Soil

Manure fertilizers are a great way to add nutrients to the soil. They provide a cheap, natural and effective way to enrich soil and aid in plant growth. Manure fertilizers are often packaged and...

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...

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...

Sheep, goat, cow, horse, chicken or bat---combine any of these manures with your compost and you will see positive results in your garden. These positive results typically last the length of a...

Worms play an essential role in creating compost. Without worms to break down organic matter, our earth would be covered with mountains of plant and animal matter; not a pretty picture to...

Whether you are growing flowers or vegetables, high-quality soil is key to having a beautiful garden. Soil conditioner is vital for obtaining such fine soil.

Composting, or recycling organic matter to enrich your garden soil, is a wonderful way to re-use kitchen and lawn scraps and avoid adding to overcrowded landfills. Compost can be used in your...

A compost bin turns decomposing food scraps and yard waste into rich garden soil. However, adding the wrong ingredients can cause foul odors and attract unwanted pests. Use the right ingredients,...

It's a shame to waste organic waste. In fact, the term organic waste is really a misnomer, because whether you have leftover vegetable scraps, grass clippings, dead flowers or even horse manure,...

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...

No-till and no-dig methods of planting are designed to reduce manual labor and equipment usage and to preserve soil structure. Microorganisms are undisturbed and the loss of organic matter and...

Creating your own compost for soil provides two very distinct advantages. It first reduces your food and yard waste, keeping it out of landfills. It next offers a mixture that replaces lost...

Black mulch (also called "black gold") is a type of compost soil that provides many nutrients to a garden. To make black mulch, you must build it in layers and give it time to develop. According...

Cow manure is made up of a number chemicals and minerals that make it a good fertilizer for farms and residential usage. According to Ecofriend.com, India, which has over 300 million heads of...

Composting is the natural process of organic materials breaking down over time. Microbial organisms such as fungi and bacteria consume organic waste. In order for the process to work, the...

Nitrogen is necessary for plant growth, but commercial fertilizers can increase your soil's nitrogen levels too rapidly and cause a buildup of nitrogen, which over time will destroy your soil's...

Using worms to compost horse manure is a very effective practice. It is estimated that one worm can consume nearly half its body weight in manure each day making the reduction of waste for farmers...

Fertilizing with manure offers an eco-friendly way to enhance soil and plant growth while reducing chemical contamination. Though many animals produce dung suitable for fertilizer, farmers and...

Clay soils have fine particles that do not allow air or water to penetrate easily. They can be rock hard when dry and slippery when wet. Clay consists of a fair amount of organic material, but it...

Farmers and home gardeners are returning to organic fertilizers to produce healthy and chemical-free plants. Manure from most farm animals can be used, but cow manure is a favorite among gardeners...

One of the reasons I’m attracted to gardening is that it allows me to use and reuse materials. This has a lot of appeal for a pack-rat like me. It gives me a good excuse to hang on to things...

Compost is the black gold of soil that all gardeners crave. Now you can make your own rich compost soil with just a few basic ingredients. Chances are, you have 99 percent of them already.

Red worms are similar to earthworms, but have some distiguishing characteristics that have made them widely cultivated for commercial and home use.

The ultimate organic fertilizer for your garden is chicken manure. It is the best natural fertilizing resource because it contains high amounts of nitrogen in addition to phosphorus, potassium and...

Compost is a mesh of organic matter. Once it has decomposed, you can use it in your garden to add nutrients to the soil that help plants grow better. You can buy compost, but it's easy to make at...

Topsoil is the outermost layer of the earth's crust and contains essential minerals and nutrients for plant growth. Usually reaching no more than 8 inches deep, it is rich with organic material...

Without adequate nitrogen, plants fail to thrive and may develop weak, spindly stalks and small, inferior fruit. Even though the atmosphere contains 78 percent nitrogen, with the exception of...

Global warming has been a hotly debated issue for many years. Some experts insist that mankind is influencing the globe for the worse, but there are many things a person can do to combat a poor...

Composted manure---cow, chicken or sheep manure that has been left to decompose for several months---can be used to improve the health of your garden dramatically. Using compost in your garden...

What is in soil? Soil is the most important part of gardening, no soil, no crops. Soil contains plant roots, animal material, insects, bacteria, fungus and organisms. By plowing over your garden...

Not sure what to put in your new compost bin? There are a few things to avoid, like large slabs of raw meat, milk and cream cheese, or toxic things. You might be surprised to learn how many...

Horse manure is a favorite soil amendment used by farmers, gardeners and landscapers to enrich the soil with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and to improve soil structure and increase water...

Providing your garden with composted chicken manure gives it a high-energy dose of nutrients and can turn even the poorest soils into fertile loam. Chicken manure straight from the chicken,...

Manure tea is a homemade garden fertilizer similar to compost teas. To make it, manure is soaked in water to concentrate the nutrients. There are different methods for using the tea, however...

Black dirt is the term used to describe rich dark soil that is usually the result of rotted manure or compost. It may be marketed with a label of black dirt, manure or topsoil or any variety of...

Compost is a mixture of dirt and old vegetable matter. It is left to decompose over time--usually at least a year. If you have a compost pile, you can add grass clippings, leaves, wood chips, left...

Earthworms are an essential ingredient in creating a successful ecosystem that will ensure your organic garden thrives. Not only do they process the soil into nutrient-rich humus, earthworms help...

Most soils are naturally quite fertile, but to maintain this, sometimes fertilizers are needed. Organic and inorganic fertilizers contain a range of nutrients in different proportions. On most...

Manure is an excellent soil amendment for gardens. It is a source for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are essential for healthy plant growth. While some garden suppliers do sell...

If you are tired of spending money on compost and are ready to make your own, now is your chance. Keep in mind you will have to work a bit to create compost and with a litle effort it won't cost...

If you are tired of spending money on compost and are ready to make your own, now is your chance. Keep in mind you will have to work a bit to create compost and with a litle effort it won't cost...

Horse manure can make a wonderful organic fertilizer for flower gardens. Even if you don't own horses, chances are, you can easily find horse owners willing to give manure away for free. The...

Making your own compost can be very rewarding for your plants, and provides a better source of organic matter for your garden then you can buy in any store. Here are a few simple tips on how you...

Making your own compost is a vital aspect to growing an organic garden. The right compost will effectively introduce bacteria, worms, and insects which all encourage robust plant growth. It also...

The condition of your garden soil has the biggest bearing on how well your plants will grow. Even if you are consistent with watering, weeding and pruning, if your garden soil isn't particularly...

Gardening is a terrific hobby not just because it's relatively inexpensive, but also because you can really enjoy what you produce. Decorative plants can be put on display, and you can grow and...

The condition of your garden soil has the biggest bearing on how well your plants will grow. Even if you are consistent with watering, weeding and pruning, if your garden soil isn't particularly...

Gardening is a terrific hobby not just because it's relatively inexpensive, but also because you can really enjoy what you produce. Decorative plants can be put on display, and you can grow and...

As humans continue to reach record population levels, the earth's viable resources continue to stretch thinner and thinner every year. One of the often overlooked resources is the soil. Conserving...

If you want to make your own compost, but don't want to build a pile or compost bin, try this easy method. Next spring you'll have beautiful compost ready to use in your garden.