Everyone and everything can use some rejuvenation from time to time – even our soil. Our gardens yearn for rich, moist earth where the earthworms frolic. So how can we transform our soil from that dry, nutrient-deprived hard stuff to the good stuff?
One great way is to top our garden soil with several inches of compost this winter and then covering that with mulch which does several things: protects the soil, keeps weeds from popping up and makes our landscaping easy on the eyes.
You also want to keep your plantings varied. When you plant one type of plant, flower, shrub, etc. in an area, that particular vegetation will absorb the nutrients it needs in large amounts – leaving our soil deprived. To keep soil balanced, it is better to plant a variety of plants.
Along that same line of thinking, it is healthier for soil if you plant plants and trees with flowers that welcome a variety of pollinators. This step will actually reduce the chances that your gardens will become damaged from one type of pesky pest!
While lush lawns can be eye candy for those of us who love the outdoors, they can also deplete the soil of valuable nutrients. Interspersing plants that are native to your location can help reduce this depletion and the subsequent need for lawn chemicals.
We need to take care of our gardens with healthy soil, not only to surround ourselves with beauty, but because healthy vegetation helps keep us humans healthy too!