After all of these years of gardening, the biggest lesson I have learned is that good quality soil makes all of the difference. I didn’t pay as much attention to the health of my soil when I first started, and I kind of bled it dry. Now, I am a lot more careful to be a dirt farmer, rather than a vegetable gardener.Building your soil up so that you plants have the nutrients they need to grow is actually super simple. You just have to actually do it {which I am totally guilty of forgetting from time to time}.
Here’s a couple of ways to get dirt any master gardener would envy:
- Crop Rotation. This is key. Use the plants to your advantage. For example, peas and beans fix nitrogen to the soil, so plant something that requires nitrogen in their place next year {like tomatoes}.
- Add compost. Compost is like free fertilizer {unless you don’t compost yourself, then it will cost you, but it is still very minimal—and I am cheap, so you know it must not be that bad.} The best way to add lay it on the top of the soil after your final fall crop. Let it sit there all winter long and then work it in first thing in the spring. That way, if you made your own, it won’t be “too hot” {which basically just means too rich}, and it won’t burn up your plants. If you buy it, it is not as essential to give it that much time.
- Make sure you have proper drainage by adding soil amendments. Just because you buy garden soil, it doesn’t mean it is the end all be all of dirt. Adding a little vermiculite or perlite will help with drainage. There are tons of other amendments that can help too, but drainage is a pretty big issue, so I thought I would stick to that.
- Consider planting cover crops. They help pull nutrients to the surface of the soil, add nutrients, and suppress weeds. They can usually grow in cooler weather, so plant them to over-winter in late fall, or first thing in the spring and give them a couple of weeks to work their magic before you pull them to plant your garden.
- Try lasagna gardening. It basically re-introduces organic matter into your soil. And, all you really have to do is add a new layer every once in a while.
- DON’T TILL YOUR GARDEN IN THE FALL. I know it’s so tempting to turn the soil over in the fall after the final veggie has been picked, but don’t. Leave it. There are valuable organisms in the soil that will work for you all winter. Allow them to work their magic. Plus roots of dead plants will help aerate the soil when you pull them out in the spring. Do all of your tilling in the spring, right before you plant.
- Cover your beds with a thick layer of mulch in the fall. Again, this will protect all of those organisms in the soil AND it will slowly decompose, providing valuable nutrients to the soil
While none of these are terribly time consuming, they all will have a huge impact on the overall health of your soil.
~Mavis
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Renay says
All those leaves you rake up in the fall? Spread them all over your veggie beds, then put grass clippings on top of that to keep them down. Spring comes, turn/till it into the ground, add compost, turn again, and PLANT! Easy peasy.
Julia says
My son raises rabbits so we have lots of waste to mix into the garden. Rabbit manure is a cold manure so it can be mixed directly into the garden without composting. You can also make “bunny brew” to water your plants. Put a large amount of bunny poop in a five galling bucket, fill with water and put the lid on. Stir it once a day for several days then use the “tea” to water your plants!
Cass says
Did you know that “Prepper Website” picked up this article/posting and reposted it in his daily email? You should be proud. He only picks the best to send out to his followerers.
Bruce Field says
We live on the Mid North Coast of NSW in Australia (Temperate Zone with mild Winters). Your info is fantastic & very useful. Thank you !