Improving Soil

Understand your soil and you are halfway to gardening success. Soil acts as an anchor for plant roots and holds air, water and plant nutrients which are essential for continued plant growth.

The key problem types of soil

Clay soils – although clay soils hold nutrients well, they are heavy, slow to warm up and tend to be too wet (sticky) in the winter and too dry (rock hard) in the summer. The key to improving these soils is to break up the mass, and increase aeration and drainage by adding composted soil conditioner to achieve a crumb-like texture.

Silty soils – silt particles are extremely fine and tend to rise to the soil surface forming a water-resistant crust when dry. Adding soil improver will help with the structure and allow water to penetrate.

Sandy soils – these are very light, easily eroded, dry and lack substance and the ability to hold water or nutrients. Soil improvers help to retain moisture and nutrients before they leach away.

Dig in organic matter

Regular applications of organic matter will improve soil structure and provide reservoir for water, beneficial organisms and plant nutrients. You can buy fresh bags of Miracle-Gro Gro Your Own Soil Improver, Levington Organic Blend Top Soil or Levington Organic Blend Farmyard Manure. Or you can try to make garden compost yourself in a compost heap. Remember to dig in any compost from spent growing bags, patio pots and hanging baskets once they are finished.

Mulch the Surface

A thick layer of organic matter (called a mulch or bark) left on the surface will help to retain soil moisture, suppress weeds and insulate plant roots. The best mulch for the garden should be attractive too. Try Levington Water Saving Decorative Bark or Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Natural Pine Bark. Each will provide an attractive surface that adds a decorative and useful finish to flower beds, around the base of trees and along the edges of paths.

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