What is the best way to improve garden soil?

Question

We are planting a garden and lawn in an area that used to be a corn field, so the soil is depleated.

Answer 1

Till in as many organics as possible. Chopped leaves, grass clippings, finely chopped twigs and small branches - anything that once grew (avoid wood chips and sawdust, however, as that takes longer to break down and can further deplete the soil). With that, till in either chicken or rabbit droppings, the former being the hottest and needing the longest to set before planting (it can burn young seedlings - allow at least a month before planting). As one other has said, rabbit is best if you can find it.

After tilling, cover it all up with a layer of more organic material, at least two inches worth. Let it winter over, then till everyting again in the spring - as soon as the soil is friable (not so wet that it's clumpy and muddy). If you see plenty of earthworms, you've done a good job!

I'd go ahead and plant the garden, but wait until late summer to plant the lawn, depending on where you live and whether you put in the lawn from seed or sod. Sod is better planted in the late spring.

Answer 2

Go to a garden center & get a soil testing kit or two. Test your soil to find out what it maybe lacking. I do this every year before I plant my garden so I know what I need to add to the soil. At the end of the season I sprinkle the soil with lyme to sweeten the soil & balance the ph. Then I till it in to let it set over the fall & winter.

I was told by an old farmer that the best soil is
1/2 top soil
1/4 steer manure or worm castings
1/4 peat moss

Now, I have never had to try this mixture, so I do not know if it is a good mix or not.......

Answer 3

You needs lots & lots of organic matter of any type (manures, compost etc), this will increase soil fertility, aeration(worms) etc.

If you can, plan your beds ahead of time and put as much organic matter into them as you can. Leave fallow until everything is well decomposed then plant and mulch with hay (this keeps soil, both cool in summer and warm in winter) it breaks down eventually and also increases the soil fertility. Organic matter can increase the good micro oganisims in the soil which is helpful to plants.

For the lawn areas buy a good rich turf underlay soil. Turf is shallow rooted and you constantly fertilize it anyway so it is not a important as the soil improvement in the beds.

If you need to plant immediately use good topsoil and depending on the organic component a slow release fertilizer after the plants have settled in and then work on the organic matter by continuing to top dress over the years with well rotted compost and animal manures.

Answer 4

(do all this in the fall after u have harvest your garden)spread a light cover of turkey manure over the ground then bed the ground with mulch wait 2 weeks and till up the garden and let set till spring and then do a soil test and remember to rotate ur plants from the last year u planted always helps hope this helps

Answer 5

Add a 15-15-15 mix to the soil, then remember to rotate your plants every other year, the 15-15-15 or 10-15-10 should do the trick.

Answer 6

strategies to bolster soil is to operate organic and organic and organic and organic keep in mind. similar restore, even contained in the adventure that your soil is in straightforward words too sandy or too clay or too some ingredient. upload compost, peat moss, manure of any kind--horse, chicken, rabbit, besides the incontrovertible fact that you receives your palms on. So initiate a compost pile and how you're able to really seem after it for incredible production. It takes very much of fabrics to get an major quantity of compost, yet you're employing property you ought to throw away or burn contained in the numerous case. advance what's termed a "eco-friendly manure crop" this 3 hundred and sixty 5 days and until eventually finally that throughout. Google that note to substantiate training of approaches and why it rather works and what to plant. also google "soil amendments" to be particular what different organic and organic and organic and organic aspects you should use. i do not realize contained in the adventure that they have got were given it the placement you stay yet round good the following we can get mushroom manure, it really is what they grew advertisement mushrooms in. you ought to purchase it with the help of the bag yet you're able to also get it further with the help of the truckload from places that promote soil and aggregates. it rather is a lot a lot extra not intense priced that way than paying for bags of it at a outside centre. you're able to also purchase topsoil an similar way, or haul it in your self after paying for it from an similar kind of position, once you've a suitable motor vehicle, yet once you're paying for any quantity, like extra powerful than 4 yards, then determining to purchase delivery is worth it. call round and make certain prices.

Answer 7

Compost & manure (whatever kind you can get) in general. Worm castings are also very good for soil enrichment.

In particular, it depends on what the soil composition is to begin with.

I also encourage you to start a compost pile & add to it & turn it regularly.

Good Luck!

;-)

Answer 8

You have a lot of options at hand but the simple reality is it could use a good rest with some beneficial cover crops like beans, peas, clover etc.

We cover more soil topics over at http://www.outofthismess.com/soil/

Answer 9

yes, mulch it! rabbit manuer is fantastic if you can find it! old leaves and such...there was a place on the side of my house where all the leaves used to gather when they fell off the tree and where my rabbit was and the soil was soo rich and wonderful!!

Answer 10

Compost makes all the difference in the world. Nothing even comes close in my experience.