The best garden soil is very dark, loose and crumbly.
Vegetable gardens must follow specific guidelines in regard to timing and care if they're to grow and thrive, but should always start with the right foundation. Veggie plants need deep, rich and crumbly soil that provides nutrition and allows water to drain down to plant roots. Loose soil also allows space for root growth, and encourages large, healthy and productive plants. Plants that grow in tight or poor soil, on the other hand, wilt and fail for lack of drainage and nutrition. If your garden is struggling, start with careful soil amendments, watering and mulch to save the plants.
Instructions
1. Dig into the top 1 to 2 inches of soil around each plant. Be careful with your digging, as many veggie plants grow shallow root systems. Break up dirt clods and mix the soil in a 1-foot circle plant to aerate and loosen your natural soil for amendment.
2. Mix 1 inch of organic compost in your pre-dug soil to increase nutrition and keep the soil loose and crumbly. The compost encourages drainage down to plant roots and holds moisture to keep the plants well watered between waterings.
3. Water each plant for 10 minutes with the hose set on low, to mix and settle the soil around roots and to disseminate the nutrition.
4. Lay 1 inch of organic mulch on top of your new soil to keep it warm and moist, and to keep it from baking and drying in the hot sun. Water the plants for 10 minutes per plant every week to encourage healthy green foliage.
Tags: each plant, around each, around each plant, , , inch organic, loose crumbly