How to Build Good Soil

Even if your property is not blessed with naturally good soil, you can STILL have a beautiful garden. The key rests in investing time and resources in your soil. Take the time to improve your soil and you'll spend less time and money watering, fewer plants will become sick and die, and you'll be able to grow a wider variety of plants. Here are several ways to improve your soil with both existing and new flower beds.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• time and a plan

1. Build Raised Beds One of the best ways to improve your soil quality is to build raised beds into your landscape. A raised bed can be anywhere from 3-4 inches high (just high enough to improve the existing quality of your soil) to 3-4 feet high, enough to create what are essentially planters which allow you to grow gardens in areas where NOTHING would grow before. Just fill the raised areas with organic matter and topsoil and watch your plants flourish. (For more detailed directions, please see my article How to Build a Raised Flower Bed.)
2. New Flower Beds Another way to improve your soil is at the time you create a new bed. Plan out the area in which you will do your planting. Till or dig up that area to loosen and aerate the soil. Add bags of compost or organic materials (and time released fertilizers if you desire) to the prepared area and till or dig it up again to incorporate the additives. Once you have your area well mixed, you can add your new plants.
3. Build a Berm Berm's are close relatives of raised flower beds and are created by simply piling compost and topsoil on top of your existing soil and creating a mound that is anywhere from a few inches to a few feet above the existing soil. Once your berm is created, simply plant your flower bed.
4. Renovate an Existing Flower Bed You can improve the soil in an existing flower bed by doing a total renovation. Simply dig up your bulbs, perennials, and around your shrubs. Then till the soil to loosen and aerate it. Add your compost or organic materials and till them in to mix well with your existing soil. Then replant your flowers. This method is ideal for when you are planning to redo that tired old flower bed to rearrange it or add something new.
5. Improve Soil in an Existing Flower Bed The easiest way to improve the soil in an existing flower bed without renovating is to add compost or organic matter as often as possible. Start by adding layers of compost around your plants 1-2 inches thick each spring. Add more compost each time you plant or are otherwise working the soil.

Tips & Warnings

• Always plant with compost at your side so that you can work some into the hole with your new plants.
• Work the soil when it is moist, not dry or soggy. Plants and compost do better in moist soil.