Creating Healthy Organic Garden Soil is the Key to Organic Vegetable Gardening

You would also need to grow crops that thrive in your local conditions.

You should start with the soil if you want to grow any vegetables at all. By getting a few tons of good quality top soil,to start your garden, you will save yourself time, money and a lot of grief.

To further improve the quality of the soil, add manure or compost.

Many organic gardeners make their own compost with vegetable peelings and other suitable substances. Under no circumstances should you use any artificial means to make your garden grow!

Tips for Improving Your Garden Soil

When you have your soil prepared and looking like a garden, have the soil tested for fertility and pH. The pH measures acidity or alkalinity of the soil. Most vegetables will grow best in a neutral soil.

For fertility you are having the soil tested for

You will also have to realize that for your garden to be truly organic may take a little time. Remember you will be using only organic fertilizers not the inorganic, artificial kind.

You can also fill your raised garden with soil and a mixture of peat moss and other organic soils.

I double dug to a depth of about two shovel lengths. It's OK you will only have to double dig every few years, This will give you the depth of soil to grow healthy root crops, improve the drainage and prevent a hard pan from forming. Good drainage is related to good watering - no kidding.

Don't forget your success will depend on how you treat your soil. If you start with junk that's what you have - junk. From the start you will realize that without healthy organic garden soil and lots of it, you will have a problem getting your garden to grow?

Have you tried organic fertilizers and regular watering but your plants still come out looking sick and weak? Your problem may be improper soil. Often soils don’t have the right texture or chemical properties for plants to grow well. The good news is: even though you don't want to replace the soil you have, there are things you can do to make it a better environment for your plants.

Fixing your soil takes a few simple steps. Follow them and you’ll be on your way to having a beautiful garden in no time.

The most common problem with soil is that it isn’t the optimal texture. The best soil for growing a garden is loam. Loam holds appropriate amounts of water and allows enough aeration in the soil. Sandy soil doesn’t allow proper draining or aeration. Clay soil gets very hard and can allow essential moisture to wash away without ever penetration to your plants roots.

To test your soil, wet it slightly and take a ball or soil in your hand. If your soil is sandy, it won’t form into a ball. If it is clay, it will form into a ball and not break apart easily. Both these problems can be fixed by mixing in a thin layer of compost into your soil with a gardening fork. For sandy soil, add fine particles of compost. Add coarser particles to loosen up a clay soil.

Another common problem with garden soil is an improper pH level. You can find kits to test your soil for pH at most garden supply stores. The pH of your garden should be between 6.0 and 7.5. Anything higher or lower is too acidic or too alkaline for proper growth. If your soil is too acidic, you can raise the pH level by adding various materials, including: crushed egg shells, clam or oyster shells, wood ashes, or calc lime. For an alkaline soil, pH can be lowered using sawdust, wood chips, peat moss, or pine needles.

If you take these steps, and then apply a little patience; your garden will be beautiful in no time.

Why Mulch is Good News for Your Garden

Next time you walk or drive by a beautifully manicured garden, stop and take a look at the soil. Can you see it? Probably not. That is because people who care about gardening understand the immense value of mulch. Mulch not only makes your garden look great, it helps keep your plants healthy too.

Weeds are a gardeners worst enemy. They’re not only unsightly; they also compete with your plants for water and vital nutrients. We all know what a pain it is to pull them, but most people feel uncomfortable using chemicals. Chemicals don't fit an organic lifestyle.. Mulching can stop weeds before they even start growing. Using mulch covers up the areas around your plant so they don’t get as much sunlight. Lack of sunlight means weed seed can't germinate and grow.

Mulching also reduces the amount of watering you have to do. Most of us have seen bare spots on the lawn next door.Bare spots generally look caked and dry. When it rains, water just rolls off of them instead of soaking in. Putting mulch on top keeps the water from evaporating out of the soil. This means your plants not only have more water, but they also have a more consistent source of water, so they get less stressed.

Another benefit of mulch is that it blocks the soil from receiving as much sunlight. This keeps the temperature from getting too high, and makes the soil temperature more consistent. This will prevent the roots of your plants from getting stressed; allowing them to grow healthy and strong.

Mulching also helps protect your plants from the soil. This may not seem like a benefit, but many plant diseases are carried in the soil. If the soil gets on the leaves, the disease can spread to your plant. This is also important if you grow certain vegetables. Mulch keeps them clean, dry, and healthy by keeping them away from dirt.

So go out and get some mulch today. You can use yard clippings, tree bark, compost, or pretty much any organic material. And since it’s organic, it helps improve the soil after it breaks down. For warm weather plants, you can also use shredded black plastic to provide better heating for the soil. Try humus, some people call this stuff mulch.

Believe me!

You will come to love this dark brown material. It's the manner from heaven to the organic vegetable grower, so start your composting set-up early in the game.

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