Among the wind, rain, and cold weather, shades of spring peek through the winter season. At the end of March, gardeners will begin planting their gardens with vegetables and flowers, hoping for good yields and a colorful environment. Before planting time begins, however, they must prepare their soils to achieve a successful harvest.
Compost still remains as the best soil amendment for any garden. The ideal compost should consist of two parts plant waste and one part animal waste, but a gardener can still produce a satisfactory product by not following this ratio exactly. Easily made in covered boxes, gardeners should water it weekly, and turn it often to allow air to break down all materials.
Much household waste transforms to excellent compost. Gardeners can use peelings, kitchen scraps, vegetable and fruit pieces, and other easily biodegradable items. After adding a few layers of plant waste, add some type of animal waste, such as horse, cow, or chicken manure, which increases the composting speed and produces a much better final product.
Lime, which mixes well with compost, ranks critical for developing a fertile soil. Not only does it add calcium and nutrients to the soil, but also lime raises the soil’s acidity to alkaline, which fruits and vegetables need. Most agricultural experts state that calcium stands as the prince of nutrients because it makes all other nutrients work in the soil.
Bone meal has shown excellent results as a soil amendment when building a garden soil. Ground bones have calcium, many minerals, and trace elements, which increase fertility of the soil. Widely available at local stores, this product comes in small sizes or large 50 lb. bags.
