Erosion Surface Soil at www.japanese-home-gardens.com

Sheet erosion surface soil of surface soil inevitably takes place on sloping ground. Not even a healthy growth of turf can stop this entirely. Although the grass breaks the full force of the falling rain the water collects on the surface and trickles downward, washing with it the finer surface soil and exposing the roots. This is highly detrimental. Combat erosion surface soil by top-dressing the lawn each spring, and again in early fall,with finelysifted soil. (See Chapter 25).

A variety of biological factors influence soil formation. Plants stabilize the earth by reducing erosion surface soil and surface run-off. They also maintain soil fertility by concentrating organic material and nutrients back at the surface after they have been washed down. As they decay the plants also provide the fine organic humus litter vital to soil life.

Soil conservation is the effort to avoid this destruction of the soil and to maintain it at the most productive level possible. This requires a combination of all the techniques of soil science in preparing the land, irrigating it, fertilizing it and planting the right crops to stabilize the soil and prevent erosion surface soil.