Soil & Soil Building

Never stop learning about how to improve the soil. It pays off in healthy, more productive plants.

Why Does pH Matter Feature Why Does pH Matter?

You may have heard of soil pH. You may have even heard some people say that they don’t worry about testing the soil; that it is usually okay. That’s often true. But if the soil pH is not okay, how … Continue reading →

when-only-tilling-will-do-feature When Only Tilling Will Do

Sometimes you just need horsepower. Many of us live where the soil is hard and if we want to make a garden in the ground, we have to break it up and add organic matter. This is gardening the original … Continue reading →

soil-is-alive-feature The Soil is Alive. Really!

In your garden, you can look around and easily see life: a bird singing, a beautiful flower, a ripening tomato. Life abounds, and it doesn’t require a magnifying glass to see. Or does it? In the soil beneath your feet, … Continue reading →

How Many Pots can you fill with a bag of soil feature How Many Pots Can You Fill with a Bag of Soil?

Find the size of your containers to determine the size of the bag you want to buy. For example, a 20-quart bag fills two 12-inch standard clay pots, or you can fill one 14-inch basket and still have enough to … Continue reading →

Good Soil Means Good Vegetables feature Good Soil Means Good Vegetables

Vegetables need good soil. If the soil is hard, rocky, soggy, or nutrient poor, the vegetables will be, too. In rich, soft soil, roots grow deeply and soak up nutrients for healthy, productive plants. Here is how to prepare the … Continue reading →

Begin when the soil tells you feature Begin When the Soil Tells You

You have been waiting all winter. You have reviewed your notes from last year. You have planned where each vegetable and herb will go this year. The birds have begun to chirp, the days have been getting warmer and the … Continue reading →

fertilizer and healthy soil feature Fertilizer and Healthy Soil

Currently much work is being done to better understand the health of soil and how it supports the health of plants. In a nutshell, the soil is brimming with living organisms that help release nutrients, among other good things, from … Continue reading →