Class 1

An Overview of Bay-Friendly Gardening

and Building Healthy Soil
Bay-Friendly Gardening: Bay-Friendly Gardening is both a philosophy and a
practice of gardening that is mindful of the watershed
From Your Backyard to (the area of land that water flows across or through on
its way to a creek, river, bay, or ocean), the waste shed
the Bay (the area of land that garbage travels across on its way
In the San Francisco Bay Area, what you do in your from its source to the landfill), and the food shed (the
garden – from applying fertilizer to planting a lawn – area of land that food travels across on its way from
affects the larger local environment. When water runs the field to the table).
off your property and into the storm drain rather than
seeping down into healthy, living soil, it carries Bay-Friendly Gardening considers the larger local
sediment, automobile pollutants, and toxic garden environment: how water moves from the garden to the
chemicals directly into the Bay. Bay, how waste moves from the garden to the landfill,
and where food originates, how it is grown, and how
When plant trimmings, weeds, and grass clippings are far it travels. Bay-Friendly Gardeners restore health
hauled away from the garden, even for municipal or and life to the environment by re-using plant materials
commercial composting, the soil is essentially stripped on site through various methods of nutrient recycling,
capturing and preserving water in the garden, and
of the minerals and nutrients it gave up to the plants
supporting (and sometimes participating in) local
during months, or even years, of vegetative growth.
food production.

“Thinking globally and acting locally” is an idea that’s

been around awhile. Bay-Friendly Gardening is a way
to take action in our immediate environment while
considering the impact of our actions in a larger
context.

For example, our ever-increasing reliance on trucking

and hauling, and the fossil fuels to run them, takes a
harsh toll on the environment. Large quantities of fuel
are required to remove waste from our yards and to
bring in soil amendments and fertilizers, and even to
bring food in to our neighborhoods from far-away
places.
Overwatering causes runoff into waterways and the Bay

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Returning plant debris to the soil, as mulch or space – with the result being a never-ending stream of
compost, in our home gardens, instead of hauling it plant debris going to the landfill.
away, is critical to protecting our watershed, conserving Salvaged materials can be used creatively in the Bay-
landfill space, and restoring nutrition to the food we Friendly Garden. Finding and using them takes time
grow and eat. The continuous recycling of organic and ingenuity, but in the long run, salvaged materials
matter is the way nature does it, and we have only to can save money and add interesting elements to the
imitate that wisdom. garden design. Recycled-content materials, such as
plastic or composite lumber, make very durable decks
The 7 Benefits of Bay- or raised garden beds that do not rot, crack, or
splinter.
Friendly Gardening
Bay-Friendly Gardening reduces pollution to the Bay 3. BUILDS HEALTHY SOIL
and to the local landfills by preventing waste in the The foundation, really, of Bay-Friendly
first place, building healthy soil, and reducing water Gardening is the proper care of our garden
runoff. The seven benefits of Bay-Friendly Gardening soils and the soil inhabitants. It is based on the
are to: Contribute to a Healthy Community, Reduces principle of feeding the soil, not the plant, in order to
Waste in the Garden, Builds Healthy Soil, Conserves encourage a thriving community of microorganisms,
Water, Saves Energy, Protects Local Watersheds and worms, and other beneficial creatures. Soil that is
the Bay, and Create Wildlife Habitat. teeming with life stores and cycles nutrients, protects
plants from pests, improves water infiltration and
1.CONTRIBUTE TO A HEALTHY storage, and filters out urban pollutants. Composting,
COMMUNITY mulching, and grasscycling are essential practices for
Bay-Friendly Gardening recognizes the fact building healthy soil.
that we need to employ sustainable practices
to maintain the health of ourselves, our families, pets, 4. CONSERVES WATER
and local flora and fauna. Producing year-round California’s climate includes long, dry
edibles, reducing the use of toxics, and using our summers and unpredictable and sporadic
garden spaces as a model for neighbors, friends, and winter rains. Water is a precious and often scarce
family are some ways we can contribute to a healthy resource in this arid part of the world.
community.
With current population growth projections, it is
2. REDUCES WASTE IN THE GARDEN estimated that by year 2020, the state will face annual
Reducing waste starts with not generating water shortages, even during years of regular rainfall.
waste in the first place. Selecting the right Yet, many home gardeners choose plants that require
plants for the right place, as well as watering, pruning, more water than our local climate provides. Water-
and fertilizing judiciously are important ways to greedy lawns are a staple of the American home and
reduce organic waste, while minimizing harmful are deeply ingrained in our national psyche.
impacts on the environment. Grasscycling,
composting, pruning selectively and properly, and Irrigation of home gardens accounts for more than
using plant trimmings as mulch improves soils, creates one-fourth of all urban water use. Shockingly, much
healthier gardens, and keeps materials out of local of this water is used in excess or at the wrong time of
landfills. the year or day: residential properties are regularly
over-watered by 30 to 40%.
Knowing more about the plants we choose before Bay-Friendly Gardening is water-wise gardening. But,
buying and planting them allows us to select plants it is much more than simply controlling irrigation. It
that can grow to their natural size in our gardens and also means increasing the water holding capacity of
to give them enough space to fully mature. Hedge the soil, planting appropriately for the site and the
shearing, as an example, is a senseless, endless cycle of climate, minimizing the lawn, grouping plants
activity that essentially confines a plant in too small a according to water need, and collecting and recycling
rain water.
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 5. SAVES ENERGY
The need to conserve energy is as important
to Bay-Friendly Gardening as is the need to
conserve water. Both are increasing concerns in
California, as energy shortfalls and droughts continue
to occur throughout the seasons.

Conventional gardening practices require the excessive

consumption of fossil fuels – for transportation,
hauling, and to run power equipment. Nationally, 40
million lawnmowers consume 200 million gallons of
gasoline per year, representing a huge investment of In an undisturbed landscape only 15% of the rainwater
energy for this one gardening task. leaves the system through surface water runoff. More than
one-third moves into the soil where living, biologically
Bay-Friendly Gardeners conserve energy by planting diverse organisms break down and naturally filter out
trees appropriately, shading paved areas and air pollutants before it reaches groundwater or our waterways.
conditioners, designing outdoor lighting carefully, using
hand-powered tools and equipment whenever possible,
and supporting local suppliers of garden products to
reduce trucking costs.

6. PROTECTS LOCAL WATERSHEDS

AND THE BAY
Bay-Friendly Gardening helps to protect the
local watershed from pollution by increasing the soil’s
ability to hold and absorb water (through proper care
of the soil), thereby increasing water infiltration in the
garden, reducing runoff, and utilizing the soil’s
remarkable ability to remove contaminants from water In a disturbed landscape, more water runs off the surface –
before it enters the underground and above-ground as much as 70% of all rain and irrigation water runs into
water drainage systems. our waterways without moving through soil.

In an undisturbed landscape, only 15% of rainwater Gardening reverses this damage by building up the
leaves the system through surface water runoff. More first line of defense, the soil.
than 30% moves into the soil where living, biologically
diverse organisms break down and filter out pollutants Bay-Friendly Gardening practices – building healthy
before it reaches groundwater or our local waterways. soil, creating a biologically diverse environment, and
As land is developed into residential or commercial using integrated pest management (using beneficial
landscapes, roads, and parking lots, major changes insects and environmentally-friendly gardening
occur. More water runs off the surfaces – as much as practices to minimize the use of pesticides) – also
70% – without moving through soil. The soil supports reduce, or eliminate altogether, the need for toxic
less microbial life and is less able to filter harmful chemicals, benefiting water quality and the overall
chemicals out of the little water that infiltrates and health of the watershed.
moves through soil.

Flash floods and erosion follow this development, and

pollutant loads to the Bay increase. Bay-Friendly

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 Friendly, everything always begins and ends with the
In addition to water quality protection, Bay-Friendly soil.
Gardening helps to protect our air from pollution by Bay-Friendly Gardeners, first and foremost, build soils
reducing fossil fuel consumption, recycling plant that are teeming with life. Living soil decomposes and
debris on site, minimizing the use of toxic pesticides digests spent plant material quickly, recycling
and herbicides, and planting trees which remove important plant nutrients in the process. Soils softened
carbon dioxide from the air and absorb air pollutants. and fluffed with organic matter absorb and retain
much of the rain water, as well as filtering out
7. CREATE WILDLIFE HABITAT pollutants, before the water reaches the groundwater
Plant and animal diversity is one of the or washes into the storm drain.
many factors that make the San Francisco Healthy, alive soil creates healthier plants by giving
Bay Area unique and beautiful. Biological diversity is them the full vitality, nutrition, and biotic potential
crucial to the health and resilience of any ecosystem. held in the dark, damp depths. By treating the soil as
More than 1,500 local plant species bloom throughout a living system, Bay-Friendly Gardeners mimic nature
the year, supporting hundreds of native pollinators, and understand the wisdom and efficiency of keeping
beneficial insects, and other organisms that can reduce nutrients cycling continuously on site.
the need for pesticides in the home garden.
So then, what exactly is soil?
As the population of the Bay Area continues to grow,
development increases, with a negative impact on
wildlife habitat. This loss of native habitat threatens
What is Soil?
the biodiversity on which life itself depends. The Bay- Soil is a complex ecosystem. It is composed of living
Friendly Gardener can play an important role in and non-living materials – minerals, organic matter,
restoring ecological diversity by creating landscapes water and air that are intimately mixed and subject to
that provide food, water, shelter, and nesting sites for sometimes great fluctuations. Though the soil
birds, butterflies, beneficial insects, and other local comprises a very thin layer on the Earth’s surface – in
wildlife. fact, if the Earth were a tomato, the soil layer would
be as thick as the tomato skin – it provides plants with
Start from the Ground Up the support, nutrients, water, and air necessary for all
life.
We will see later on that good planning and design,
tied to the basic principles, is central to Bay-Friendly
For millions of years, wind, rain, ice, intense heat,
Gardening, whether you’re starting from scratch or
gravity and chemicals have carved away at the Earth’s
filling in an existing garden. Yet, no matter how or
crust. As water in and around rocks freezes and thaws,
where you jump in to make your garden more Bay-
the rocks are broken down into smaller and smaller
particles. As rivers and streams rush downhill, they
carry away these bits and pieces of the Earth’s rocky
surface. During the Ice Age, heavy glaciers crushed
rocks and other materials such as shells into fine
particles, carried them thousands of miles, and then
deposited them as the glaciers melted.

The particles of rock resulting from this weathering

vary in size and kind. They range in size from large,
coarse sand particles to silt to fine clay particles. The
relative proportions of clay, silt, and sand determine
soil texture. Soil texture has a critical influence on
water and nutrient retention and movement through
Minerals: Non-Living Components
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 the soil, as well as the A healthy soil with a fair amount of organic matter is
Sandy Soil circulation of air through in fact teeming with life of all kinds. In just one
the soil. teaspoon of healthy soil, billions of microscopic
SAND: These are the organisms exist. The predominant living organisms are
largest, coarsest soil the bacteria and fungi. Also included are soil-dwelling
Clay Soil particles, .05 to 2 mm mammals and reptiles, earthworms, insects, mites, and
diameter. The pore spaces nematodes. Some of these organisms are pests that
between sand particles are damage the plants in our yards and gardens. But to a
large, allowing water and larger extent, the activity of soil-dwellers is positive, as
Silty Soil nutrients to drain through it creates channels in the soil for air and water, helps
very quickly. Soils with a form aggregates, adds nutrients, suppresses disease, or
high proportion of sand feel mixes layers of soil.
gritty and crumble easily.
The living organisms also are the prime force in the
Loam
CLAY: Clay particles are cycle of decay that replenishes soil’s natural fertility.
extremely fine and cling When the remains of plants and animals have been
together, <.002 mm completely decomposed in the soil, they form a dark,
diameter. Because of the very small pore spaces, water crumbly, and spongy-textured material called humus.
moves through very slowly. Because of the many small It typically brings the benefits described above, as it
particles, there is a great deal of surface area to which provides the nutrients used by plants, helps retain soil
nutrients can adhere. Soils with a high proportion of moisture, and provides good aeration, drainage, and a
clay – like most East Bay soils – feel heavy and loose, crumbly structure for plants to grow in. The
slippery, will compact into a tight ball when wet, and replenishment and maintenance of soil organic matter
are hard and nearly impenetrable when dry. by recycling organic wastes is thus considered key to
sustainable gardening.
SILT: Silt particles are in between the sizes of sand
and clay particles, .002 to .05 mm diameter. Their
other properties also lie somewhere between the
previous two. Silty soils tend to be productive and
friable. Silt feels silky, like talcum powder.

Soil Organic Matter

Organic matter is the fraction of the soil that
originates from living organisms. It is a combination
Earthworms: The True Tillers of the Soil
of living organisms and the non-living plant and
Organic matter without the soil organisms that feed
animal residues in various stages of decay. Soil organic
on it would be simply lifeless, dead plant debris. Soil
matter is not a static component but is constantly
organisms bring life and vitality to what is dead and
being both broken down and replenished. Although
decaying through the process of decomposition.
this portion of the soil is small (3 to 5 % by weight in
Earthworms are perhaps one of the most important,
average topsoil and only .5 to 2% in California soils),
and often overlooked, of the visible soil organisms.
its influence on soil properties and plant growth is
In ancient times, Cleopatra decreed them sacred, to be
extremely important. The benefits that organic matter
revered and protected. Aristotle called them “the guts
brings to a soil include:
of the soil,” and Charles Darwin considered them an
● increased biological activity animal of greater value than the horse, more powerful
● improved structure than the African elephant, and more important to
● increased porosity humanity than even the cow. These are pretty noble
● improved water holding capacity words for a creature most of us hardly notice except
● nutrient source on sidewalks after a hard rain!
● retention of nutrients
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Earthworms are the true tillers of the soil, digging Earthworms are discouraged if not killed outright by
tunnels, carrying leaves down into their burrows, and many pesticides and most synthetic fertilizers. Nearly
mixing and sifting the earth. They produce more all commercial nitrogenous fertilizers quickly wipe
compost of the highest grade, in a shorter time, with them out by creating highly acidic soil. Conventional
less effort, than any other method. Darwin, a student farmers and home gardeners then have to attempt to
of worms, determined that they produce between 8 fulfill the role of that which it has replaced -- an
and 18 tons of rich worm castings per acre per year. impossible task -- and are caught in an endless cycle of
These figures have since been confirmed by poisoning soil life, and then feeding plant life with
contemporary scientists. This worm manure does synthetic nutrients because nutrients are no longer
wonders for the soil… for free! available in the soil.
After years of research and study, Darwin concluded
that all the vegetable mold of England passed through, Conversely, the more organic material earthworms
“and will again pass many times through the intestinal receive, the faster they proliferate. The fundamental
canals of worms. “It may be doubted,” he wrote, principle in both sustainable gardening and sustainable
“whether there are many other animals which have agriculture is to feed the soil, not the plants. Healthy,
played so important a part in the history of the world nutrient-rich soil creates healthy, nutrient-rich plants.
as have these lowly organized creatures.” And this requires the earthworm.

In the garden or farm, healthy populations of Earthworms are among the oldest of land-dwelling
earthworms can improve a soil’s porosity and water animals. There are thousands of species of them. They
infiltration rates, increase levels of soil humus, come in a variety of colors. In Australia, there is an
decompose plant and animal residues, and greatly earthworm ten-foot long; the most common European
improve a soil’s overall health. and American garden variety is less than 6 inches in
length.
We are more intimately connected to this continuous
process of nutrient cycling than most of us know: the Earthworms fall into one of three basic categories –
soil is the ultimate source of all our food. In fact, the endogeic, epigeic, and, anecic – defined by where they
word “human” comes from the Latin humus, which live, what they look like, and the unique role they play
means earth. Literally, the humble person is “close to in the ecosystem.
the earth.” Gardening restores a sense of humility to
our humanity, reminding us to be mindful of the soil- Endogeic earthworms are the workhorses of
dwelling creatures that gave us life, that sustain us, California garden and farm soils. They generally live
and that will ultimately reclaim us. and eat within the deeper, horizontal layers of the soil.
They are commonly found around the root balls of
But, if we are no longer an agriculturally-based plants where they are feeding on the decaying portions
civilization (as was the case in Cleopatra’s time), then of root systems and on the fungi, bacteria, and
what is the current role of the earthworm in our lives? nematodes that live there.
We still have to eat and our food comes from
somewhere. Wherever food is grown, in the home Epigeic earthworms live close to the surface where
garden, the local family farm, or continents away, organic matter is abundant. The red worm commonly
earthworms are processing the soil, moving it and used for worm composting is of this type.
making nutrients available, improving soil structure,
and mixing organic matter into the soil. Earthworms Anecic earthworms are typified by the nightcrawler.
are essential to good agriculture and healthy soil in the These are large, muscular species that burrow deeply
home garden. and vertically in the soil. Their burrows become their
permanent residence for an entire lifespan of one to ten
This is particularly important when we consider years. Nightcrawlers are so named because of their
conventional gardening and agricultural practices. habit of coming to the surface at night to feed on dead

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and decaying plant matter, which they pull down into dry season, preventing water from reaching the root
their burrows. They are capable of transforming an zone of plants), and a structure too heavy for seedling
entire season of falling leaves into humus in a matter of emergence and root penetration. Adding organic
months. matter, such as compost, can offset many of the
problems associated with either soil type extreme,
To encourage earthworms in the home garden, keep a from sand to clay.
layer of organic matter on the soil year-round, and use
gardening methods that are environmentally- and Soil Testing
earthworm-friendly. Our goal as Bay-Friendly Soil-testing is not essential to Bay-Friendly Gardening.
Gardeners is to get everything to pass through the gut Bay-Friendly Gardening practices will add nutrients,
of a worm…at least once. improve soil drainage, and make up somewhat for poor
texture and structure. However, for those that want to
Water and Air know more about their garden soils, there are a
Though some plants can actually be grown without number of ways to test soil, or to have it tested. Which
soil, air and water are essential to their survival. Water test to use is determined by what you want to know:
and air occupy soil pore spaces. Plant roots absorb the Soil ph? Soil texture? Soil drainage? Chemical and
water and pass it on to leaves and stems, where it physical analyses?
serves as a coolant and as an essential part of all plant
cells. Professional labs can provide a written report about
your soil on such things as soil pH, organic matter
Water also carries dissolved mineral nutrients that content, cation exchange capacity, and levels of
plants need for growth and development. Adequate nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium,
moisture is also critical to the decomposers, as the and calcium. They can also test for micronutrients such
microorganisms in the soil are aquatic, meaning they as zinc, manganese, copper, and boron. The tests
live in water. They live in the “pools” that to our provide estimates of the amounts of these elements that
perspective seem to be “just a dampness.” However, if are available to plants. Paying for a professional lab
soil doesn’t drain well, and water occupies all the soil test, however, is not essential in many cases, and there
pore spaces, plants suffocate because their roots cannot are a number of simple tests you can do at home.
get the air they need. It also produces an environment
in which anaerobic microbes thrive. REASONS FOR A PROFESSIONAL TEST
● You are designing, or re-designing, and installing a
A Good Balance new garden.
An ideal soil for growing most plants is one with a ● You are radically changing the design or
balance of different-sized particles (sand, silt, and clay) maintenance of your garden. Soil tests are
and a high proportion of organic matter. A loam is an important during the transition from a garden that
example of such a soil. has been maintained conventionally (and therefore
dependent on heavy input of resources) to one
Not all soils are so ideal. A soil with too much sand that is maintained in a more Bay-Friendly manner.
can drain water too quickly and be low in organic
material and nutrients. A soil with an abundance of ● Plants are having consistent and serious problems.
clay, as with much of the soil in Alameda County, will ● You live in an older home with lead-based paint
tend to cling together in a solid mass, with individual on exterior walls, or you live within half a mile of
particles indistinguishable. Clay soil can be very fertile; a major roadway, freeway, or industrial area, and
however, problems with soils high in clay can include: want to produce food in your home garden. It
slow warming in the spring, poor drainage (resulting would then be important to know whether or not
in water-filled pores and lack of air for plant roots in lead is present in the soil.
the wet season, and a hard, impermeable crust in the

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SOIL TESTING LABS LEAD TESTING
A & L Western Agricultural Labs Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
1311 Woodland Avenue #1 2000 Embarcadero, Suite 300
Modesto, CA 95351 Oakland, CA 94606
(209) 529-4080 (510) 567-8280
www.al-labs-west.com 1-800-B-LEAD-SAFE
www.aclppp.org
Peaceful Valley Farm
(see Soil Analysis Package) SIMPLE TESTS YOU CAN DO AT HOME
P.O. Box 2209 The Smell Test.
Grass Valley, CA 95945 To get a general sense of your soil health, take a closer
(530) 272-4769 look. While you’re there, take a good whiff. Does your
Order line: 1-888-784-1722 soil have a nice earthy smell? Unpleasant odors may
www.groworganic.com indicate poor drainage or water-logged soils.

Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery The Squeeze Test.

(see Laboratory Services) When your soil is still damp from recent watering or a
3244 Highway 116 North rainstorm, take a loose ball of it, the size of a ping-
Sebastopol, CA 95472 pong ball, into your hand. Squeeze the ball of soil and
(707) 823-9125 then open your hand. If it falls apart, the soil is more
www.harmonyfarm.com sand. If it keeps its shape, the soil is more clay.

Control Lab, Inc. Then take some of the soil and rub it between your
42 Hangar Way thumb and forefinger. Grittiness indicates sand. If it
Watsonville, CA 95076 feels slippery, the soil is more silt. Stickiness means
(831) 724-5422 clay.

Soil and Plant Laboratory Again, take some soil and roll it into a log in the palm
352 Matthew Street of your hand. The longer you can make the log, the
Santa Clara, CA 95050 more clay in the soil.
(408) 727-0330
www.soilandplantlaboratory.com The Separation Test.
This test can give you a general idea of the
Soil Foodweb Inc. proportions of sand, silt, and clay in your soil. Collect
1128 NE 2nd Street, Suite 120 1 cup of soil from the garden. Place the soil in a 1
Corvallis, OR 97330 pint canning jar with a lid (or a 16-ounce mayonnaise
(541) 752-5066 jar with lid). Measure 1 cup of water and pour just
www.soilfoodweb.com enough in the jar to cover the top of the soil.

ABC Organics Let the soil settle by rapping the jar gently on the
P.O. Box 967 counter and waiting a few minutes. Mark the soil level
Camarillo, CA 93011 with a piece of tape. Add the remaining water. Put the
(805) 675-8747 lid on the jar and shake the jar vigorously.
www.abcorganics.com
Let the jar sit for 24 hours. The largest particles –
sand – will settle to the bottom, the intermediate-sized
particles – silt – will be in the middle, and the

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smallest particles – clay – will be on top. (If there is a
gap between the top of the clay level and the tape
How Does Compost
marker, it is because all the clay has not fully settled Benefit Soil?
out. It can take a week for the clay to completely Once you know more about your garden soil, it helps
settle.) to know what to do about problem soils, such as those
that have poor drainage, for example, or a high
Look at the soil layers in your jar. It may be hard to percentage of clay. The addition of organic matter to
determine clear edges, but try to get an idea of the the soil is a good beginning to successfully address
proportions of each. Is there more sand, or clay, or many problems in the home garden.
silt? Can you estimate the percentage of each?
Compost is one of the best soil amendments available
Soil Drainage Test. to the home gardener, making almost any soil better
Collect a 46-ounce can and remove both ends of it (a for growing plants. Increasing soil organic matter by
tomato juice can is perfect). Dig a hole in your garden making and adding compost has many benefits.
about 4” deep and push the can firmly into the bottom
of the hole so that water will not leak out around the Composting is the controlled process of returning
bottom of the can. Fill the can with water and wait an dead and decaying plant and animal material to the
hour. soil through decomposition. There are a variety of
methods for composting, which will be explored later.
If the water level has drained by:
Whether a compost pile is quick and hot, or slow and
● About 2”: the drainage is fine for plants that cool, when the decomposers have completed their
require good drainage. work, the original ingredients of the pile have been
transformed. Most of the materials that originally
● About 4” or more: the drainage is fast, indicating made up the pile (the feedstocks) are no longer
you have soil that probably contains a good recognizable in the finished compost, with the
proportion of sand. exception of some persistent woody materials.

● Less than 2”: the drainage is slow and most What results is dark, loose crumbly material that
common garden plants will have difficultly resembles rich soil. The volume of the finished
growing in your soil. compost has been reduced to about 30 to 50 percent
of what went into the pile, through breakdown into
Soil pH Test. smaller pieces and respiration. The compost is now
Special pH meters can be used to test your soil, but ready to use as an amendment, mulch, top dressing, or
litmus paper is just as accurate and much cheaper. Test part of a potting mix, beginning the cycle again.
two different soil samples from your garden, one from
the first 6” of your soil where roots will grow and the Beneficial Soil Life
other, from a foot deeper.
An initial and primary beneficial characteristic of
Mix each soil sample in a separate clean dish with a compost is the increased numbers, diversity, and
little distilled water. Using a fresh piece of litmus activity of microbial populations. Compost is a
paper for each sample, press the litmus paper to the healthy, living material. Its microorganisms and
wet soil for 30 seconds. Rinse the litmus paper with macroorganisms are indicators of a balanced ecology,
distilled water. Match the color with the colors on the serving to recycle nutrients. A teaspoon of compost
box to determine the soil pH. has over one billion microorganisms. The
microorganisms also help improve soil properties, such
as structure, porosity, and water holding capacity.

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Research has shown that the rich soil life in compost shows that it is made up of many round, irregular
helps to control diseases and pests that might aggregates.
otherwise overrun a more sterile soil lacking natural In loose, sandy soils, compost helps to bind
population control mechanisms. unconsolidated particles together to retain water and
nutrients that would otherwise wash right through.
Soil Structure Added to a clay or silt soil, compost breaks up the
In good garden soils, the individual particles of sand, small, tightly bound particles and forms larger
clay, and silt will naturally group together into larger aggregates. In addition, humus, a component of
units called aggregates, giving the soil its structure. If compost, not only improves aggregate formation, but
these aggregate structures are rubbed between a finger increases the permanence and stability of the crumbs
and thumb, they break down into smaller aggregates. already formed.
In between, and within, the aggregates themselves are
many air channels of various sizes, like the empty Drought Protection and
spaces left in a jar of different-sized marbles. Erosion Control
Soil improved with compost can hold more moisture.
Aggregates are formed by fungi, bacteria, worms, and Indeed, the higher the organic matter content, the
humic acid in the soil. Formation begins with various more moisture a soil can absorb and retain (100
soil fungi that grow on organic matter in the soil. Soil pounds of humus holds 195 pounds of water!). This is
bacteria then come along to turn the fungal products especially important for sandy soils. The water
into cementing materials. These cementing materials holding capacity of soils that are amply supplied with
“glue” together tiny particles of soil into coarse grains or organic matter is a potent weapon against drought
crumbs. Worm secretions also act to bind soil into stable damage. Water is soaked up like a sponge and stored
aggregates. on the soil granules. When the tiny hairs on plant
roots are able to absorb all the water the plant needs
The formation and stability of aggregates are essential from the films on these granules, they do not suffer
in a healthy soil, as the structure of a soil determines during long, rainless periods.
its ability to drain well, store moisture, and provide for
the needs of healthy plants. By encouraging the Soil with ample organic matter has improved
formation of aggregates, compost improves the permeability, letting raindrops seep gently into it,
structure of every type of soil: silt, clay, or sand. Even instead of splattering and churning up soil particles. In
a casual observation of soil amended with compost the case of packed or crusty soil, a muddy drop of water
is formed that will run over the soil surface as the first
Clay Clay with Compost
stage of erosion. A heavy rainstorm may result in
considerable runoff that carries away soil. However,
adding compost to soil, will improve water retention,
porosity, and infiltration, which saves water and the
need for soil replenishment.

Aeration
A well-structured soil with lots of small aggregates,
Sandy Sandy with Compost
stays loose and is easy to cultivate. The channels that
aggregates create through soil allow plant roots and
moisture to penetrate easily. The smaller pores within
the aggregates loosely hold moisture until a plant
needs it. The larger pore spaces between the aggregates
allow excess water to drain out and air to circulate.
Just as organic matter enables soils to hold more water
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through the enhanced formation of soil aggregates, it The nitrogen and other nutrients are made available to
also allows more spaces for air between soil granules. In the plants (mineralized) as the compost is further
the garden, poor structure and lack of aeration may decomposed by the soil’s microorganisms and
show up as a crusting of the soil surface. Newly planted macroorganisms. Nutrient release and supply can,
seeds suffer greatly under such conditions – lack of air therefore, be very complex, vary with the time of year,
and water reduces germination, while seeds that do each area of the garden, or plot of soil, and be difficult
sprout have difficulty breaking through the soil’s hard to predict.
surface crust.
Nutrient Storage and Availability
Nutrient Content To understand how compost is able to store nutrients
Dark, loose compost looks like it should be rich in and make them available when needed by plants
nutrients. Compost does, in fact, contain a variety of requires a closer look. When viewing compost through
the basic nutrients that plants require for healthy a microscope that enlarges objects 1,000 times,
growth. The greater the variety of materials used in individual compost particles resemble the aggregates
making compost, the greater will be the variety of that are observed with the unaided eye.
nutrients contained in it.
Like the aggregates, individual particles of compost
Of special importance are the micronutrients present contain many porous channels. Just as the channels in
in compost, such as iron, magnesium, copper, and the aggregates provide space to store water, these
zinc. They are only needed in small doses, like the spaces in the compost particles provide spaces to store
lesser-known nutrients in our diet, but without them nutrients. The very tiny compost particles provide
plants have difficulty extracting nutrients from other vast, negatively-charged surfaces where individual ions
foods. Micronutrients are often absent from of minerals and fertilizers are attracted and held. Thus,
commercial fertilizers, so compost is an essential compost is not only a source of nutrients, but is a
dietary supplement for most soil. storehouse for those nutrients that might otherwise be
unavailable to fine plant roots.
Compost also contains small amounts of the
macronutrients that plants need in larger doses. When mixed into soil, compost helps plants overcome
Macronutrients include nitrogen, phosphorous, soil pH levels that are either too low (acidic) or too
potassium, calcium, sulfur, and magnesium. In high (alkaline), as is often the case with the soil in our
addition to compost, these nutrients are sometimes East Bay gardens. Adding compost also reduces the
applied in measured amounts through fertilizers or reliance plants have on specific pH levels by supplying
lime. The three numbers listed on commercial nutrients that are otherwise unavailable.
fertilizer bags (such as 10-10-10), refer to the
percentage of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium
(N-P-K) available in the fertilizer. How Does Mulch
Benefit Soil?
High-nitrogen compost can supply sufficient nitrogen,
In nature, leaves and needles fall to the ground,
but it depends on many factors, including the soil
creating an organic layer that protects and builds the
supply of nitrogen, the moisture content and
soil. Mulch is any material spread evenly over the
biological activity of the soil, the demands of the
surface of the soil to enhance the growth of plants and
plants, and others. The nitrogen in the compost is
beautify a home landscape. Many mulch materials
primarily in an organic form and, thus, it is valuable
help suppress weeds, retain moisture, and regulate soil
as a slow-release fertilizer.
temperatures, but only plant-based materials will also
feed garden soil and plants. Mulches created from
Nutrient release is often synchronized with plant
plant materials decompose, feeding beneficial
growth needs. When conditions are right for
organisms and improving soil structure.
decomposition, conditions are good for plant growth.
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Mulch Basics best for weed control; it prevents annual weed
seeds from germinating. Weeds that do sprout
1. REMOVE WEEDS AND WATER
are easier to remove. For maximum weed
THOROUGHLY BEFORE APPLYING
control, replenish mulch once a year.
MULCH.
You’ll get the best weed control when you weed
● You can have too much of a good thing: Use
first and then spread the mulch. And it is often
lesser amounts of mulch on poorly drained
easier to wet the soil before applying mulch.
soils.
2. REPLACE GRASS UNDER TREES
5. KEEP MULCH ON TOP OF THE SOIL TO
WITH MULCH.
PREVENT TYING UP NITROGEN.
Mulching under trees to the drip line minimizes
Any woody material that is incorporated into the
competition for water and nutrients from grass,
soil will temporarily inhibit the soil’s ability to
and mimics the way trees grow in nature. It
supply nitrogen to the plants. However, according
simplifies mowing and prevents trunk and root
to research, mulch only uses nitrogen at the soil
damage from mowers and weed eaters.
surface, and not from the root zone. If you do not
turn mulch into the soil, you’ll avoid nitrogen
3. KEEP MULCH 6 TO 12 INCHES AWAY
drag.
FROM THE BASE OF TREES AND SHRUBS.
Tree trunks are not suited to wet conditions.
Placing mulch so that you can see the root flare How Much Mulch to Buy or Make
keeps the trunk dry and reduces the risk of damage ● One cubic yard covers 108 square feet, 3 inches
from disease and pests. deep.
● Six cubic yards cover 1,000 square feet, 2 inches
4. CHOOSE THE APPLICATION RATE THAT deep.
WILL GIVE YOU THE BEST RESULTS.
When You Can’t Make Your Own
● General Use:
Apply a layer
Mulch
that settles to 2 When pruning or weeding in the home garden, you
to 4 inches can make your own mulch quickest and easiest with
deep. This is the the use of a heavy-duty chipper-shredder. Better yet,
best general simply cut plant trimmings into smaller pieces with
application rate, pruning shears and place them as mulch around the
especially for base of the same plants. Weeds, except for invasives,
use in planting can be placed on top of the soil surface as mulch, or
beds. added to the compost pile.

● Fine Mulch: The best source of greenwaste mulch is from your

Apply no more own garden. You can also try and arrange for truck
than 2 inches. loads of free greenwaste mulch from local tree
Thin layers of companies listed in the phone book. Make sure to ask
fine mulch (particle size of half-inch or less) if the tree was healthy. Usually, they will want to
are less likely to impede air and water. Fine deliver a truck load – ask about the number of cubic
mulches decompose more quickly yards and be prepared to use it.
and need to be replenished more often than
coarse, woody mulches.
● Coarse Mulch: Use 4 to 6 inches or more to
control weeds in open spaces. Coarse mulch is

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Mulch or Soil Amendment? sawdust first with a material high in nitrogen, such as
grass clippings or manure.
There is an important distinction between a soil
amendment and a mulch. Soil amendments are dug
Wood chips and bark are often used as mulches. They
into the soil before planting to improve the soil’s
are effective in keeping down annual weeds in
biological, physical, or chemical state, in particular,
ornamental gardens and perennial herb plantings. Like
the soil structure and fertility. Mulches are spread on
sawdust, these materials contain much more carbon
top of the soil to help prevent weed problems, reduce
than nitrogen. To ensure that plants mulched with
water loss from the soil, and moderate soil
wood chips or bark are not robbed of their nitrogen,
temperatures. Mulch should not be incorporated into
spread 1 inch of manure or compost down before
the soil since woody materials can tie up nitrogen
laying down these materials. Do not dig in wood chips
needed by the plants. With an already healthy soil,
or bark as a soil amendment.
mulching may be the only step needed to keep things
in balance from year to year. Following is a list of
Peat Moss has a low nitrogen content and high water-
organic materials that can be used either as soil
absorbing capacity. Peat moss is the remains of aquatic
amendment or mulch:
plants that were deposited in locations where they
broke down very slowly. The pH of peat moss is
Aged manure is a significant source of nutrients. Add
acidic, ranging from 3.0 to 4.5, making it a useful
manure directly to the soil only after it has aged for
amendment around acid-loving plants, such as
six months. Aged manure varies in its N-P-K ratio,
rhododendrons, azaleas, and pine. Peat moss is a
depending on the animal source and on how much it
relatively expensive product and, because it is a non-
has been leached by rains during aging. Use dairy
renewable resource and harvesting it has negative
manure with caution because of the high salt content.
environmental impacts, it is best to avoid using peat
moss. Compost is a good renewable alternative to peat
Grass clippings are a good, nitrogen-rich organic
moss.
mulch for flower and vegetable beds. However, they
are best left on the lawn after mowing (grasscycling),
Compost used as a mulch is a “no fuss,” slow-release
adding nitrogen and increasing the humus content of
method adding organic matter to the soil. Unfinished
the lawn soil. Do not use grass clippings as mulch for
compost may also be used as mulch (best with lots of
one year after herbicides have been applied to the
large woody materials) and has similar properties to
lawn.
sawdust, wood chips, and straw, and may deplete the
nitrogen reserves in the soil if turned into the soil.
Straw is an inexpensive source of organic material. It
is relatively low in nutrients, but will serve as a good
Locally available materials may include seaweed,
mulch, and can eventually boost the humus content in
apple pomace from a cider mill, soybean wastes from
the soil.
tofu-making, cheese whey, nut shells, mushroom soil,
and ground corn cobs. Check to make sure these
Leaves are readily available in areas with deciduous
materials are free of chemical pesticides.
trees, and easy to use. They can be chopped or
shredded, or used whole. To shred leaves, run over
Inorganics, such as gravel and plastic, can also be
them repeatedly with a lawn mower.
used as mulch, but are not recommended since they
do not add organic matter to the soil. In addition,
Aged sawdust is very low in nitrogen but will increase
plastic can become a pollutant breaking apart from
the organic matter content of the soil. Do not add
UV exposure.
sawdust directly to the soil, as it will temporarily
deplete the soil’s nitrogen reserves. Compost the

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Sheet Mulching
Sheet mulching is a layered mulch system. It is a
simple and under-utilized technique for removing
lawns (except Bermuda grass), dealing with persistent
weeds, building depleted soils, encouraging favorable
soil microbial activity and worms, or enhancing soil
structure.

Sheet mulching can be used either in establishing a

new garden or tree planting, or to enrich existing
Rolls of cardboard as a weed barrier
plantings. In both cases, mulch is applied to bare soil
or on top of cut weeds. New plantings are planted
through the mulch, or a small area is left open to
accommodate established plants and trees.

STEP 1: PREPARE THE SITE

Knock down or mow existing vegetation so that it lies
flat. Remove only woody or bulky plant material. The
organic matter left will decay and add nutrients to the
soil. “Jump start” the decay of weeds and grass by
adding compost or manure at the rate of about 50
pounds per 100 square feet. Soak the area with water Sheet mulching site is ready for planting.
to start the natural process of decomposition. It is such as tree prunings, to optimize weed control. In
much easier to soak the ground now, before the total, the compost/mulch layer should be 3 to 5 inches
remaining layers of mulch are applied. deep. Many materials suitable for the top layer often
have an attractive appearance, making sheet mulch a
STEP 2: ADD A WEED BARRIER
versatile and desirable practice.
Put down an organic weed barrier that breaks down
with time. The barrier must be permeable to water STEP 4: PLANT
and air. Use recycled cardboard boxes, sheets of Punch a hold in the cardboard for 1-gallon (or bigger)
newspaper, burlap bags, or old carpets of natural fiber. plants and place them in the soil under the sheet
Two or three layers may be required to achieve an mulch. Smaller plants can often be planted right into
adequate thickness. Overlap the pieces of material 6 to the mulch or compost layer. Add a small amount of
8 inches to completely cover the ground without any compost around the root ball if compost has not been
breaks, except where there are established plants you included in the top layer.
want to save. Leave a generous opening for air
circulation around the root crown. Wet down the In most cases, the benefits of sheet mulching outweigh
cardboard or paper barrier to keep it in place. the costs. However, take care to prevent these
potential problems:
STEP 3: LAYER MULCH & COMPOST
The top dressing mimics the newly fallen organic ● As with any mulch, do not pile materials up
matter of the forest. It must be free of weed seeds. against the trunks or stems of plants to prevent
Good materials for this layer include leaves, grass disease.
clippings, straw, chipped plant debris, or tree
prunings. Well-decomposed, weed-free compost is also Sheet mulch instructions adapted from Sheet Mulching: Greater
a good material but it should be spread directly over Plant and Soil Health for Less Work, by C.R. Elevitch and K.M.
the weed barrier and covered with bulkier materials Wilkinson, Permanent Agriculture Resources, 1998; and Sheet
Mulch, by Geoff Hall, Sentient Landscaping, 2003.

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● Especially during the dry season, snails and slugs when the lawn dries out. Mowing no more than 1/3
will be attracted to the sheet mulch and can the leaf blade minimizes the stress on the lawn and
damage small seedlings. produces shorter clippings.

● Rodents can find a cozy home in mulch and can 2. MAINTAIN AND ADJUST YOUR
readily debark certain trees. Protect young trees EQUIPMENT.
with physical guards. Keep the mower blades sharp and the mower deck
clean. A clean cut limits water stress, lowers the
chance of disease entry, and minimizes brown tips. A
How Does Grasscycling clean mower deck helps keep clippings from forming
Benefit Soil? clumps.
Grasscycling means leaving the grass clippings on the
3. LEAVE THE CLIPPINGS ON THE LAWN!
lawn after mowing, so they decompose and release
Dry clippings are evenly distributed and fall
their nutrients slowly into the soil. The slow release
between the living blades of grass and disappear
makes the nutrients available to the plants when the
from view.
plants need them. On most lawns, you can use
substantially less fertilizer by grasscycling. In addition,
because clippings add organic matter, they build soil
When You Just Can’t Grasscycle
that retains more nutrients and water, and resists Sometimes, you just can’t grasscycle, for example,
erosion and disease. when the grass is too wet or too long. To avoid
creating waste from your lawn in this situation,
It is a misconception that grasscycling causes thatch. compost the clippings instead. Grass clippings are a
Research has shown that thatch is primarily dead grass natural source of nitrogen and readily decompose,
roots and fibrous material created at the base of the especially when you mix them with dry, carbon-rich
plant, not leaf blades. Thatch is most determined by materials, such as dried leaves. As a last resort, use
grass species. Bermuda grass, for example, develops a your greenwaste container.
thick layer of thatch. Excess fertilizer and irrigating
only the top few inches of soil also leads to shallow More Bay-Friendly Lawn
roots and increases thatch problems. Soil compaction Care Techniques
increases thatch. Consider minimizing or eliminating your lawn if it
serves little or no useful purpose in the landscape.
You don’t need any special equipment to grasscycle – Instead, plant perennials, an edible landscape, native
simply remove the bag from your mower, and leave grasses, or wildlife habitat.
the clippings on the lawn. The clippings will quickly
decompose and release their nutrients into the soil. If you must have a lawn, make it as Bay-Friendly as
possible. Grasscycling helps create lush turf without
If you prefer, a mulching retrofit kit, available at retail chemicals. A dense, healthy lawn out-competes most
outlets, can be used on your existing mower, and weeds.
includes a mulching blade and block for the discharge
chute. You can also consider switching to a push Additional ways to build fertile soil and vigorous,
mower. deep-rooted grass that resists disease and drought
damage include:
Grasscycling Basics
1. MOW OFTEN AND MOW DRY. ● Mow high.
Grasscycling works best when the grass is dry and The longer the grass blade, the deeper the root.
the clippings are short. Try to mow on days when Most lawns will develop deeper roots and crowd
the lawn has not been irrigated or later in the day out weeds when mowed at a height of 2.5 to 3 in.

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● Water deeply.
Water enough to wet the soil to a depth of 4 to 6
inches. This will encourage deeper root growth.

● Improve established lawns with aeration

and overseeding.
Overseed to fill in thin spots and crowd out
weeds.

● Top dress with compost.

An excellent practice is to aerate, then spread a
mixture of fine finished compost into the holes
made by the aerator. Apply 1/4” layer of sifted
compost up to four times per year.

● Fertilize lightly in the fall with an organic

fertilizer or slow-release synthetic fertilizer.
Natural or slow-release fertilizers, such as sulphur-
or polymer-coated urea, release nutrients slowly.
This lets the grass absorb nutrients efficiently.

● Reduce the use of pesticides, soluble fertilizers,

and combinations of “weed and feed” that can
damage soil health.
Overuse of pesticides and heavy fertilizers robs soil
of beneficial bacteria, fungi, insects, and worms.

● Consider planting something besides grass on

steep slopes, shady areas, or near streams
and lakes.
Grass grows best in sunny areas with well-drained
soil.

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