SOIL TIPS |
This page will provide
guidelines to create and maintain good soil essential for growing healthy
herbs, vegetables, etc. |
PREPARING THE SEED BED |
The first thing you should
decide is where you will be creating your garden. There are layout ideas on the
ETC. page for different
beds. It is important to
choose a very sunny location, preferably facing south. You may wish to create a raised
bed as it’s easier to plant and weed the garden. The best time to prepare a garden
is when the soil is workable.
Not too dry or wet.
Usually around late March is a good time to start. Another good time of the year to
start as well is in the fall after you’ve harvested your crop. The soil is full of nutrients
after you’ve already had a crop, and makes a great
basis. |
Okay, so now you’ve chosen
your location, or created your raised bed. Now here’s the hard part. Dig out the area you have
chosen. Using a pointed
shovel, dig down to about a foot in depth. Check the soil after you’ve turned
it over. Squeeze a handful of
soil into a ball in your palm.
If the lump falls apart easily when you tap it, it's ready. If it dents but holds together
when you tap it, let it dry out some more. Working wet soil will hurt its
structure and make clods that will dry like bricks.
|
When you work your soil, add
plenty of organic matter and fertilizer, as well as lime (which is
essential for good drainage).
Compost, manure, peat moss, grass clippings and aged sawdust are
the kinds of organic matter that will help build your soil (to make your
own compost click here ).
Add as much as you can now and keep digging it in through the
season. If you have a very
sandy, or a heavy clay soil, organic matter is your best friend. It will improve the worst soil and
make an average soil a joy to work. |
FERTILIZER |
Use whatever you have or can
buy inexpensively. The three
numbers (15-10-10 or 6-10-7) on any fertilizer package give the
percentages of nitrogen, phosphate and potash. Make sure your fertilizer has some
of all of these elements. You
could start with about three pounds (pints) of 5-10-10 per 100 square
feet. If your fertilizer is
stronger (10-20-20), use less. |
LIME |
It's best to apply lime when
the soil is as dry as possible, allowing it to be mixed in well. Ideally, lime the soil in the
fall. It will have adjusted
the pH by spring planting time.
Most veggies (potatoes are the exception) would prefer a pH between
6.5 and 7.0. A soil test will
give you specific recommendations.
General guidelines are: for every 100 square feet of sandy soil--4
pounds, loam--6 pounds, clay-like soil--8 pounds. Reapply lime every 2
years (3 years for clay soil).
For ideas on creating raised beds, go to the ETC.
Pot… |