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testing the soil
Benefits of Soil Testing for Gardens and Flowerbeds
By Carrie Brown, Agriculture & Natural Resource Educator with OSU Extension; and Lauren Vires, Wildlife & Education Specialist at Fairfield SWCD
Putting in the time and effort to cultivate a garden or flowerbed is hard work. The satisfaction of eating that first juicy tomato or watching the pollinators buzz about your flowers can make it all worth it. One of the easiest things you can do to improve your efforts is to test the soil you’re working with.
The foundation of any garden or flowerbed is the soil in which it grows. Soil provides essential nutrients and the environment where roots can take hold and find water. A soil test can provide information on the availability of essential nutrients such as phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn) and for an additional fee it can give you the status of other trace nutrients such as iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu). These nutrients are important for the plant’s growth, development, productivity, creation of cell structures, energy storage, ability to photosynthesize, and more.
Soil test results will also give you insights on the soil’s pH. Soil pH affects the availability of nutrients. For example, below a pH level of 6.0 some nutrients become more unavailable such as phosphorus (P), and some become more available such as iron (Fe). Plants also have a certain pH range in which they can grow the most successfully. Many flower and garden produce species grow best in soils with a pH range of 6.1 to 6.9, whereas something like blueberries require more acidic soils in order to thrive.
Overall, the information you gain from a soil test can help you make informed decisions about managing your garden or flowerbed. Using your soil test results to develop a targeted approach to apply fertilizer that fits your needs without being wasteful can save you money and prevent excess nutrients from washing away and entering our waterways. Knowing your soil’s pH can help guide your decision on which plants may be a best fit for your plot. If you already have plants growing, and they begin to show signs of health issues, a soil test can help in the diagnosis of the problem and solution.
While soil testing can be done in any season when the soil is workable, you should allow plenty of time to receive and evaluate your soil test results. Actions taken to improve your soil fertility may have seasonality. While fall is the best time of the year to apply lime to raise soil pH, spring is the preferred time of the year for sulfur application to lower pH. Soil should be sampled to root depth, which typically means 5 to 8 inches for trees, shrubs, flowerbeds and vegetable gardens, and 3 to 4 inches for lawns. Organic matter on top of the soil should not be included in soil test samples. Samples can be taken with a specialized tool called a soil probe or something as simple as a soil knife or garden spade. You should strive to collect multiple samples in order to represent the entire area you are evaluating. These samples are then air-dried, crushed, and mixed together. A small amount of soil, about 1 pint in volume, is sent as a representative sample to the testing lab. Separate soil tests can be pulled when evaluating different types of plant cultivation (i.e., turfgrass, vegetable gardens, trees/shrubs, etc.) or in areas you suspect will require different fertility treatments.
Soil bags, input forms, and step-by-step instructions are available through your local Fairfield County OSU Extension office to assist those interested in having their soil analyzed. A 'basic' analysis, which includes discovery of P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, pH and buffer pH, costs $6.50 per sample (which includes the bag and laboratory analysis) if you choose to package and mail your own samples from home. The Extension office can assume the responsibility for processing, postage and mailing the samples at the cost of $16.70 per sample. Additional tests such as organic matter or trace elements are available for an extra fee. Results are typically received by the office within two weeks, and we will then reach out to you to review the findings and discuss recommendations based on your own gardening goals.
Interested in learning more? Contact Fairfield County OSU Extension at 740-653-5419 or email Carrie Brown at brown.2766@osu.edu.
Why online building permit software makes life easier
Electronic construction permitting is changing the way communities across the nation do business, speeding the building permit process for the people most involved—builders, inspectors, and plan reviewers—and providing better and more timely information to decision makers, managers, and staff throughout municipal halls. Building permit software takes the permitting process 100% digital. Customers can apply for and manage their permits online via a self-serve portal, and staff can then review, inspect, and approve the permit in a few simple steps. Essentially functioning like an always-open digital permitting counter.
Studies have shown that municipal governments can issue building permits 80% faster than paper-based systems with an online building permit process. Online applications require citizens to fill in mandatory data entry fields to ensure building departments receive complete applications. This reduces time spent trying to collect missing information over the phone, via email, or at the front counter. Additionally, online permitting can:
- Simplify government permitting practices.
- Increase internal efficiency and workflows
- Save time and money
- Issue permits faster
- Make it easier to share permitting data with your local community
- Streamline and improve the permitting process
- Digitizes the permitting process
- Achieves real-time visibility of permit and inspection statuses
- Online payment
Municipalities and counties have traditionally managed building permits "over the counter" and through paper or PDF applications. With online building permit software, Violet Township streamlines the licensing and housing construction process. The benefits of bringing building permits online include improvements in efficiency, transparency, communication, cost reductions, and more.
Online permitting makes a commitment to good communication between the review board and applicants. Oftentimes the biggest delays to building projects starting on-time and staying on track is because the communication between government officials and review boards and applicants is overwhelmed. Whatever the issues may be, online permitting is key to good communication between the review team and applicants to moving each application efficiently through the building permit process while still maintaining commitment to proper procedure.
On-Site Mobile Building Inspections
Building inspectors can gain valuable time back in their day with on-site mobile building inspections. They can use their tablet, phone, or laptop to complete reports in the field, upload photos, and schedule building inspections online.
Our partnership with OpenGov™ has allowed Violet Township to move permitting into the most modern technology in order to benefit our end user. We have an in-lobby Kiosk for those who need a little more assistance, and our online permitting is open 24/7.
For more information on how this works for you as a large contractor, a small builder, or a project warrior, visit our Citizens Portal at:
https://violetoh.portal.opengov.com/
From the Fire Department
The March 19, 2024 primary election will have a tax levy issue for Violet Township, more specifically for the Violet Township Fire Department. This proposed tax levy will provide additional operating funds for the department. It will also allow the department to continue to move forward with plans to improve our service to you.
It has been ten (10) years since our last tax levy request in 2014. At that time, a 3.8 mill tax levy was approved by the voters. Our goal was to continue being good stewards of your money and to make this levy last as long as possible before coming back to the polls. Since 2014, the department has accomplished the following items:
- Razed old Station 591 and rebuilt a new, state-of-the art station on the same site maintaining our presence in Olde Pickerington
- Renovated Station 592 on Refugee Road
- Added 20 full-time personnel due to either attrition or adding new positions; we no longer cross-staff our vehicles
- Developed a Community Paramedic Program
- We added an EMS Coordinator position
- We added a 2nd full-time Fleet and Facilities Mechanic
- Continued to maintain our vehicle replacement schedules as well as replacing the aging IT in all vehicles and stations
- Kept pace with the increasing cost of our operations
Since 2014, our department has experienced significant growth in run volume as well as protecting all the new build construction that has taken place. Here are a few quick facts about our growth since 2014:
- According to MORPC, our population has grown 23% to nearly 50,000 residents in the Violet Township/Pickerington area. This also includes the portions of Reynoldsburg and Canal Winchester that we serve.
- The number of single-family residences has increased 27%
- Thru 2022, the department has seen a 62.7% increase in run volume
The new levy request in March 2024 will be for 3.6 mills. This levy will generate $6.553 million for the fire department. The funds generated by this levy will allow the department to do the following:
- Relocate and build a new Station 593. This station is currently located above Interstate 70 in a shopping complex. Relocation will allow the department to improve response times and add an Engine Company. The additional vehicle will also require us to add up to nine (9) personnel to staff the Engine Company.
- Begin planning for Station 594 in the next 4-6 years. This station will be located somewhere in the southwest area of the township to better serve this growing area.
- Consider adding another Community Paramedic to serve the increasing needs of our population
- Maintain our fleet/vehicle replacement program
- Continue to fund/maintain our daily operations
Our goal is to maintain and/or improve our service to the community each and every day. Secondly, we strive to always remain good stewards of your money. If you have any questions about the upcoming tax levy, please contact us at 614-837-4123. As always, we are your “Friends for Life”.
Violet Township Road Department
Violet Township has proactively implemented pavement maintenance and preservation treatments into their annual road program to help extend the life of the township’s roads.
Pavement preservation is a cost effective and greener approach to getting the most life out of your roads and making taxpayer dollars go further. In addition to cost efficiency, a pavement preservation approach is known to produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, consume less energy, and provide faster application times than the alternative conventional approach. These treatments will also help with keeping water out of the pavement, prevent oxidation of the asphalt, and maintain good skid resistance until your road is identified as needing a traditional asphalt overlay.
The treatments you will see the township utilizing are as follows:
Overband Crack Seal is a combination of asphalt cement and fibers that produces a strong yet flexible repair to pavement cracks and construction joints. Ultimately, when applied at the right time, this seal will help keep water out of the subbase yielding longer pavement service life.
Benefits:
- High tensile strength for heavy loads
- Delays and minimizes reflective cracking
- Prevents water intrusion into subbase
- Most economical pavement repair process
- Prevents raveling and future potholes
Micro Surface:
When applied on the right road at the right time, Micro Surfacing is one of the most cost-effective Pavement Maintenance tools on the market today. Used primarily to extend pavement service life, Micro Surfacing also provides a safe, durable and skid-resistant surface.
Benefits:
- Superior Durability with Long Service Life
- Corrects Wheel Rutting
- Corrects Moderate Pavement Bleeding or Flushing
- Fast Set and Cure Time Allowing Traffic to Return Quickly
Cape Seal
Cape Seal is a widely used pavement maintenance tool which incorporates chip seal covered with micro surfacing. It’s an economical solution for addressing fair to moderately cracked pavements, while also providing a smooth, dense surface, good skid resistance, and a long service life.
Benefits:
- Effectively repairs fair to moderately cracked pavements
- Smooth texture with no loose aggregate
- Long pavement service life similar to traditional asphalt overlay practices
- Excellent skid resistance over the life of the pavement
Higher Costs & what contributes to them:
We are experiencing many of the same problems that are plaguing many townships, cities, counties, and communities across the nation. These factors (problems) include inflation, supply chain issues, and in some cases, shortages which all contribute to increased costs. We are making every effort to increase the useful life of our roadways by using these different methodologies as presented above.
