備土

察土況、過修、堆、生力備立健活土也。

用

• 起新畦察現土→用
• 植弱即水光足（土為因）→用
• 自常轉有機或生力→用
• 土壓、瘠、拒水→用
• 立堆系→用
• 施生力備（500-508）→用

入

• 必：可至土（畦、田、缽）
• 可：今土試果（pH、N-P-K、有機 %）
• 可：園史（前作、施修、年）
• 可：欲種作
• 可：徑偏（有機、生力、永續）

行

一：察土

三場試無需室——皆行。

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：明知土質、構、生。瓶試果、構評、蚓數。

敗：瓶層難分→重以清水力搖。蚓 0 且土酸→恐厭氧——修前必處排。

二：診計修

對察果於修計。

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：合診土況之特修計。

敗：多況疊（如重黏且瘠）→先處構（gypsum + 寬叉）、後生（堆 + 覆作）。一時修諸事壓土。

三：建堆

按可用空、材、時擇法。

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：堆系立、首批進中。

敗：熱堆不熱：察濕（過乾或過濕）、察 C:N（增綠為氮）、察堆大（<1m³ 不熱）。

四：施無耕與覆作

護土構而不翻。

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：土年護、生不擾、有機增。

敗：覆作不立→察播深（多需面或淺播）與濕。重播或厚覆代。

五：生力備（可——進）

為循 Demeter 或生力者。

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：備施於正時與月相。土生活見於 1-2 季。

敗：備不得→善堆與覆作得 80% 生益。備增非代妥土管。

六：癒點——修後察

修後六週、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（構、生、排）至少 2 量化進。

敗：6 週後無進→事恐深於頂土修可治。計築高畦含購土混為並策、續多季改地土。

驗

• 三場試畢（瓶、鍬、蚓）
• 自試果正診土型
• 修計合診況
• 堆系立（熱、冷、蚓）
• 土年覆（覆、覆作、活植）
• 無翻耕或土反
• 修後 6 週癒點行
• 園誌更於試果與所施修

忌

1. 不試而加：隨修費錢可加亂。必先試
2. 翻耕：似產而破土構、殺蚓、引草籽至面。若必鬆用寬叉
3. 裸土：露土失濕、構、生。必覆或植覆作
4. 鮮糞於畦：燒根引病。諸糞必堆 ≥6 月乃接土
5. 未試 pH 而灰：過灰致養不可用。唯按實試果調 pH
6. 期速果：建土以季年計、非週

參

• cultivate-bonsai — 盆栽土混（赤玉/輕石/熔岩）為專土備
• plan-garden-calendar — 修土時合季曆（秋灰、春堆）
• read-garden — 土察為園讀則之分
• heal — 修後察循癒分類式
• forage-plants — 解土植關助野植境讀
• make-fire — 火灰為傳土修（鉀+灰）