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Ingesting a small amount of dirt is not dangerous, as long as the dirt does not contain any contaminants or poison like herbicide or pesticide. I don't think it matters if the dirt is sifted or not. However, routinely feeling the desire to eat dirt is probably something one should talk to a physician about. BTW, in gardening circles, "zone" refers to the USDA hardiness zone in which you live. This article tells you more about that: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/planting-zones/usda-planting-zone-map.htm

This article suggest some possibilities: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/plant-leaves-turn-yellow.htm
To get more specific information, you'd need to provide as much specific information as possible, such as the name of the plant, its size, amount of light, and particular appearance of the leaves, i.e spots, area of leaf that's discolored, shape of leaf, anything else you can think of.

If you read much about top dressing, there is lots of advice of when, sometimes fall (for cool season grass) sometimes spring (warm season grass.) Most often, spring is advised, so grass can get established before summer heat, but I don't think there's any hard rule about March. Do it when it's convenient. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn-care/lgen/top-dressing-lawns.htm

A cane is simply a mature shoot.
A shoot is new green growth (with leaves, tendrils or flowers) developing from buds on a cane or spur.
A spur is cane that has been pruned back to one, two or three buds.

Bamboo is typically thought to be one of the fastest growing plants in the world, growing at a rate of about 12-24 inches a day.