I am trying to plan out a yard for my new home, and I definitely want some large trees to give me shade during the heat of the day. It sounds like I should look into custom topsoil blends that will help my plants grow. Hi Greta! We are so pleased that you found this article helpful. Amending soil for planting is fairly common and knowing your soil type and needs will help you get the best growing environment.
Another thing you can do is purchase worms, the earthmovers aka nightcrawlers like to dig deep and they naturally aerate the soil creating room for roots, water, and airflow. When I was a kid my loved to garden. We had a large one every year. He used to say to pay attention after you turn the soil over to what color it turns when it dries out. Is there any truth to that and if so could you give me more detail?
Thank you. Hi Tim, typically, nutrient-rich soil has a dark brown to black color. However, soil color is not the only indicator of soil health, as explained in this article. Your soil color can range based on the minerals and organic matter present in the soil.
Happy Gardening! Hi, thank you for the tips! The previous owners had a playground set and there was rubber mulch there at one time. I tilled the soil but am wondering if this is not a good place for a garden or is not healthy unless I remove the rubber mulch? Any thoughts? Thank you! Hi Cheryl, there is evidence that toxic substances can leach from rubber as it degrades, contaminating soil, plants and waterways if you are growing food to be safe we would recommend removing the rubber mulch.
Your email address will not be published. Ask a Garden Question Subscribe. Search Search for: Search. Here are a few options to consider. Cold-hardy legumes, such as peas, can be started in late winter and allowed to grow two months or longer to precede a warm-weather, heavy-feeding crop, such as winter squash. Warm-weather legumes, such as soybeans or cowpeas, can fertilize beds that will be planted to fall crops that need rich soil, such as broccoli or fall-planted garlic and shallots.
For winter, a mix of hairy vetch and rye cereal rye, the sort of rye used to make bread, not perennial rye or annual grass rye is a top choice. Both plants are cold-hardy, but reliably winterkill if the ground freezes in your area.
You can leave them in place as mulch, and make spring transplants right into it. Try undersowing to grow a food crop and a cover crop together. The clover comes up fast, establishing a tight cover that suppresses weeds and retains soil moisture. Since it is low-growing, it does not interfere with managing or harvesting the taller crops above it.
The key to growing bigger, more productive, more nutrient-dense plants starts at ground level. Biochar, which is slow-roasted organic matter inoculated with compost, creates the perfect habitat for soil-enriching microorganisms. In Gardening with Biochar , longtime garden writer Jeff Cox explains what biochar is and provides detailed instructions for how it can be made from wood or other kinds of plant material, along with specific guidelines for using it to enrich soil, prevent erosion, and enhance plant growth.
If you want to create long-term benefits for your garden through better soil, this is the book you want to pick up. Oh geeze, because I hadn't logged in prior to asking a question, all of my comment was lost. So frustrating. Well maybe I'll remember next time. For the rest of you, know going forward that even though it is tempting to quickly add a comment or question, log in first, otherwise you'll start over.
I missed the correct time to plant a Fall garden, so I am considering a cover crop to till in as green manure for spring. I'll get a ph test kit to determine what to add. My wife and I have an acre portion of our property where we have tried to grow ornamental and fruit trees. We seem to lose 1 to 2 trees after every winter. The property was farmed for many years before us so I believe the grounds nutrients are depleted.
How can we improve the quality of our ground around our trees? Hi Nina, This might help. If your soil is clay gypsum takes several seasons or more to correct I still use the gypsum though because I agree that over time it helps change soil from clay to loam. Dig deep! I have poor soil. Its clay and sand. I try to add stuff to it every year but it still ends up hard during the summer. Where can you find the chemical traits of regular garden soil? You know, the stuff you dig out of your backyard.
Does anybody know of any helpful resources I might take a look at? Thanks a bunch! Where can you find chemical traits of regular gardening soil? A lady that just joined my gardening club is having trouble deciding what plants she wants. She figures knowing what her soil is made of will help her. I live in south Florida and use a hoe and hand remove the grass, a few spots grow, but with st augustine grass if you can get a bulk of the roots it's helps.
Allison, I have recently read 2 good books that would work in your situation. Larry Moore's 20 X 30 Backyard Garden, it is out of print but you can find it on Amazon or maybe your local library. My husband and I are trying to improve the soil of a 20'X 20' plot of land.
We live in east central Florida and primarily have beach sand everywhere. We've added tons of compost all we have! The problem is the grass refuses to die!
No matter how deep I bury it, the grass always shoots up. Would you recommend tilling just to get rid of the sod and after that maintain it without tilling? I'm not completely opposed to removing all the sod by hand, but I'm afraid it will grow in faster than we'd be able to remove it.
Thank you for the help! Mother Responds: It sounds like you have very resilient grass. You could try putting down black plastic over the grass to kill it or you can spread newspapers on the grass and put the compost on top of that.
Good luck! Who is Harvery Ussery? My mother's maiden name was Ussery. My other question is what can I use for ridding of caterpillars that are eating my rhonedendrin? Getting a soil test from your county's cooperative extension would be a great idea; this will alert you to any deficiencies or pH problems. Add organic matter: Adding organic matter is hands-down, without a doubt, the number one way to improve your soil.
Whether your soil is clayey, sandy, low in nutrients, compacted, has poor drainage So what should you be adding to your soil? Compost is a must--it will improve your soil immediately and introduce microorganisms that will continue improving your soil by further breaking down organic matter. Add as much as you possibly can; it really is nearly impossible to overdo it with compost. Add some in spring before planting. Side-dress your plants with it throughout the growing season, and add more in fall when you are putting the garden to bed --you will see improvement in no time.
In addition to compost, there are several other things you can add to your soil to increase the amount of organic matter and therefore overall fertility. Grass clippings , shredded autumn leaves , aged manure , coffee grounds --all of it will help your garden's soil increase in fertility, water retention, and improved texture. Adjust your soil's pH: Once you have your soil tested, you'll know whether you have a pH imbalance.
If your soil is acidic, there are several things you can do to reduce the acidity level. Generally, the report you receive from your extension service will have recommendations for improving the pH of your soil. The addition of plenty of organic matter will often help this as well. Excessive rototilling or digging destroy the soil's structure, leaving it powdery or rock hard. Comments Add Comment.
Back to story Comment on this project. Tell us what you think Thanks for adding your feedback. All rights reserved.
0コメント