The Soul of Soil: A Soil-Building Guide for Master Gardeners and Farmers, 4th Edition

by Joe Smillie, Grace Gershuny

Soil is the basis not only for all gardening, but for all terrestrial life. No aspect of agriculture is more fundamental and important, yet we have been losing vast quantities of our finite soil resources to erosion, pollution, and development. Now back in print, this eminently sensible and wonderfully well-focused book provides essential information about one of the most significant challenges for those attempting to grow delicious organic the creation and maintenance of healthy soil. Chapter 2, "Understanding the Soil System," is alone worth the price of admission. Gershuny and Smillie give lay readers and experts a clear explanation of subjects--soil life and nutrient cycles--that have confounded most authors. Nowhere will the reader find simpler and more coherent descriptions of key concepts including cation exchange capacity and chelation. There are other books about soil available, including Grace Gershuny's comprehensive Start with the Soil , and there are books that feature chapters on soil building. What distinguishes The Soil of Soil is the authors' concise presentation; they give readers important information, including technical essentials, without getting bogged down in scientific or quasiscientific mumbo-jumbo. In addition, useful tables list specific compost materials, green manures, and other resources that allow growers to translate into action the more general information provided by the book. The soil-building techniques featured Updates to the 1999 edition include analysis of Proposed Rules for the National Organic Standards, and expanded recommendations for private testing services and soil-testing equipment for home gardeners and organic farmers. All of us involved in the cultivation of plants--from the backyard gardener to the largest farmer--need to help regenerate a "living soil," for only in the diversity of the soil and its creatures can we ensure the long-term health of ourselves and our environment. The Soul of Soil offers everyone a basic understanding of what soil is and what we can do to improve our own patch of it. Seen in this light, this practical handbook will be an inspiration as well.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Agriculture, Food, Science

173 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1986

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate to say it, but the first half of this book was flat-out boring. The information (or at least some of it) is important for gardeners to know, but the author writes it in such a textbook type of way (and without the fun photos you'd expect in a textbook) that I had to read in ten-page increments and take breaks to get through it.

Then you hit the second half, which is full of hands-on tips for building up the organic levels of your garden soil. Excellent! I wonder how many people get bogged down in the first half and never get to the useful parts, though?

[Chloe Moon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super informative, but scattered presentation. It felt more like "fact, fact, fact, fact..." than the name "The Soul of the Soil" would lead me to believe.

I wish the details of how nutrients and microorganisms worked together was presented in a more interesting, organized, memorable, or even poetic way.

That said, there is tons of info in here, and I think I'll be using it a reference and problem solving book; but I'm still looking for a book that presents all this information in a more enjoyably organized and digestible way.

[Jonathan Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall great book
I am trying to grow my knowledge of good soil to apply towards the land at my home and also future land that I purchase and this book added to that knowledge
I began by listening to the audio on the book, but I had to stop it ever 10 pages or so to research concepts that were being presented, including soil ph, different types of soils, the type of soil most common to where I live, etc
Overall, I enjoyed the book and it seems like one that I can read over again and game some new insight

[Sujana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough read on improving your gardens and on cultivating healthy crops and soil. I recommend this book to those who wish to read about soil improvement and management tactics because this has opened my eyes to a number of sustainable methods of farming that I wish every household and businesses in this continent and more can adopt. Who knew dirt was so useful and waste was not wasteful?

[Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource for soil related research. For me it helped bring together and explain different aspects of what goes on down there and the impacts of changes to our soil. It emphasized the importance of how we treat this precious resource.

[BJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great details for maintaining health of soil focusing on an organic approach.

[Pupak Haghighi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and enlightening about the science and soul of soil.

[Joe Rothberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read on the overall soil ecology topic. Some interesting looks at how society views agricultural land.

[Belle Meade School]

631

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative but densely dry.

[Cassandra Carico · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed this book. The author is very knowledgeable and shared an excellent amount of scientific information and research. Often with books meant for gardeners and small farms you get a slight overview and don't get in depth information. Thankfully, this book has textbook information. I recommend it for those ready to take their gardening to the next level, or improve upon their farming techniques.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful and quick read for gardeners.

[Philippa]

Great in-depth information for gardeners who want an understanding of soil science to improve the growth and health of their plants.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very informative, yet not overly dense manual to which I will likely return.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually, I didn't finish it.

[Bobbettylou · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this 1995 edition at a thrift store. It was probably worth the 75 cents but not much more.

[Justin]

This seems more for the professional than the amateur gardener. Lots of good details but not interesting to me.