Improving Your Soil!

The type of soil that you have determines the type and range of plants that you can grow. Improve your soil and you will grow better plants but, not just that, for you will be able to grow a bigger range of plants, too. You improve soil by adding things to it and doing things with it but when you do this is as important as what you do.

Remember that the lovely, loose, dark earth seen on the gardens on TV didn't just happen that way, they were made by improving the soil that was there in the first place. If they can do it, so can you.

Spring
Now is the time to dig in farmyard or stable manure if you can get it. One way to find a source is to contact the owner of an allotment since most allotment groups know someone who can bring in a quantity of stable yard manure. Often they work in large quantities so the allotment owner may be happy to split the cost with you provided you can find some way to transport it back to your house. Beware of doing this by the barrow load, I can testify that it is hard work!

Powder, for preference, or liquid fertilizers can also be used in the spring to get the ground ready for growing. Powder is best and easiest for general fertilization of the whole plot while a liquid fertilizer can be used to treat specific areas and plants.

Now is also the time to open up your compost heap or container and spread the compost liberally on the ground. I'm a great believer in compost but you can use leaf-mould, shredded bark or any of the cocoa or chocolate byproducts to add organic matter to the ground.

If you're stuck for organic matter, you can try your local authority since many now compost green material or you can always shred up some newspaper and add that to the soil.

Once you have the organic matter on the garden so the hard work of gardening begins. You need to dig this material into the soil of the garden so that it is at least six inches to a foot down.

On a less strenuous note, remember that the soil is alive so water it if there is a dry spell and also don't forget that you can also add grit to heavy clay soil to help drainage.

Finally, and this is something that I am a great believer in, you can use ashes from a wood or paper fire to spread lightly across the garden. This is usually something to use sparingly so I try to have one or two wood fires on various parts of the garden during the early spring. This both helps by getting rid of some of the woody prunings and the collection of twigs, small branches and similar matter that accumulates over the Winter.

Summer
Soil is for growing plants and not weeds so make a point of regularly hoeing weeds and also use this as a way to open up the soil to allow air to penetrate and help keep the soil light. In the early warm weather it is a good idea to keep the soil as open as possible.

Now is the time to apply some quick acting fertilizer to specific plants, particularly those that are 'hungry' such as tomatoes and roses.

Continue to dig in any organic matter that was not well mixed from the Spring ready to use the ground for the planting of late crops.

During a dry spell ensure that you water the ground to keep it moist but do your watering in the evening and not in the heat of the sun.

Finally, keep the garden tidy and pick up any fallen branches or other matter and try to keep children and non-gardeners off the planted areas. If an area gets trodden down, go over it lightly with a hoe to open it out again.

Autumn/Fall
Remove plants when they are ready to be removed and immediately dig the soil, leaving it rough and exposed to the air.

If you need to create new beds for flowers or crops for the coming year then now is the time to dig good, deep beds and put a quantity of manure or compost in the bottom. This is particularly important if you are growing some vegetables.

Now is the time also to test the soil for ph and, if necessary add lime if too acidic.

In a new garden watch the rain at this time of the year and if standing water or waterlogged soil is seen begin digging to improve the drainage and if necessary lay drainage pipes. I have already posted an article on testing your garden for drainage which you can access from the labels at the right hand side of this post. If the problem is only slight then add grit or gravel to help drainage and also build soakaways.

Continue to dig soil as Winter approaches and add any organic matter that comes you way to make a start for when Spring returns.

Soil improvement is the one single thing that has the most effect on what you grow in your garden and it is also one of the best improvements you can make to produce better looking and more prolific plants.