Soil

People have the best intentions when they start recycling their organic waste. However, if they haven't started the right way, they soon get frustrated and give up. Here are the VIDEO tools to...

Topsoil is an amazing substance, with billions of beneficial microorganisms in every square inch. But topsoil can be depleted by intensive agricultural activity, especially if you do not...

Casing soil is an important component of mushroom growing. The unique growing conditions required by mushrooms calls for a soil that has excellent moisture retention and a dark, warm environment....

Preserving topsoil is an ongoing process. Many of the strategies that help to build topsoil are the same as those which you use to preserve it, because healthy topsoil is dense and moist and less...

If your yard is too wet you have a problem. Most plants will not thrive when their roots are struggling to grow in wet soil. Plants need water but they also need oxygen, and a soil that stays wet...

Compost is a great way to enrich the soil in your garden and recycle kitchen and yard waste at the same time. You could simply make a big pile of yard waste and kitchen scraps, and they would...

Green roof gardens reduce the amount of rainwater run-off into a city's water system, help to cool a building in hot weather and reduce the effect of heat islands, common to urban areas. Install...

Compost enriches soil by providing macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Gardeners recycle organic kitchen waste by adding such refuse as eggshells, coffee grounds and tea...

Composting is one of the best things you can do for the environment, as well as for your lawn and garden. It can be accomplished even in the smallest of outdoor spaces without worrying about lots...

Adding Sulfur to clay soil is done in order to lower the alkaline levels in the clay, and raise the acidic levels. It's a process often used by gardeners, landscapers or farmers operating in...

Clay soil is composed of fine particles which are easily compacted and waterlogged. High traffic areas are especially susceptible to compaction and flooding. Even if topsoil is aerated and porous,...

Composting is a great addition to any garden, and is an environmentally-friendly choice. Not only can you recycle kitchen scraps and yard waste, but you avoid chemical fertilizers that can seep...

Chicken manure has the highest content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium of the animal kingdom and thus is a potent garden fertilizer. Although you can spread the fresh manure in the fall and...

Plants grow best in neutral soil--soil with a pH balance of 6.5 to 7.5. Lower numbers indicate acidic soil and higher numbers indicate basic, or alkaline, soil. To optimize growing conditions,...

Mold can grow abundantly on the top of plant soil. A common cause of mold growth is over watering. Insufficient air flow and high humidity also aid in the production of mold, which poses a danger...

Knowing how your yard drains will help you set goals to improve your drainage. The type of soil in your yard determines how well it drains and the slope or grade of your yard determines what low...

To create an optimal growing medium for your garden plants, it is often necessary to change the chemical balance in the soil itself. Some plants prefer alkalized soil, while others prefer a more...

Worm castings provide a nutrient rich medium for plants and fauna to grow. Mixed into soil, a night-crawler excrement can drastically improve the quality through fertilization. Night-crawler worms...

Soil used to line the bottom of ornamental ponds or container-grow aquatic plants must be dense and heavy. Topsoils rich in clay and low in organic matter are ideal as they remain dense while...

Soil preparation is the first and most important step in gardening. Just as humans need nutritious food to thrive, plants need nutrient-rich soil to grow and produce flowers or fruit. Amending...

Roses are distantly related to the apple tree, so it makes sense that both roses and apples can be fertilized the same way. Both thrive on a fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorous and...

Calculating the amount of dirt you need for a lawn project is a vital landscaping skill. The good news is that calculating the square footage of dirt is essentially the same as calculating the...

Ordinary newspaper can be a successful component of rich, useful garden compost. Newsprint is composed primarily of plant fiber, and modern newspaper inks are made from a safe soybean oil base....

Soil pH is the measure of how acidic or alkaline a soil is. The soil pH level is can affect nutrient availability for some plants. You can alter the pH level by adding lime or wood ash to the...

Clay soil is difficult to grow lawns on because the soil particles are so fine that when water is added, these particles stick together, causing poor drainage and lack of airflow. The grass roots...

Pine needles make a good, attractive mulch for landscaping and perennial beds, but they decompose slowly and are slightly acidic. Together with their prickly nature, this makes them less useful as...

Are you an avid gardener? You have probably experienced many different soil situations, including topsoil that forms large clumps. These clumps make planting very difficult. Small plants and...

A compost bin is a great way to store compost in the winter. If you do not have a compost bin, building one will provide you with a location to keep your compost protected until the spring...

Plants typically thrive in alkaline, or basic, soil. Alkaline soil that has a pH of 7.5 to 14. Plants such as azaleas, pine trees and blueberries, however, prefer acidic soil, which measures 1.0...

A soil test chemically extracts and measures the elements essential to plant nutrition. A soil test measures things such as soil acidity and pH, which can indicate the soil's available nutrients...

Topsoil provides one of the most valuable resources on the planet, supplying the raw material to raise food and cleanse the air of dangerous toxins. A handful of healthy topsoil contains billions...

Whether you are clearing out old trees or simply pruning bushes, you may have a pile of hardwood just waiting to be reused. Why not compost it and give it another life in nutrient-rich soil?...

If your compost pile stinks, it is typically a symptom of an imbalance in the environment within the compost pile. A compost pile is a delicate environment in which microbes break down organic...

Gypsum is a common mineral, hydrated calcium sulphate, used in Plaster of Paris, sheetrock and other household applications. Gypsum is a useful agricultural soil amendment for certain types of...

When gardeners talk about curing compost, they often use the term "finishing" compost. Contrary to what some beginning composters believe, the gardener is not constantly adding scraps to the...

Compost is a product which burns itself off into the ground and has powerful results. Weed seeds cannot survive the use of compost. Compost often smells like a forest or light manure. The main...

A number of plants---blueberries, evergreens, azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons, just to name a few---need acidic soil. Acidifying potting soil can be accomplished relatively easily with an...

Testing your soil with litmus strips will determine its pH. A pH test using litmus trips will assist you in discovering whether your soil is acidic or alkaline. Different garden plants. flowers,...

Soil conditions vary greatly from region to region, and some gardeners and farmers may find themselves in greater need of specific nutrients than growers in other areas. One of the benefits of...

Good topsoil is a must for a healthy lawn or a productive garden. Quality topsoil provides the nutrients required for proper plant growth, including organic material and lime. Topsoil is marketed...

Gardening is a rewarding way to reap the benefits of nature's bounty. While gardening can become expensive, there are some ways that you can save money and help recycle by reusing your potting...

Any gardener who has pushed their hands into a pile of deep, black loamy soil will tell you that good soil is better than gold. A great way to improve garden soil is to practice vermicomposting,...

One simple way that gardeners today can help the environment, while at the same time lowering their gardening costs, is to create their own composting bins. After the initial start-up costs (such...

No one wants an otherwise beautiful lawn ruined by ugly bare spots or to reap a less-than-bountiful harvest. Both are indicators of unhealthy, depleted soil. To return your lawn and garden to...

Anyone who has pet rabbits knows how much rich manure they produce each day. Since rabbits are herbivores, their manure contains excellent nutrients for your garden soil. Rabbit pellets can be...

Turn your organic kitchen waste into a rich soil amendment using the process of vermicomposting. Red worms consume the waste products and produce castings. Castings are a nutrient rich addition in...

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, yard trimmings and food make up 24 percent of solid waste in the United States. These organic materials can easily be made into compost, which is...

Some gardeners do not need to make much of an effort to amend their soil, but for others, especially those with clay soil, there is a lot of groundwork to be done before planting can happen. Clay...

Raising your own worms is an inexpensive way to breed your own fishing bait or produce compost to add to your potted plants or garden. Worm composting is referred to as vermicomposting. Plastic...

The success or failure of your new lawn depends on how well you prepare your soil. Although preparing soil is time consuming, you will reap the benefits of your labor once your lawn begins to grow...