>> Margaret Hantiuk

Notes from a workshop given by our local soil/fertilizer guru Dwight Pennell of Integrity Sales:

  • Bulbs popping upIntroduce as much organic matter as possible: “feed soil to feed the plant” (if we feed the micro-organisms in the soil, plant roots absorb the soil nutrients better)
  • Bark mulch okay, but don’t use sawdust (it requires nitrogen to break down)
  • All compost and manures must be well rotted or they will rob soil of nitrogen
  • Wood ash is potent—use lightly on soil and in compost bins
  • Organic matter also helps with soil structure: increasing capacity to hold air and moisture, both necessary for soil and plant health: best used as a mulch on top.
  • Synthetic fertilizers only feed the plant (not the soil) and have a high salt index due to sulphate bases, which acidify the soil even more (can ‘burn’ plants)
  • ‘Osmocote’: coated, slow-release fertilizer triggered with warmth and moisture
  • Heavy rainfalls here mean we do need more nitrogen added to our soils (dark green, healthy foliage means good nitrogen; stunted growth can mean a lack)
  • Integrity Sales (Keating X rd) makes their own blend of organic fertilizers (organic or synthetic or a mix of both, to suit the gardener and the gardener’s soil)
  • Best to have a soil analysis done, then Integrity staff can recommend amendments that are just what your soil needs, and tell you what NOT to use (continually adding unnecessary fertilizers/amendments can do more harm than good!)
  • Soil analysis cost $55 and takes 10-14 days (sent to US). To get a sample: take a slim profile of soil about a spade deep in the 4 corners of your yard and from spots along the diagonals (1 cup of dry soil in total taken from full spade depth)
  • pH analysis can be done for free at Integrity; soil must be damp
  • Again, due to our heavy rains, lawns, most veggies and many shrubs/perennials need liming every 2nd year (ph analysis will indicate how much and how often)
  • Dolomitic lime best (pH of 6.5 is considered ideal for soil microorganisms)
  • Generally, sandy soils often have low CEC (‘catatonic exchange capacity’) and loamy soils have higher CEC. ‘Zeolite’ increases the CEC capacity of soils.
  • Best to rotate crops so that soil is not depleted in a particular nutrient profile
  • ‘Iron added’ fertilizers are not as effective as ‘Milorganite’ (effective iron)
  • Calcium is best added as calcium sulphate (gypsum)
  • Proteins increase nitrogen in soils: blood meal (now sterilized) and bone meal (now a certified organic source), alfalfa and seed meals
  • Rock phosphate: a natural source for phosphorous
  • Greensand: a natural source for potassium micronutrients
  • Dolopril: ground calcium, use less—it’s heavy and doesn’t blow and wash away
  • Fertilize once in spring and then in June, and not later in the season.  Best before a rain. Scratch into the soil around the drip line of trees or broadcast around shrubs, hedges (use a 18-5-10) and beds. Follow directions carefully for amount.
  • Fruit trees are heavy feeders: drop into holes at drip line (use a 10-20-10)
  • Blueberries: lots of compost and pH of 5.8 (likes acidic soils)
  • To rid lawns of moss: spread iron sulphate first when dry (it stains so be careful) then 1 week later, rake out moss, lime and seed new lawn
  • Never lime and fertilize at the same time: wait 1 day if it rains well, 1 week if dry
  • ‘Milorganite’ is a Milwaukee product, a by-product of the brewing industry and sterilized sewage sludge cleared of toxins, and certified organic