Soils

Soil and Plant Nutrition: A Gardener’s Perspective, by Lois Berg Stack, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Bulletins

• Applying Fertilizers on Your Home Gardens, Bulletin #2287
• Guidelines for Using Manure on Vegetable Gardens, Bulletin #2510
• Lead in the Soil, Bulletin #2281
• Soil Organic Matter, Bulletin #2288
• Testing Your Soil, Bulletin #2286

Videos

• Garden Safety in Maine
• Putting the Garden to Bed
• Soil Testing at the University of Maine
• Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), Explained

Additional UMaine Resources

• Analytical Laboratory and Maine Soil Testing Service
  • Order a soil test box and form directly from the lab
• Interpreting Soil Test Results for Gardens and Grounds, Bruce Hoskins, Assistant Scientist of Plant, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Maine
• Recommended Organic Nutrient Sources for Home Gardens & Grounds (Excel), Bruce Hoskins, Assistant Scientist of Plant, Soil, and Environmental Sciences, University of Maine

MOFGA fact sheets — Look for

• Using Green Manures
• Natural Sources of Plant Nutrients
• An Organic Farmer’s Guide to the Interpretation of a Standard Soil Test from the University of Maine

Additional Resources

• Building Soils for Better Crops, SARE: A one-of-a-kind, practical guide to ecological soil management, now expanded and in full color. It provides step-by-step information on soil-improving practices as well as in-depth background — from what soil is to the importance of organic matter. Case studies of farmers from across the country provide inspiring examples of how soil – and whole farms — have been renewed through these techniques. A must-read for farmers, educators, and students alike. Free download available.
• Interactive soil map, UCDavis
• Measurement Conversion Chart and pH Preference Table (PDF), University of Maryland
• Organic Matter Management, University of Minnesota Extension
• Soil Biology Primer, Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Soil Health/Soil Quality, Explained
• Web Soil Survey, Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Soil Society of America