備土

察土情並以改、堆、活活生健活之土。

用時

• 始新畦需察既土
• 水光足而植不繁（土或為因）
• 欲轉慣行為有機或生機之修
• 土已實、貧、或拒水
• 需立堆肥系
• 欲施生機備（500-508）

入

• 必要：可至所察之土（畦、田、容器）
• 可選：當前土試果（pH、N-P-K、有機質 %）
• 可選：園史（前作、所施改、栽年）
• 可選：欲種之作物或植
• 可選：法之偏（有機、生機、樸門）

法

第一步：察土

三田試無需實驗室——皆行之。

Test 1: Jar Test (Texture — Sand/Silt/Clay Ratio)
1. Fill a quart jar 1/3 full with soil from 15cm depth
2. Fill to top with water, add 1 tablespoon dish soap
3. Shake vigorously for 3 minutes, then set on level surface
4. Read layers after settling:
   - Sand settles in 1 minute (bottom layer)
   - Silt settles in 4-6 hours (middle layer)
   - Clay settles in 24-48 hours (top layer)
5. Measure each layer as % of total soil depth
   - Ideal garden soil: ~40% sand, ~40% silt, ~20% clay (loam)

Test 2: Spade Test (Structure and Compaction)
1. Push a spade into moist soil to full depth (25cm)
2. Lever up a block of soil and place on a board
3. Observe:
   - Crumbles easily → good structure
   - Breaks into angular blocks → compacted
   - Smears or is sticky → too much clay or waterlogged
   - Layers visible → hardpan or plough pan present
4. Smell the soil:
   - Sweet, earthy → healthy aerobic biology
   - Sour, sulphurous → anaerobic conditions (drainage problem)

Test 3: Earthworm Count (Biological Activity)
1. Dig a 30cm × 30cm × 30cm cube of soil
2. Place on a tarp or board
3. Gently break apart and count earthworms
   - 0-5: Poor biology — needs organic matter
   - 5-10: Fair — improving but not yet thriving
   - 10-20: Good — healthy biological activity
   - 20+: Excellent — this soil is alive

得：土質、構、生機之清像。罐試果、構評、蚓計皆有。

敗則：若罐試層難分，重以淨水並更激搖。若蚓計零且土酸臭，土或厭氧——改前必先治排水。

第二步：診斷與謀改

對察立改謀。

Amendment by Soil Type:
┌────────────────┬─────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┐
│ Diagnosis      │ Symptoms                │ Amendment                    │
├────────────────┼─────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Heavy clay     │ Sticky, slow drainage,  │ Gypsum (calcium sulfate)     │
│                │ >40% clay in jar test   │ 1 kg/m², worked into top     │
│                │                         │ 15cm. Add coarse compost.    │
│                │                         │ Plant daikon radish to break │
│                │                         │ hardpan biologically.        │
├────────────────┼─────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Sandy          │ Drains instantly, won't │ Compost 5-10cm thick, worked │
│                │ hold moisture, <20%     │ into top 20cm. Add biochar   │
│                │ silt+clay in jar test   │ (pre-charged with compost    │
│                │                         │ tea) for moisture retention.  │
├────────────────┼─────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Depleted       │ Pale colour, low worm   │ 10cm compost top-dress.      │
│                │ count, poor growth      │ Cover crop (legume mix) for  │
│                │ despite watering        │ nitrogen fixation. Foliar    │
│                │                         │ seaweed spray monthly.       │
├────────────────┼─────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Compacted      │ Angular blocks in spade │ Broadfork (not rototiller)   │
│                │ test, surface pooling,  │ to fracture without          │
│                │ hard when dry           │ inverting. Deep mulch (15cm  │
│                │                         │ wood chips on paths). Plant  │
│                │                         │ deep-rooted comfrey.         │
├────────────────┼─────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Acidic (pH<6)  │ Blueberries thrive but  │ Wood ash (light application) │
│                │ brassicas struggle      │ or dolomite lime. Test pH    │
│                │                         │ before and after — adjust    │
│                │                         │ slowly over 2 seasons.       │
├────────────────┼─────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Alkaline (pH>7)│ Iron chlorosis (yellow  │ Elemental sulphur or acidic  │
│                │ leaves, green veins)    │ compost (pine needles, oak   │
│                │                         │ leaves). Very slow to shift. │
└────────────────┴─────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────┘

得：合所診土情之具體改謀。

敗則：若諸情疊（如重黏且貧），先治構（gypsum + 寬叉）後生機（堆肥 + 覆作）。一時欲修諸事壓土。

第三步：建堆肥

依可用空間、料、時程擇法。

Composting Methods:
┌────────────────┬──────────────┬──────────────┬─────────────────────────┐
│ Method         │ Time to      │ Space Needed │ Best For                │
│                │ Finished     │              │                         │
├────────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ Hot compost    │ 4-8 weeks    │ 1m³ minimum  │ Large gardens, weed     │
│                │              │              │ seed / disease kill      │
├────────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ Cold compost   │ 6-12 months  │ Any size     │ Low effort, small       │
│                │              │              │ quantities              │
├────────────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ Vermicompost   │ 3-6 months   │ 0.5m² indoor │ Kitchen scraps, indoor  │
│                │              │              │ / apartment gardens     │
└────────────────┴──────────────┴──────────────┴─────────────────────────┘

Hot Compost Protocol:
1. Build pile in layers — 2 parts brown (carbon) to 1 part green (nitrogen)
   - Brown: dried leaves, straw, cardboard, wood chips
   - Green: kitchen scraps, fresh grass, manure, coffee grounds
2. Moisten each layer (damp sponge consistency)
3. Pile must be at least 1m × 1m × 1m to reach temperature
4. Internal temperature should reach 55-65°C (130-150°F) within 3-5 days
5. Turn pile when temperature drops below 45°C (every 5-7 days)
6. After 3-4 turns, cure for 2-4 weeks without turning
7. Finished compost: dark, crumbly, smells like forest floor, no recognizable inputs

Never Compost:
- Meat, dairy, oils (attract pests)
- Diseased plant material (unless hot compost reaches 60°C+ for 3 days)
- Treated wood, glossy paper
- Pet waste (pathogen risk)

得：堆肥系已立、首批進中。

敗則：若熱堆不熱：察濕（過乾或過濕）、察 C:N 比（增綠為氮）、察堆大（< 1m³ 不能穩熱）。

第四步：施不耕與覆作

護並建土構而不翻。

No-Till Sheet Mulching (New Bed from Lawn or Weeds):
1. Mow or scythe existing vegetation as low as possible
2. Layer cardboard (overlapping edges) directly on ground — no gaps
3. Wet cardboard thoroughly
4. Add 5cm compost on top of cardboard
5. Add 10-15cm organic mulch (straw, wood chips, leaves)
6. Wait 3-6 months (autumn application → spring planting)
7. Plant through mulch by pulling it aside — do not till

Cover Crop Quick Reference:
┌─────────────────┬────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┐
│ Crop            │ Season         │ Benefit                       │
├─────────────────┼────────────────┼───────────────────────────────┤
│ Crimson clover  │ Autumn sow     │ Nitrogen fixation, bee forage │
│ Winter rye      │ Autumn sow     │ Biomass, weed suppression     │
│ Buckwheat       │ Summer sow     │ Fast cover, phosphorus mining │
│ Phacelia        │ Spring/autumn  │ Pollinator magnet, breaks up  │
│                 │                │ compaction                    │
│ Daikon radish   │ Autumn sow     │ Deep root breaks hardpan,     │
│                 │                │ decomposes in place over      │
│                 │                │ winter (bio-drill)            │
└─────────────────┴────────────────┴───────────────────────────────┘

Terminate cover crops by:
- Crimp and roll (best — leaves roots in place)
- Scythe and lay as mulch
- Never rototill — this destroys the soil structure you're building

得：土終年護、生機未擾、有機質增。

敗則：若覆作未立，察播深（多需表或淺播）與濕。重播或施厚覆為替代地表覆。

第五步：生機備（可選——進階）

為循 Demeter 或生機原則之修者。

Biodynamic Preparations Overview:
┌──────┬───────────────┬──────────────────────┬─────────────────────────┐
│ Prep │ Material      │ Application          │ Purpose                 │
├──────┼───────────────┼──────────────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ 500  │ Horn manure   │ Spray on soil,       │ Stimulate soil biology,  │
│      │               │ autumn & spring      │ root growth, humus      │
├──────┼───────────────┼──────────────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ 501  │ Horn silica   │ Spray on foliage,    │ Light metabolism, fruit  │
│      │               │ morning, summer      │ quality, ripening       │
├──────┼───────────────┼──────────────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ 502  │ Yarrow        │ Added to compost     │ Sulphur and potassium   │
│ 503  │ Chamomile     │ Added to compost     │ Calcium, stabilizes N   │
│ 504  │ Stinging nettle│ Added to compost    │ Iron, stimulates soil   │
│ 505  │ Oak bark      │ Added to compost     │ Calcium, disease resist │
│ 506  │ Dandelion     │ Added to compost     │ Silica, light forces    │
│ 507  │ Valerian      │ Sprayed on compost   │ Warmth, phosphorus      │
├──────┼───────────────┼──────────────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ 508  │ Horsetail tea │ Spray on foliage     │ Fungal disease prevent  │
└──────┴───────────────┴──────────────────────┴─────────────────────────┘

Preparation 500 Application:
1. Stir 100g horn manure in 35 litres warm water
2. Stir dynamically for 1 hour — create vortex, reverse, create vortex
   (alternating direction every minute)
3. Apply within 1 hour of stirring
4. Spray in large droplets on soil surface — late afternoon, descending moon
5. Apply autumn (before winter) and early spring (before sowing)

Note: Biodynamic preparations are available from certified suppliers
or local biodynamic farming groups. Making your own requires the
previous season's preparations and specific animal horn sheaths.

得：備於正時與月相施。土生機活見於 1-2 季。

敗則：若備不可得，良堆肥與覆作得 80% 之生機益。備增而非健土管之代。

第六步：癒檢點——改後察

改後六週，重察土。

Post-Amendment Soil Health Check:
1. Repeat the spade test:
   - Has structure improved? (Crumbles more easily)
   - Are roots penetrating deeper?
   - Any remaining hardpan layers?

2. Repeat the earthworm count:
   - Has the count increased? (Even 2-3 more is progress)
   - Are worms distributed through the depth or just at surface?

3. Drainage test:
   - Dig a 30cm hole, fill with water, let drain, refill
   - Second fill should drain within 1-4 hours
   - <1 hour: very free draining (may need more organic matter)
   - >4 hours: still compacted or clay-heavy (continue treatment)

4. Surface observation:
   - Fungal threads visible in mulch layer? (Good — decomposition active)
   - Green algae on surface? (Too wet or too compacted)
   - Mulch layer breaking down? (Biology is working)

Triage:
- All improving → Continue current approach, reassess next season
- Structure improved but worms low → Add more diverse organic matter
- Worms present but drainage poor → Broadfork again, add coarse material
- No improvement → Soil may have contamination — consider lab test for heavy metals

得：3 指標中至少 2 之可量進。

敗則：若 6 週無進，問題或深於表土改可治。考引入土混之高架畦為並策，續多季進地中之土。

驗

• 三田試皆完（罐、鏟、蚓）
• 自試果正診土型
• 改謀合所診情
• 堆肥系已立（熱、冷、或蚓）
• 土終年覆（覆、覆作、或活植）
• 無耕或翻土
• 改後 6 週行癒檢點
• 園誌以試果與所施改更

陷

1. 不試而加：隨改費而或惡失衡。常先試
2. 耕：覺有效然破土構、殺蚯蚓、引草籽至表。需鬆者用寬叉
3. 裸土：露土失濕、構、生機。常覆或種覆作
4. 新糞於畦：燒根並引病原。諸糞觸土前堆至少 6 月
5. 不試 pH 而灰：過灰致養不可得。唯依實試果調 pH
6. 求即效：建土以季年計，非週

參

• cultivate-bonsai — 盆景土混（akadama/浮石/熔岩）為專土備
• plan-garden-calendar — 土改之時合季曆（秋灰、春堆肥）
• read-garden — 土觀為園察協之部
• heal — 改後察循癒分類模式
• forage-plants — 明土植關係助察野植棲
• make-fire — 火之木灰為傳統土改（鉀 + 灰）