One of my favourite jobs in September is taking cuttings from hedge and shrub trimmings, people often discard this valuable resource.

A plant may be capable of deep rooting, but roots can only grow through soil they can enter and function in. Compaction, dense clay, poor aeration, saturated soil, and restrictive layers can change where roots grow. Roots may turn sideways, concentrate above a dense layer, or follow cracks and old root channels instead of growing straight down. This means the root system we actually see is partly a response to the soil around it. When you expose roots, look at the soil too. Notice whether roots suddenly change direction, become concentrated near the surface, or follow visible openings. Permanent culture: A plant's root potential and its actual root occupation are not always the same. Have you ever uncovered roots that seemed to be following a crack, soil layer, or other pathway? A plant capable of deep rooting has most of its roots concentrated above a compacted layer. What is the strongest conclusion?

When I search in the net for "Basic Soil Test Kit", there are many different kinds. Since I'm just starting out to test my soil, what are the most likely data that is essential for me to record and track? If it's just pH, then it's pretty easy since I already have a pH meter. But if there'r other areas that I need to monitor such as minerals, then what are they. Also, how accurate should I get since I don't think I need to get down to titration process. What say YOU!

I had recently heard mixed reviews about having horses on my land. While there are lovely animals... at least the ones I'm with.... they eat lots of vegetation where I'm trying to get my ground covers up and running. There are 2 concerns that I have .... - Stomping the ground and compacting it - Eating ground covers/grass till ground is bare They do fertilize with their dung and hydrant pee which is great. 👉🏻 So, what's your opinion? The area that the horses are in is about 1 acre. 👉🏻 If you do have animals on your land, how do you know when enough is enough?

Root Architecture and Below-Ground Occupation When we terminate an annual, divide a perennial, or remove a pot-bound plant, we get a brief look at how that plant occupies the soil. A root system is more than a taproot or a fibrous mass. Roots differ in depth, lateral spread, branching, density, diameter, and location of fine absorbing roots. Some roots provide support and transport, while finer roots are especially important for water and nutrient uptake. This is why labels such as “deep rooted” and “shallow rooted” are useful clues, but incomplete descriptions. Rooting patterns are influenced by genetics, but the root system that actually develops is also shaped by soil structure, moisture, oxygen, compaction, available pores, neighboring plants, and management. A plant capable of deep rooting may still concentrate much of its active root system near the surface depending on its environment. Neighboring plants also do not usually occupy separate underground layers. Their roots commonly overlap within the same soil. Differences in depth, density, timing, and persistence may change the relationship, but pairing a “deep-rooted” plant with a “shallow-rooted” plant does not mean their roots avoid one another. Time is important too. Annual roots develop and die within a growing cycle, while perennial plants may maintain larger roots and continually replace finer roots. Below-ground occupation therefore changes through the season and over the life of the planting. The next time you transplant, divide, or remove a plant, look before shaking away the soil. Notice how far the roots extend, where they branch most heavily, whether they follow cracks or soil layers, and where neighboring roots may occupy the same space. The better question is not simply, is this plant deep rooted, it is where are its roots likely to be active, and where will that space overlap with neighboring plants? A plant occupies soil as well as visible space, and below-ground relationships depend on where roots are active through space and time, not simply on whether a plant is labeled deep rooted or shallow rooted.