Topsoil Topsoil, or humus, is the top layer of the earth’s surface. This rich layer consists of decomposed material and organic matter, which provides its dark brown color. Humus is porous and holds air and water. In this layer, seeds germinate and roots of the plants grow. Living organisms which support plant health like earthworms, millipedes, centipedes, bacteria, and fungi live in this layer of soil. Soil is a storehouse of water and minerals needed for plants to grow. Without soil, there would be no grass, no trees, and no crops for food.

Soil Pollution The living organisms in the soil are known as the food web. Chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides degrade the soil’s food web. Repeated applications of chemicals poison waterways, drinking water, and soil. Scientists are also finding that these poisonous chemicals can be cancer-causing to people and animals.

Steps to Healthier Soil By following the steps below, you will save money, conserve water, and address environmental challenges.

• Plug-aerate • Use leaves and compost as fertilizers, not toxic

chemicals • Test your soil to identify pH and fertility levels • Choose mulches made from organic matter • Identify and remove invasive pests; drop Japanese

Beetles into soapy water • Cut off diseased parts of plants • Dig weeds • Plant grass and clover that is drought tolerant • Mow with a mulching blade to 3-4 inches • Avoid compacting the soil (visible by wheel ruts) • Mulch grass clippings and leave them on the lawn • Plant native plants and trees • Water to 1” ground moisture once a week including

rainfall • Direct roof runoff to rain barrels or rain gardens • Plant buffers of native plants to reduce runoff • Avoid running heavy equipment over your lawn • Learn to make your own compost

Soil Composition

Pie Chart showing healthy soil composition.

Note: Mineral particles are weathered rocks.

In addition to chemical applications, compaction caused by the use of heavy equipment destroys soil texture, especially when the ground is moist. Compaction compresses the air and water pathways leading to plant root suffocation, which in turn leads to stormwater runoff. Aeration is one of the homeowners’s best options for improving compacted soil. The best time to aerate your lawn is early spring or in the fall. This is also a great time to add soil amendments and overseed your lawn. Aeration of swales is especially important for water absorption.

“Out of the long list of nature's gifts to man, none is perhaps so utterly essential to human life as soil.”

Hugh Hammond Bennett

“The Nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself.” Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Ground versus humus

The USDA says that land with more than 5% humus will soak up a 6-inch rain before

there is any runoff.

The Carbon Cycle The carbon cycle is the process by which harmful atmospheric carbon is transferred to ground carbon, clearing the air. This transfer is the best way to improve both the atmosphere and the soil. Microbes in the soil work to make the carbon available to the plants, which returns oxygen to the atmosphere. However, disturbing (digging and plowing) the ground releases carbon back into the air, and it again becomes a factor in climate change.

Erosion Soil erosion is the process in which the top fertile layer of soil is lost. The top layer of soil is very light and is easily carried away by wind and water. At Lake Meade, stormwater is the main cause of erosion. Where erosion is a problem, use sediment barriers such as filter socks, silt fence with support stakes, straw bales, and rock filters to contain or divert the flow of water. Dig silt fencing into the ground so that water does not run under it. Stabilization occurs when a uniform 70% vegetation coverage has been achieved. PA DEP Erosion and Sediment Pollution Control Manual, #363-2134-008.

Talk To Your Landscaper Be sure that your landscaper is practicing beneficial gardening practices--organic fertilizers, natural mulch, aeration, native plants, fertilization by leaves, and grass growth to 3-4 inches.

For More Information

• The Soil Will Save Us by Kristin Ohlson, 2014. • Penn State University, http://extension.psu.edu • www.dcnr.state.pa.us • NOFA Organic Land Care. www.ctnofa.org

Green Infrastructure Workgroup

Healthy Soil, Healthy Lake

Lake Meade Property Owners Association serves a diverse private lake community that is focused

on fostering an environment that preserves and advances a higher quality of life.

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