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| I am reading this book "Perennial for Illinois" and got to the chapter that describe soil around Chicago area:
* Northeastern region are less glaciated than the rest of the state, the parent material for the soil is bedrock of shale, limestone or sandstone. These soil have high than average PH. * Northeastern is also home to poorly drained wetland soil with high organic matter of more than 14%. This may explain why when I had the soil tested, it came back with 7.5 PH and 7.4% organic matter and why some of the soil in the backyard that borders on some wetland is mucky. The soil does not appear to be all that poorly drained. When I use a spade, the spade goes right in and the soil is a bit crumbly, dark and has quite a number of earthworms. I am thinking that I have at least a foot or two of good topsoil. In contrast, my inlaw's house appear to have more of the original clay, when I use the shovel, it breaks into really large chucks. Water don't drain as well there. If I dig deep enough on my property, I'll probably hit clay? If so, if there is a really heavy rain storm, the top soil will get saturated and won't drain away because of the clay subsoil? In the back, at the border, the soil is sort of really dark and mucky. I am thinking that this is poorly drain soil with high organic matter. So far, stuff I planted ther dies. However, there are tons of plants, so something grows there. What appears to be growing there right now are goldenrods, reeds, and other weeds. I am curious what I should be doing. I have been adding compost to the rest of the yard. Will this somehow extend my top soil to a greater depth? What kind of plants should I consider growing or not growing. At the border, adding compost seems pointless. With decompsing leaves as the top layer, the soil probably has too much organic material already. What should I plant there? I actually like Goldenrods, so the spread of the plant (even though not planted by me) is welcome, but some companion plant would be nice. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by belgianpup Wa/Zone 7b (My Page) on Wed, Sep 28, 11 at 23:17
| Soil in different areas (even nearby) can vary quite a bit. Some locations in lower spots have had wind-blown humus blown in over centuries, and it will have a much deeper topsoil than someone in a higher area not far away. Ask around your neighborhood if anyone has noticed the soil layers when they had a septic tank put in, or other large hole dug. Some people notice things like that, most people don't. For the wet soil, do some research on bog plants. You would have to add a lot of organic matter to raise your soil level much. Should it happen, there are probably several people who would be willing to take it off your hands. Sue |
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| Soils around Chicagoland vary from Lake Michigan Beach Sand to a very dense (heavy) clay and everything in between. Top soil is the top 4 to 6 inches of soil. That is where the soil bacteria, the Soil Food Web, will be most active provided adequate levels of organic matter, sufficent air, and good moisture levels are present. While aerobic bacteria can be active in lower levels they are not as active or well populated so working to get large amounts of organic matter to lower levels is not very productive although over time the soil bacteria will move excess amounts down. Compost, decomposing leaves, straw, hay, even animal manures are all forms of organic matter, something most all soils need up to 5 to 8 percent. Much more and that soil will start to hold an excess of water and can become boggy. However, other things can contribute to a soil retaining an excess of water, high water table, hardpan, or being lower than the normal water level which is why the Netherlands must pump water back to the North Sea. That high levels of organic matter can hold an excess of water is also why those low land farmers in the Netherlands are restricted to how much organic matter they can add to their soils. |
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