Soil Remediation Efforts for Summer
When most people think of term the soil remediation they think of gigantic machines carrying piles of contaminated dirt and sand from a spill site. But, did you know that you don’t have to be a large scale geotechnical contractor to undertake a soil remediation project? It’s true. In fact, if you have a lawn or garden chances are you carry out your own small scale soil remediation project every spring.
In its simplest definition, soil remediation is simply the process of cleaning and revitalizing soil. While this applies to large scale disaster sites such as toxic chemical leaks, or contaminated water supplies, it also applies to simple small scale projects such as preparing your garden for spring planting and summer growth. For home owners, soil remediation can be as simple as testing the ph levels in your yard and adding fertilizer.
Fertilizing your lawn is an important part of keeping your grass tall green and healthy. Different geographical areas have naturally diverse soil types. Some areas are naturally rich in clay while others may contain considerably sandy soil. Clay is important to absorbing minerals and nutrients. However, too much clay can impede drainage and root growth. Sand on the other is soft and an excellent drainage source. However, sandy soil doesn’t absorb nutrients or water well. An overly sandy ground type can offer little to nothing in terms of feeding your grass or plants. Most experts agree that the best soil should contain somewhere around 40 percent sand and 20 percent clay mixed in with silt and other particles.
If you want the best looking neighborhood on the block you’re going to need to perform a little soil remediation yourself. Start by testing the ph levels in your soil. This is a simple process and the experts at your local garden center can help you to analyze the results and determine what compounds and additives you need to get your lawn in tip top shape.
After you test the soil, the next step is aerating the ground to loosen the soil and promote drainage and mineral absorption. While soil can be aerated by hand using a special type of rake, renting a power aerator is much faster and will save you a great deal of time and back breaking labor. Power aerators use a drum that rotates and sinks hollow teeth into the ground removing tubular plugs from the soil.
Finally you’ll want to add a fertilizer to the ground. Depending on where you live and the natural makeup of your soil the type of fertilizer can very. Compost is a natural and effective fertilizer no matter what type of soil it’s added too. But the downside to compost is that the smell and release minerals slowly into the soil meaning the compost has to stay on your lawn longer amounts of time. Artificial fertilizers work faster penetrating the ground, but are full of chemicals that if not used in the correct manner can actual burn or harm plant life as well as children and animals. If you choose an artificial fertilizer make sure to follow the directions on the label for application to avoid any unwanted effects.
There you have it. You don’t have to be an expert in the field of bioremediation to perform a little soil science yourself. All you need is a green thumb and a garden. With a little hard work and a little know how you’ll be a soil remediation expert and have the best looking lawn on the block.
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