{"id":32686,"date":"2021-04-09T10:00:31","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T15:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/b48db82f22.nxcli.net\/?p=32686"},"modified":"2023-02-18T10:51:42","modified_gmt":"2023-02-18T16:51:42","slug":"best-tips-to-prepare-garden-soil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/platthillnursery.com\/best-tips-to-prepare-garden-soil\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Tips to Prepare Garden Soil"},"content":{"rendered":"

The secret of a healthy garden is in the soil. We often don\u2019t treat it any better than dirt. But soil is so much different than that. As a clump in our hand, it looks simple enough, but under a microscope, we see it\u2019s a complex substance, alive, and teeming with organisms. Fortunately, any beginner gardener can build good soil. Here are tips for garden soil preparation<\/a>:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"platt<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is Soil?<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

About half of your soil is made of weathered rock and minerals that have broken down into particles over thousands of years. The other half is organic matter, made from decomposed leaves, plants, lichens, insects, moss, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mixed among them is a living layer of bacteria, fungi, microorganisms, insects, and earthworms. They break down the plant debris, fix nitrogen into the soil, aerate the soil, and perform a whole host of activities essential to the plants in your garden!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Garden Soil Preparation Tips<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Without the living layer of organics and soil bugs, soil is essentially dead. Some people call dead soil <\/span>dirt<\/span><\/i>. It looks gray, cracked, and worn-out. Although it may have enough nutrients to support a few struggling plants, it\u2019s missing the living layer of black soil that gives you a vibrant garden. Fortunately, there are ways to prepare healthy soil and bring dead dirt back to life:\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"platt<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip 1: Add Organic Matter: <\/b>your plants use up the organic matter in your soil over time. It\u2019s important to return nutrients to the soil and feed the bugs by adding compost or aged manure. We recommend 1-3 inches once every year, preferably in the <\/span>fall<\/span><\/a>, or in spring before you plant.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tip 2: Mulch the Soil: <\/b>mulching over the top of the soil is a great way to hold in moisture, protect the microorganisms from the sun, feed the soil with nutrients, and save you time weeding. Vegetables prefer a leafy mulch such as <\/span>grass<\/span><\/a> clippings, straw, or leaves. Perennials, shrubs, or flowers enjoy bark mulch or wood chips (about 2-3 inches).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"platt<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tip 3: Reduce Soil Compaction: <\/b>the tiny creatures in your soil naturally create a porous structure, which lets both water and air reach the roots of your plants. When you step on it, especially when it\u2019s wet, you compress the spaces in your soil. So if you want to create healthy soil, stick to the paths, don\u2019t work in the rain, and avoid any unnecessary soil disturbance.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

When you take care of your soil, you take care of your whole garden. Preparing good soil is often as simple as adding organic matter, mulching it, and letting it live free of compaction and unnecessary disturbance.<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"platt<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What Kind of Soil Do You Have?<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve worked in your garden at all, you already have an idea of the kind of soil you have\u2014sandy, silty, or high in clay. If you\u2019re not sure, a good test is to grab a clump of soil and slightly wet it in your hand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n