Table of Contents

Introduction
What Is Soil Health?
Using the Book
Terminology

SECTION 1: UNDERSTANDING SOIL
1. Soil Basics
    Components of Soil
    Origin of Soil
    Soil Particles
    Soil Texture
    Importance of Particle Size
    Air and Water
    Aggregation and Soil Structure
    Soil pH

2. Plant Nutrients
    Ions
    What Is Salt?
    Movement of Nutrients in Soil
    Essential Plant Nutrients
    Micronutrients
    Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)

3. Soil Life
    Energy Food Web
    The Power of Large Molecules
    Ratio of Fungi to Bacteria
    Chemicals in the Soil
    Pathogen Control
    Identification of Microbes

4. Bacteria
    What Do They Eat?
    Where Do They Live?
    Role in Disease Prevention
    Ideal Environment
    Role in Building Soil Aggregates
    Conditions that Harm Bacteria
    Nitrogen Fixation

5. Fungi
    What Do They Eat?
    Where Do They Live?
    Fungi at War
    Fungal Parasites
    Mycorrhizal Fungi

6. Other Organisms
    Actinomycetes
    Algae
    Protozoa
    Nematodes
    Arthropods
    Earthworms

7. Organic Matter
    Decomposition: Converting Dead Things into Humus
    Truth About Humus
    Too Much Organic Matter
    Compost
    Chelation

8. Rhizosphere
    Root Exudates
    Soil Enzymes
    Effect of Desiccation
    Soil pH Levels
    Dynamic Microbe Population
    Allelochemicals
    Plants Are in Control

SECTION 2: SOLVING SOIL PROBLEMS
9. Identifying Soil Problems
    Why Do We Fertilize?
    Soil Testing
    Plants as Indicators of Soil Problems
    Plant Tissue Analysis
    DIY Test Kits
    Determining Soil Texture
    Crusted Soil
    Quantification of Microbes
    Level of Organic Matter
    Compaction
    Hardpan
    Drainage

10. Gardening Techniques That Affect Soil
    Tilling
    Working the Land
    Mulching
    Hoeing
    Cover Crops
    Raised Bed Gardening
    Crop Rotation
    Companion Planting

11. Solving Chemical Issues
    Buffer Capacity
    Increasing pH
    Decreasing pH
    Saline and Sodic Soils
    Increasing CEC
    Synthetic vs Organic Fertilizers
    Understanding Fertilizers
    Synthetic Fertilizers
    Organic Fertilizers
    Fad Products

12. Solving Microbe Issues
    Inoculation
    Solarization
    Controlling Pathogens
    Compost Tea
    Best Practice for Increasing Microbe Populations

13. Increasing Organic Matter
    Options for Adding Organic Matter
    Cover Crops
    Vermicompost
    Bokashi Compost
    Biochar
    Biosolids

14. Dealing with Structural Problems
    Compaction
    Drainage Issues
    Modifying Soil Texture
    Clay Soils
    Sandy Soils

SECTION 3: A PERSONALIZED PLAN FOR HEALTHY SOIL
15. Developing a Plan for Soil Health Improvement

16. How Detailed Should You Get?

17. Soil Health Assessment
    Chemical Tests
    Soil Sampling Instructions

18. Soil Health Action Plan
    Soil Health Assessment
    Action Plan
    Action Plan Follow-up

Appendix A: Soil Health Assessment Form
Appendix B: Action Plan for the Year
Index
About the Author
About New Society Publishers

Promotional Information

• Co-op available
• Galleys available to sales reps, trade publications, and long-lead media
• Digital galleys on Edelweiss
• National advertising: Mother Earth News, Hobby Farms, Acres U.S.A., Growing for Market
• National print campaign: Mother Earth News, Hobby Farms, Acres U.S.A., Growing for Market, Small Farm Journal, Urban Farm, American Gardener, garden columnists
• Online/social media campaign
  • Gardening podcasts
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  • Promotion on New Society Publishers social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, our blog, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube
  • Eblast to GardenComm (Previously Garden Writers Assn.)
• General eBook marketing plan
  • eBook will be available at the same time as print publication to maximize sales
  • eBook ISBN will be included on all press materials, author and publisher websites, and whenever print ISBN is listed
  • publisher and author will be promoting both e and p through social media
• Excerpts target for first serial rights: Acres U.S.A., Growing for Market, Hobby Farms, Mother Earth News
• Promotion through the author's websites: www.GardenMyths.com, www.Gardenfundamentals.com
• Bookseller/library promotions: Baker & Taylor super annotation

About the Author

Robert Pavlis has been an avid gardener for over four decades. He is the owner and developer of Aspen Grove Gardens, a 6-acre botanical garden that features over 3,000 varieties of plants. Specializing in soil science, he has been an instructor for Landscape Ontario and is a garden blogger, writer, and chemist. The author of Building Natural Ponds, Pavlis is a well-known speaker whose audiences include Master Gardener groups, horticultural societies, orchid societies, and garden shows such as Canada Blooms and the FarmSmart conference. He teaches gardening fundamentals at the University of Guelph and garden design for the City of Guelph, Ontario, where he currently resides. www.gardenmyths.com www.gardenfundamentals.com www.youtube.com/Gardenfundamentals1