Ever wonder why your plants aren’t as good as someone else’s? Well then, surprise! It’s because you didn’t pay much attention to the garden soil.
Things that grow on bad soil go through a number of issues. Water-logging, crop-diseases, pesticides, etc., are issues that come from underground. That’s why, the garden soil is the most crucial element of gardening. Better the soil, exponentially better the growth. It takes years of experience to know a good garden soil. That’s the expertise farmers are paid for.
Not to worry though. We have shortened down that years of experience to a 10-minute read. In this article, we tell you what experts do to improve soil. All so that you can get luscious plants in your backyard. Without further ado, here’re the best ways to improve your garden soil.
Add fertility
The first thing that comes to mind is to fertilize the soil. This means to manually give the soil a boost of nutrients and vitamins. The best ways to do this are through the following:
Add compost
Compost provides the soil with nutrients that increase its quality. They increase the rate of humus production. It also helps in converting waste into soluble nutrients.
Add manure
These help in soil aggregation. These are best for heavy feeding or fast-growing crops. We recommend you use manure from homestead or small firms. They tend to have lesser pathogens.
Add mulch
Mulches increase soil fertility drastically. It must be made sure that only organic much is used. However, if you have some free times then feel free to learn more!
Purify the crops
Adding fertility artificially, as above, is one way of doing it. Another method is to purify crops of weed and pesticides. Here’s how:
Use cover crops
Cover crops improve the structure of the crops yearly. They feed the garden soil and build up its fertility.
Plant deep-rooted trees
Trees are a natural source of food for crops. Their roots bring minerals from the deep subsoil. In a way, they’re a free source of nutrients for plants.
Use the natural pest controllers
Chickens! Let them free on your crops. Chickens are Turkeys feed on pesticides. They are the best natural pest controllers so you should let them loose on your crops every now and then.
Don’t overdo it
One of the most common errors when farming is not keeping balance. Plants are sensitive and they need care like babies. Here are a few things you should be extremely weary of:
Don’t water-log
Waterlogging may seem like a natural issue. It happens due to human error as well. People say a little over enough is good enough. This extra water adds up and starts saturating the roots.
Avoid excessive tillage
Tillage is recommended but only in limited amounts. They are detrimental to soil life and emit greenhouse gases.
Conclusion:
The above-mentioned methods can be used altogether. In fact, we recommend you do so. But above all, you need to know that garden soil to plants is like water to sea creatures. The better it is, the more life thrives in it. So, take our advice from above and start gardening!