How to Grow a Garden

Everyone knows that to create a thriving garden, nutrient rich garden soil is the keys to the kingdom. Whether you are trying to grow flowers, veggies, herbs or trees, if the soil can’t feed the plant, the plant will not grow.

Most people mistakenly think that soil is just an inert compilation of sand, clay and silt. However this is not the case, and to really create rich, nutrient laden garden soil, you must think of it like a living thing in and of itself. A fistful of good garden soil can contain more living creatures in it than people populate the planet.

The three main nutrients necessary in garden soil are nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. In many cases you can ask your local nursery to test your soil and make sure it is loaded with these three key ingredients. If your garden soil happens to be lacking, they can then point you in the right direction, and point out quality fertilizers that you can use to supplement your soil.

Another great way to perk up garden soil is composting, and using manure. Also, knowing what kind of soil you have can make a huge difference on whether or not your plants can viably grow in it. The four major types are silt, sand, clay, and loam.

Clay is difficult to grow in, due to the hard, gummy texture when wet, and the dry, cracking nature when dry. Sand and silt are tough because the particles are larger and when water pours through those types of soil, it takes all the nutrients with it.

The absolute best gardening soil if you can find it is loam. Loam is a perfect blend of silt, clay, and sand that preserves all the best characteristics of each, which creates the absolute best environment for growing plants in. Also, testing the acidity of your garden soil is important, as too much acid can kill off any plant growth.

Garden soil can be a bit tricky to test, but like I mentioned before, talk to your local nursery. They are sure to be able to help you on your road to gardening success.