VOA慢速英语：秋天是为新植物准备花园土壤的最佳时机

Autumn is a good time to plan for new flowers, groundcovers, or plants for next year's growing season.

秋天是为明年的生长季节计划新的花朵、地被物或植物的好时候。

The path to success starts with a good base. It is easier to improve soil before plants are in place, so the time to do so is now.

成功之路始于良好的基础。在植物到位之前改善土壤更容易，所以现在就应该这样做。

First, remove unwanted plants from the area.

首先，清除该地区不需要的植物。

Next, test to see how acidic or basic the soil is, also called a pH test. In some countries, the tests are reasonably priced and easy to find. Some universities in the United States have agricultural offices offering low-cost testing services to home gardeners.

接下来，测试土壤的酸性或碱性，也称为pH值测试。在一些国家，这种检查价格合理，而且很容易找到。美国的一些大学设有农业办公室，为家庭园丁提供低成本的测试服务。

Each kind of plant will do best in specific pH levels. If the reading is outside the target levels for a plant, it will not be able to take in nutrients to its best abilities, whether from soil or fertilizer. So, learn their pH requirements, and prepare the soil if necessary for the plants.

每种植物在特定的pH值下都能生长得最好。如果读数超出了植物的目标水平，它将不能从土壤或肥料中吸收营养。因此，了解它们的pH值要求，并在必要时为植物准备相应的土壤。

Agriculture limestone will raise pH, and products like aluminum sulfate or sulfur will lower it.

农业石灰石会提高pH值，硫酸铝或硫磺等产品会降低pH值。

Leftover fallen autumn leaves are also good for gardens. Keep some of them on garden beds and borders. If possible, break them into small pieces. Then spread 7 to 10 centimeters of compost, or food and vegetable waste, over the leaves - or directly on the soil if there are no leaves. The compost will feed helpful bacteria and other organisms, releasing high-quality nutrients into the ground to feed the plants.

秋天剩下的落叶对花园也有好处。在花园花坛和边界上保留一些。如果可能的话，把它们分成小块。然后在叶子上撒上7到10厘米的堆肥，或者食物和蔬菜垃圾——如果没有落叶，也可以直接撒在土壤上。堆肥将喂养有益的细菌和其他生物，向土壤释放高质量的营养物质，供植物生长。

While some might say to mix amendments, like compost and leaves, into the soil, do not do so. Doing so could damage soil structure, break up roots from important organisms like fungi, kill helpful insects like earthworms, and bring unwanted plant seeds to the surface.

虽然有些人可能会说，不如将肥料和树叶等改良剂混合到土壤中，但最好不要这样做。这样可能会破坏土壤结构，破坏真菌等重要生物的根系，杀死蚯蚓等有益昆虫，还会将不需要的植物种子带到地表。

Remember, the richest soil is found on the forest floor, and nobody has been digging that up. However, correcting a water flow problem would be a good reason to dig through the soil. But in most cases, it is best to follow nature and place amendments directly on the earth. They will work their way down over the next few months.

记住，最肥沃的土壤在地面上，不要去挖它。如果需要修正水流问题，倒是可以动动铲子。但在大多数情况下，最好是遵循自然，直接在表面上进行修正。在接下来的几个月里，它们将会一步步到达土壤深处。

Place 5 to 8 centimeters of small pieces of wood, or mulch, over the compost to keep unwanted plants from growing and moderate soil temperature and wetness over the winter.

在堆肥上放置5到8厘米的小木片或地膜，以防止不需要的植物生长，并在冬天调节土壤温度和湿度。

If plants are already growing in the bed, delay adding mulch until after a hard frost, and keep both compost and mulch a few centimeters from where plants are growing from the ground. A hard frost is when air temperatures have reached below negative two degrees Celsius for at least four hours.

如果植物已经在花坛上生长，要等到霜冻后再添加地膜，并将堆肥和地膜放在距离植物生长几厘米的地方。霜冻是指气温在零下2摄氏度以下至少持续4小时的时候。

By spring, the gains of the amendments will be available at root level, and the soil will have softened for easier planting. Push the mulch away and place your plants.

到了春天，改良的收获到达深层，土壤将变得柔软，更容易种植。扒开覆盖物，种上植物即可。

The new garden will do well with the rich, organic environment that has been created. And the garden will show this hard work with strong growth, beautiful flowers, and productive vegetables. And they will be healthier and better to withstand unwanted organisms and diseases.

新花园将在所创造的丰富的有机环境中表现良好。它会以强壮的生长、美丽的花朵和高产的蔬菜来回馈这一辛勤工作。它们会更健康，更能抵御有害生物和疾病。

I'm Gregory Stachel.

格雷戈里·斯切尔报道。