and only add items that will compost properly. A good rule of thumb is to think of things that rot easily. Common composting items include eggshells, fruit and vegetable scraps, grass and plant clippings, coffee grounds, and shredded newspaper. 

Once these items begin to rot and mix together, simply combine them with a little soil and use the resulting compost as a nutrient-rich additive for your container garden. Add a few inches to the garden once a year, as the nutrients will seep into the soil over time.

Soil Amendment

You can improve the soil in your yard, as well. Start by determining your main soil makeup, based on the trick mentioned previously. Depending on what you find, you can figure out what additives to use to improve the overall health. It’s important to consider what sort of plants you want before you dive into soil amendment. For example, coir has a more balanced pH balance, making it good for plants such as ferns and asparagus. Peat moss is more acidic, which is perfect for acid-loving plants such as azaleas, blueberries, and camellias. 

Soil amendment also includes changing up the texture. Hard-packed clay is nearly impossible to grow many plants in, as they have a hard time pushing roots through the tight particles. Mixing in coir is a good choice in these situations, as the coconut fiber-based additive improves porosity and encourages healthy water flow. 

For sandy, loose soil, adding organic matter is key to getting a good consistency and texture. Whether you choose peat moss, coir, compost, or a store-bought blend, till it into the soil carefully and add more every year to ensure there are enough nutrients to support plant life. 

Having healthy soil can make all the difference in your garden, whether it’s in your yard or in a container. While it might take a little extra work, increasing the health of your soil will help benefit your gardening and landscaping projects in the long run.