Most vegetable gardens are fed on a loose schedule: a scoop of granular in spring, maybe a mid-season boost, whatever the instructions on the bag suggest. That works fine most of the time. But what many gardeners don't realize is that when you fertilize plants matters nearly as much as what you feed them. The gap between a well-timed dose of fertilizer and a badly-timed feeding shows up fast, sometimes as scorched roots and sometimes as a plant that sulks for a week instead of taking off.

Figuring out the best time to fertilize plants isn't complicated, though. Plants only draw on nutrients when they're actively growing and the soil around their roots is damp enough to carry those nutrients. Feed during that window and the plant takes up nearly everything on offer. Feed outside of it and a good share of that fertilizer either sits there unused or, worse, harms the plant it was meant to help.

Here's exactly when to fertilize your vegetable garden for a bigger harvest and thriving plants. Plus, find out the worst time to feed plants.

Best Time to Fertilize Vegetables

The best time to fertilize a vegetable garden is when plants are actively growing and the ground is already damp. For most vegetables that is sometime between early establishment and fruit set. At that point, the plant moves from building leaves to filling out fruit and it stays hungry the whole way through this process.

If you fertilize during this phase, the nutrients get pulled up and put to work almost right away. Fertilize plants on a cool, overcast morning and it helps even more since your veggies aren't spending everything they have just trying to survive the heat of the day.

Morning is the friendliest time slot for fertilizing before the heat builds. The soil is usually still holding moisture from overnight, the roots are awake, and there's a long stretch of mild conditions ahead for the plant to use the nutrients you're giving it.

Watering first or feeding the day after decent rain makes a real difference. Nutrients need water to travel and dry soil just leaves them stranded up top. A balanced liquid fertilizer from Amazon works quickly since it's already dissolved in water and ready for the roots to absorb.

Why This Is the Ideal Time

Fertilizing your vegetable garden on a damp morning during a period of active growth isn't only about being tidy. It changes how much of the fertilizer your plants can actually reach.

Nutrients provided while roots are active and the soil is moist get absorbed better, instead of washing past the root zone during the next hard rain. That means less waste, and less runoff that carries nutrients somewhere they were never meant to be. More of what you paid for actually gets to the plant.

There's a knock-on effect on growth, too. A plant fed steadily through its hungry phase grows at an even pace, which usually means better fruit and fewer of the soft, sappy shoots aphids attack. Provide too much nitrogen too late in the season, though, and the plant puts out lots of leaves when it should be ripening fruit. The feed technically worked, but it aimed the plant at the wrong goal.

Worst Time to Fertilize Vegetables

Here's the main lesson to take away when it comes to fertilizing vegetables: never feed a plant that's already stressed from heat and dry soil. It may seem almost backwards – the plant looks like it's suffering, so surely a boost of nutrients would help? It won't. Fertilizer is essentially salts and salts in dry ground pull moisture the wrong way, drawing it out of the roots instead of into them.

If the top few inches (8 cm) of soil feel bone dry, that's the signal to hold off. A soil moisture meter from Amazon helps you tell if you're soil is too dry in seconds, if the surface moisture is hard to read. For a wilting, sun-baked plant, feeding is a fast track to fertilizer burn or scorched root tips and crispy leaf edges that appear in just a day or two.

Follow the same precaution when feeding any plant that is visibly struggling – that includes wilting in the heat or new plants suffering transplant shock. Feeding rarely fixes those issues. More often it stacks stress onto a plant that is already maxed out.

It's better to solve the problem first, usually by watering your vegetable garden, and let plants steady themselves before adding fertilizer. A hungry plant can perk back up in just a few days. A burned one takes a lot longer to come back.

What to Do If You Missed the Window

Missing the ideal vegetable fertilizing window isn't a huge deal. The right fix is rarely to pile on extra fertilizer to catch up. That's how one missed feeding turns into a case of fertilizer burn.

Instead, water your vegetable beds deeply and let them settle. Wait for a mild morning, then feed at about half the usual strength. Half-strength fertilizer at the right moment does more than a full dose forced at the wrong time.

Gentler options carry less risk when you're playing catch-up, too. A diluted liquid feed watered in or a thin layer of compost worked over the surface releases slowly and won't shock plants. A long-neck watering can from Amazon makes it easy to get a diluted feed right to the base of each plant without splashing foliage in the midday sun.

After that, it's mostly patience. Your vegetable garden catches up on its own clock, not yours, so rushing the process rarely ends the way you hope.

Keeping pots and hanging baskets watered through a hot summer can feel close to a full-time job. You make the rounds with the can first thing, and by mid-afternoon the baskets are dry at the edges and drooping. Heatwaves push it to twice a day, and the smaller containers wilt fast if you skip one.

The fix doesn't have to mean rearranging your day. A little know-how about when to water container plants goes a long way, and so does a soil additive called water-storing crystals. Mixed into the compost, they hold moisture down in the root zone and release it back as things dry. Containers stay damp longer between waterings, which is the whole point. They won't replace a watering can, but they do take the edge off the daily scramble.

What Are Water-Storing Crystals?

Strip away the packaging and water-storing crystals are a superabsorbent polymer, the same kind of material used in diapers. The garden versions are usually based on potassium polyacrylate, which soaks up many times its own weight in water and swells into a clear gel. Dry, the granules look like coarse sugar or grit. Add water and a single spoonful balloons into a fistful of squishy beads.

Worked into the mix, those swollen beads sit among the roots like tiny reservoirs. As the soil dries, roots pull moisture straight from the gel and the beads shrink back down; water again and they refill. That back-and-forth repeats for a good stretch – most potassium-based crystals keep working for two to five years before they break down and stop holding water.

Where Water-Storing Crystals Help the Most

Hanging baskets are where the difference shows up fastest. They're small and fully exposed and packed with foliage, so they dry out quicker than almost anything else out there. Crystals worked through the compost can widen the gap between waterings, sometimes by quite a bit, though how much you gain depends on the potting mix and the plant, and on how harsh the week turns. These water-storing crystals on Amazon are the standard potassium-polyacrylate type, and a small tub goes a long way.

Bigger pots benefit too, just less dramatically, since they hold more potting mix and dry slower to start with. Where crystals prove handy is around travel – a long weekend away in July no longer has to mean a ruined basket or roping in a neighbor for watering duty. They also even out the wet-then-bone-dry swings that stress container plants, holding moisture steadier between trips with the watering can.

How to Use Water-Storing Crystals (without overdoing it)

The one thing that matters most: follow the rate on the packet, and skip the urge to add extra for good measure. These granules expand enormously – a teaspoon (5ml) of dry crystals can swell to a cup (240ml) or more of gel. Overdo it and the swelling shoves the mix up over the rim, or lifts small plants clean out of the pot. Start light. You can always work a bit more in next season.

There are two ways to handle it. Stir the dry crystals straight into the compost, aiming for the lower half of the pot where the roots will end up, then water well and let them swell in place. Or pre-soak them in a bucket first, which takes the guesswork out of how much gel you're adding, and fold that through. Either way, blending them into a fresh bag of compost from Amazon at planting time beats trying to retrofit a pot that's already full and planted.

Water-Storing Crystal Cons

For all the convenience, crystals aren't a miracle, and the research on them is honestly a bit mixed. They buffer moisture rather than create it, so a pot baking in full sun will still dry out, just slower than it would otherwise. Hard water and heavy feeding chip away at their absorbency over time, since dissolved salts interfere with how the gel takes up water. And nothing lasts forever – once the beads degrade, you're back to plain potting mix.

Some plants are better off without them. Succulents and cacti are the obvious mismatch, along with lavender, rosemary and the woody Mediterranean herbs – all of them need to dry out between waterings, and permanently damp soil just invites root rot. Crystals suit thirsty summer bedding and moisture-loving annuals far better than anything built for lean, dry ground. It's a tool for the right job, not a default for every container.

Smarter Watering for Summer Containers

Crystals or not, a handful of habits keep summer containers in better shape. Water early, before the heat builds, so more of it soaks in instead of burning off the surface – evenings work too if mornings are rushed. Water deeply, until it runs from the drainage holes, not a quick splash that only dampens the top inch (2.5cm). It also helps to cluster pots together where you can, since grouped containers shade each other and lose less to the air.

Drop the rigid schedule and check the soil itself – a finger pushed an inch (2.5cm) down tells you more than any calendar. Reaching a high basket or the back of a crowded bench gets a lot easier with a long-spouted watering can from Amazon. And if the daily routine has worn thin altogether, you can sidestep additives with self-watering planters on Amazon, which hold a reservoir in the base that wicks moisture up as the soil dries.

If you’re like me, you’ll be feeling a magical energy in the yard right now. But June brings with it a strong impulse that feels productive but which can spell disaster for plots. I’m talking about pulling out a garden fork to refresh soil in summer and loosen up any earth that looks baked, compacted and tired. I get the impulse, I really do. Midsummer soil is taking a beating, and tilling feels like a good reset. But turning over the earth right now is one of the riskiest things you can do.

Tilling exposes precious moisture to the sun, causing it to evaporate. It also drags dormant weed seeds into the light and warmth, triggering an explosion of unwanted growth. Worst of all, a heavy spade will slice through delicate microscopic networks of mycorrhizal fungi your plants have spent all spring developing. Fortunately, there is a great no-till way to enrich the earth without compromising existing goodness – and as a bonus, it’s a far gentler way to sort out an effective soil boost in summer.

It’s vital to give your soil a pick-me-up in June but why create extra work for yourself when you can keep it simple? Let’s focus on small, low-effort gestures that yield huge results. This lazy, soil-safe approach is a great way to supercharge your summer growing, improve soil structure naturally, and keep your plants thriving. So make a little time this month for these 3 quick ground-based goodies to boost your summer growing.

3 Ways to Boost Your Soil in June

To understand why this no-till summer refresh works so well, it helps to view soil as an infrastructure rather than just a growing medium. Right now, beds are under intense pressure. Nutrients are getting zapped by fast-growing crops, moisture levels are running low, and intense rays are beating down on bare ground. Instead of fracturing weary, compacted soil with a spade, we need to build it up from the surface down.

Most garden soil contains dormant weed seeds sitting at various depths, some viable for years. Those lying below the top inch or two aren’t going anywhere on their own. Tilling gives them the light exposure they need to germinate, so a bed that looked manageable in spring can suddenly become overrun by mid-June after one session with a cultivator. And why risk all that weeding if you don’t need to?

No matter your USDA hardiness zone, this simple 3-step summer boost protects your soil’s microbial health. It bypasses the risk of dormant weed seeds getting shaken awake. It also preserves those vital mycorrhizal fungi pathways that help your plants drink and eat, while effortlessly boosting crumble and good drainage. Knowing how to improve soil quality naturally isn’t just a brilliant time saver – it’s honestly better than endless digging.

Before you lay a single thing down, just check soil moisture levels with a moisture tool like the XLUX Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon, or test nutrient levels with the AKSBTEC Soil Test Kit from Amazon to identify what your hungry plants have already stripped away this summer. You’ll also find it helps to check warmth underground. Insert a soil thermometer like the Luster Leaf Rapitest Thermometer from Amazon a few inches into the soil to see what’s what.

Then read on to find out about this effective, layered and simple refresh, which helps to get organic matter where plants can use it faster, and holds moisture through the heat spikes that strain beds later in summer. The materials are cheap, the labor is minimal, and the setup takes an afternoon. Say goodbye to back-breaking labor and hello to the ultimate lazy insider secret for a lush, high-yielding yard!

1. Create a Cardboard Layer

The base of the no-till refresh is cardboard, or several overlapping sheets of newspaper, laid directly on the soil surface. Luckily, this is something most of us already have lying around and hopefully it won’t cost you an extra dime. Wet it thoroughly before adding anything on top. Dry cardboard resists moisture and creates a barrier that works against the whole approach. Plain corrugated cardboard is best. But remove any glossy sections before laying it, as dyes can be an issue.

Lay down sheets of clean, corrugated cardboard (or several layers of newspaper) over existing garden beds. Overlap sections by at least 6 inches (15cm) to avoid gaps. Cut around existing plants rather than working cardboard under established crowns. But clear any perennial weeds first (card suppresses seed germination, but won’t stop a tap root). For larger areas, a long-handled weeding tool makes root clearing faster. You can buy the highly rated Grampa's Weeder Stand Up Weed Removal Tool from Amazon to target stubborn perennial taps.

The cardboard doesn’t need to look neat — it’s going to be covered. Just make sure to overlap your cardboard pieces, because pesky summer weeds are relentless and will find any tiny gap to wiggle through. Keep cardboard an inch or two (5cm) away from established crowns, though. This simple layer blocks out the light, suffocating weed seeds while creating a damp paradise for beneficial earthworms.

2. Feed From the Top

Once your cardboard base is soaked and in position, spread a rich 2-inch (5cm) layer of compost and organic soil amendments on top. Rain and watering will dissolve this softening card over time, carrying a steady stream of nutrients down to the root zone without any mixing or digging. You can buy Charlie’s Compost Natural Soil Amendment from Amazon to add much needed crumble and beneficial microbes and increase porosity for healthy roots.

To maximize your soil’s microbial health and natural crumble, adding some worm castings is highly beneficial. It introduces millions of beneficial microbes that unlock bound-up nutrients in the dirt. You can buy Worm Bliss Premium Earthworm Castings from Amazon for a nutrient-dense top-dressing to restore crumble, boosting aeration and water retention to parched, sun-starved soils.If you have heavy feeders like squash, corn, or roses, scattering a handful of chicken manure pellets or fish blood and bone meal into this compost layer can also provide a slow-release nitrogen and phosphorus injection that prevents mid-season yellowing.

Want to protect your garden from severe drought? Mix in some biochar, as it helps prevent nutrient washout during heavy summer storms. This layer-feeding approach holds moisture in the upper root zone. Bare soil in June can lose surface moisture faster than you might expect, particularly in wind. Our amended compost layer acts as a buffer, keeping the soil below cooler and wetter. Plants under this kind of setup tend to handle heat noticeably better than those in unmodified beds.

3. Add the Mulch Finish

Mulch is the final layer, and the one that holds everything else together through summer. Add a 2-3 inch (5-8cm) layer of wood chip mulch or shredded bark on top of the compost. This shields your compost from the baking sun, preventing it from drying out and turning into a crusty, water-repellent layer. It also adds ongoing weed suppression as the cardboard below eventually breaks down. Keep it a few inches clear of plant stems (piling it up against the base of anything woody can trap moisture and cause rot that can potentially take an entire season to diagnose).

You can buy team favorite Back to the Roots Organic Premium Mulch from Amazon for its lush tone and long-lasting moisture retention. For large, expansive beds, try shredded hardwood bark or clean wood chips. If you are working with tight vegetable patches, shredded leaf mulch or clean agricultural straw is a fantastic alternative that breaks down beautifully. Or for a compressed option you can expand and spread in bulk, try The Harvest Company Premium Coconut Coir from Home Depot. Whatever you choose, the goal is a surface rain can penetrate but the sun can’t bake.

What to Watch for Next

You will be absolutely amazed by the quiet transformation that starts happening beneath your feet. By late July, the cardboard will have softened significantly, and some sections may already be gone. Worms will have worked through it from below, pulling it apart and incorporating it into the soil. The compaction that made the bed look tired in June will hopefully be getting good aeration from the inside out by high summer, without anything being turned and no heavy lifting required on your part!

All you need to do in the weeks following your refresh is to maintain a consistent watering routine. Because your new layers hold onto water so efficiently, you can likely cut back your watering frequency, giving your beds deep, thorough soakings rather than frequent, shallow splashes. You can buy Eden Turbo Oscillating Sprinkler from Amazon for even hydration through the hottest afternoons.

During 90°F (32°C) spikes, your plants will be insulated, but just keep checking your mulch layer hasn't been disturbed by nesting birds or backyard critters. Run the same refresh next June, and the improvements will be clear. Drainage improves on its own, and structure tightens up. Weed pressure drops, because fewer seeds are getting disturbed into germination. And beds that started the season looking spent will be vital, hearty and lush all the way through to fall, in the loveliest, laziest way.

Shop Key Soil Amendments

Now you’ve mastered the art of the top-down, no-dig summer refresh, make a little room for some of the ultimate ground-control goodies. There is a whole world of natural, powerful soil amendments that can improve yard health without a trowel or spade in sight. These budget-friendly, long-lasting amendments can be spread right onto beds, working over time to improve moisture retention, maximize root growth, and unlock vibrant blooms and bumper crops. Turbocharge your garden from the ground up with the ultimate summer soil treats.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

I have a shocking admission: I’d never used a soil test until 2 weeks ago. For both my pollinator and raised bed vegetable gardens, I have always just applied some compost and mulch and hoped for the best. That system worked out fine until last year. My veggies just didn’t thrive the way they had in previous years.

This year, I vowed to get to the root of the problem (pun intended). Testing your soil is a simple way to find out what is going on and I had no idea how depleted my veggie garden soil was until this experiment. I have been reading rave reviews of the MySoil test kit, available on Amazon, for the last year, so I decided to put the test … to the test.

Keep reading to see the benefits of using the MySoil test kit, how it has helped me to fix my soil and how it could help yours.

MySoil Soil Test Kit

The MySoil soil test kit is super simple to use and yields a high-quality, laboratory evaluation of your soil. It is a mail-in test kit that comes with a prepaid shipping label so all you have to do is register your kit on their website, take a soil sample, put it in the provided container, and drop it in the mailbox.

Your results will appear in your profile on the MySoil website or mobile app within about a week of mailing it to the lab. Tracking is also included so you can see your soil test in transit. The MySoil website and app are both very user-friendly and show you your growing zone and ornamental plants, grasses, herbs, and vegetables that will grow best there.

The dashboard shows the average soil temperatures for your region which is very helpful in the spring when soil temperature makes a huge difference in determining planting dates. The website also contains detailed guides on a variety of complex gardening topics and a video tutorial for using your test kit and interpreting the results.

How to Use the MySoil Kit

1. The first step is to register your test kit on the MySoil website or mobile app by entering the unique kit code or scanning the QR code on the instructions page. If you don’t register it, you won’t be able to see your results so don’t forget!
2. Collect soil from 5 locations in your garden or yard and place them in the MySoil kit box or a bowl. Make sure to take samples of soil from the surface and various other depths down to 6-inches. I used my favorite soil knife to dig out samples. If you want to get fancy, you could use a soil probe like this one from Amazon.
3. Mix the collected soil together and remove any rocks or plant material.
4. Use the provided scooper to take a full, level scoop of the mixed soil and place in the soil sample jar. This jar has a nutrient-absorbing capsule suspended in deionized water – don’t dump this out!
5. Tightly seal the lid on the sample jar, place it in the prepaid bubble mailer, and drop it in the mail within 24 hours of taking the sample.

Once the postal service picks up your sample, you will receive tracking information and your soil results will be emailed to you within 6-8 days! Your results will also include recommendations for soil amendments including fertilizers and micronutrient additions.

Benefits of a High-Quality Test

A simple dipstick-style soil test is easy to use but won’t yield high-quality results. I love that the MySoil soil test kit gives a full panel of macronutrients and micronutrients from a lab so you know exactly what is going on under your mulch.

My test results showed that my vegetable garden is sorely lacking in Nitrogen, Potassium and Sulfur. It also had strangely high Magnesium, Phosphorous and Calcium levels. I had no idea. The easy-to-read results categorized the nutrients into “low, optimal, or high,” in addition to giving detailed data and what the optimal range is. When setting up a MySoil account, you select what type of garden you are testing, so when I selected “vegetable beds,” it gave me an accurate assessment based on that information.

The MySoil test results also give you a recommendation for fertilizer and amendments to improve your soil health. You can purchase an organic or inorganic fertilizer through the app, or take this information with you when you go to your favorite local garden center to pick out a fertilizer.

Knowing what your soil is lacking can help you to fertilize more effectively and sustainably. Not understanding what your garden needs can lead to overfertilization or the use of products that can harm the environment. Promoting responsible fertilizer management is the mission of the MySoil team and is a good goal for all home gardeners, too.

Features of the MySoil Ecosystem

In addition to providing clear, detailed information about your soil’s health, the MySoil website and mobile app is really great to work with. When you register your soil test kit, you enter your zip code which allows the MySoil ecosystem to tailor everything to your garden.

When you log in, you will see your dashboard which shows test reports, USDA growing zone, the current soil temperature in your area, and your turfgrass zone. Clicking on your growing zone takes you to more information about gardening in that zone and plant recommendations. And I really love the soil temperature tracking which is going to come in handy next spring when I am questioning when to plant out my seedlings!

At the bottom of the dashboard, you can select your registered soil samples, a calendar, a map feature, and shopping. You can compare your different soil test results if you have taken multiple over the course of the months or years. And the calendar helps you to track when you planted, fertilized, or amended your soil or lawn.

The map feature allows you to measure and track your growing areas which is nice, but slightly flawed. My raised bed vegetable garden is partially obscured by my old silver maple tree on the satellite image, so it’s not quite accurate. However, it’s close enough!

In addition to your test results, fertilizer recommendations, and other handy features, the MySoil website and app have many comprehensive guides on various gardening and soil topics.

Overall, it is a very nice tech ecosystem to work with and you get a lot of value for the purchase of just one soil test kit.

The MySoil soil test kit and associated website really gives you a clear picture of your soil health and empowers you to make necessary changes. High-quality lab test results take all the guesswork out of soil amending and help you get the most out of your garden. I am so happy I tried this test, and I have already ordered my fertilizer to fix my veggie bed. I can’t wait to see the improvements. Knowledge really is power!

If you’ve been to a garden center recently, then you know this feeling all too well. You pick up a bag of plant fertilizer, check the price tag, put it back on the shelf, and briefly wonder whether planting all those vegetables and bedding flowers was really worth it after all.

Urban farmer and gardening personality Nick Cutsumpas explained the price increases in a recent Instagram video: "Fertilizer prices are skyrocketing right now because most synthetic fertilizers are made from natural gas, a.k.a fossil fuels. So when gas prices spike because of wars or global supply chain issues… fertilizer prices go up. Which means farmers have to pay more for their inputs, which means your grocery bills will be higher, and your fertilizer price will also increase for your garden."

According to the American Farm Bureau, since the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, nitrogen fertilizer prices have risen more than 30%. In other words, seemingly distant geopolitical events are now affecting the cost of growing your own tomatoes. Between that and the cost of living doing what it’s doing, keeping yourself and your family fed, let alone trying to feed a garden, has gotten incredibly expensive.

What’s great about plants, though, is that they don’t really care whether their nitrogen comes from a factory or a compost heap; they just want to be fed. And, there are some ways to do that without breaking your piggy bank.

1. Switch to Organic Fertilizers

The easiest swap you can make is going from a synthetic to an organic fertilizer. While previously they were the more expensive option, prices are levelling out. "Organic fertilizers are made from more natural ingredients like manure and compost, which means they are less dependent on global supply chains," explains Nick. "Plus, organics feed the soil microbiome and are safe for kids and pets."

Organic options are usually made from inputs like manure, seaweed, bone meal, and composted plant matter. Essentially, anything that doesn’t require a natural gas pipeline to produce and tends to be sourced more locally. You can make your own mix using the separate ingredients – and add in scraps like egg shells and coffee grounds – or buy ready-made formulas.

While we've been conditioned to think that synthetic fertilizers are more effective, in the long run, organic products are better for your soil. Synthetic fertilizers may directly feed your plants, but they don’t do much for the soil itself. Whereas organic fertilizers feed the whole ecosystem, including the microbes, worms, and the whole invisible underground community that makes your soil actually work.

Best Organic Fertilizers

2. Make Your Own Compost

Learning how to compost at home doesn’t require a lot of money, but certainly patience. Kitchen scraps – think vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, egg shells, and fruit cores – combined with brown garden waste like dried leaves and cardboard, all break down over time into a compost, and it’s excellent for your plants. Basically, it’s free fertilizer, and the only thing that will cost you is a compost bin (just remember to turn it occasionally!)

So, what’s the magic ratio? You’ll need roughly equal parts green waste (your kitchen scraps, and fresh grass clippings, for example) and brown waste (dried leaves, cardboard, straw, etc.) It’s highly important to get the ratio just right, as too much of either thing can cause the compost to get slimy or stop breaking down.

If you don’t have the outdoor space – or the patience – for a full compost heap, a small countertop bokashi composting bin (like this Ecocultivatify kit on Amazon) ferments all kinds of food waste inside, producing pre-compost in just two weeks (which needs a brief maturation period) as well as a concentrated liquid feed that you can dilute and add to a watering can, like compost tea.

And, if you don't fancy making your own compost, then you can find free compost locally if you know where to look, as well as free manure.

3. Grow Nitrogen-Fixing Plants

Okay, I gave you the quick ones, but now for the long game (don’t worry, though, it’s a good one, and well worth it). Certain nitrogen-fixing plants, like peas, beans, clover, and buckwheat, have a relationship with soil bacteria that allows them to pull nitrogen from the air and deposit it in the ground (it’s pure magic basically).

Rotating these throughout your plant beds or even using them as cover crops between growing seasons will gradually help your soil build fertility. For example, this TnT Seed Company Store Cover Crop Mix contains peas, oats, and vetch, which help to fix nitrogen, improve soil health, and suppress weeds.

It feels almost too simple to actually work, but farmers have been using this practice for centuries. Growing a patch of clover over winter, cutting it back, and then digging it in before spring planting will add nitrogen to your soil in a way that synthetic fertilizer could never replicate. Plus, there are a ton of bonuses like the fact that it improves soil structure, water retention, and microbial activity.

The great thing is that none of these tips requires a dramatic overhaul of your garden or hiring a landscaper. With one simple swap, organic fertilizer rather than synthetic, or a small compost bin in the corner, you can build from there. Your plants will be good. Your bank account will be good. And, you can sit in the satisfaction of knowing you aren’t at the mercy of the global energy markets.

Gardening advice about “fixing your soil in one season” seems to be everywhere right now – especially the idea that you can grow food while actively improving the ground it’s planted in. It’s an appealing promise: healthier soil, better harvests, and less reliance on fertilizers or compost.

One viral example comes from an Instagram slideshow by@figmentcottagegardens, which lays out a planting strategy designed to do exactly that. The caption sums it up neatly: fix your soil in one season without fertilizer or bags of compost.

I spoke to several experts to dig into the idea, and while they agree there’s real value in the approach, they say the full picture is a bit more nuanced.

The Vegetables That Actually Do the Work

The first thing to keep in mind, though, is that not all vegetables can fix or improve your soil as this trend suggests – choosing the right crops makes all the difference.

Eddie Grovu, Director of Growth and E-Commerce at Toolden, is clear on this point, saying, “The reality is that really only some crops will repair or help improve the soil structure, i.e., legumes such as peas or fava beans, adding nitrogen, then increasing future planting fertilization."

Erik Collado Vidal, CEO of Growbarato.net, agrees. "Not all vegetables will improve the soil in the same way. Some of the best edible plants for this are legumes such as peas or beans, as well as daikon radish. Legumes help the soil by improving nitrogen levels, but they do this with the help of bacteria around their roots. Daikon radish has a different role. It helps break up compacted soil and improve drainage and air circulation."

Nitrogen Fixers

Nitrogen fixers are the main attraction. Peas, fava beans, clover, and buckwheat all fall into this category. Mario Galo of G&V Tree Service explains. "Legumes, such as beans and peas, are some of the best because they work with rhizobia bacteria to turn nitrogen in the air into forms that plants can use,” he says.

Rhizobia inoculant powder, which you can buy from Amazon, treats legume seeds before planting and can boost nitrogen fixing. This can be particularly useful in new beds or soil that hasn't grown legumes before.

Staci Hill, co-author of The Preserver's Garden (available on Amazon) and co-founder of Gooseberry Bridge Farm, adds a practical tip for getting the most from legumes at the end of the season: "This works especially well if you cut off the plants at the end of the season versus pulling out the roots."

Soil Aerators

Soil aerators work differently. French Breakfast radish, daikon radish, and Easter Egg radish mix all appear in @figmentcottagegarden’s post for good reason. Grovu explains: "Daikon has deep roots that can develop air pockets within the soil, which is formed by young roots making air pockets in the ground, and this helps to aid in draining water from the soil to the subsoil."

Ida DeFrancesco of Farmer Joe's Gardens, whose family has farmed for four generations, puts it in practical terms: "In our experience, daikon radishes are incredibly effective at penetrating compacted layers and creating channels for water and air. We plant them in late summer, and by spring, the soil structure is noticeably improved."

Hill also highlights an unexpected addition to the soil-repairing roster: "Sunflowers send down a tap root that breaks up compaction, and they also remove toxins and heavy metals from the soil – though eating the seeds if you're using sunflowers to remove toxins is probably not a great idea."

Siobhan Shaw, co-founder of Growing to Give and founder of The Gardening Network, rounds out the picture with a few more practical favorites: "Peas fix nitrogen and loosen the soil, while root crops like radishes, turnips, and carrots break up compaction. Meanwhile, squash and pumpkins act as living mulch – their big leaves protecting the soil and conserving moisture."

Soil Boosting Veggie Seeds

How Long Does It Actually Take?

This is where you’ll need to manage your hopes and dreams. DeFrancesco is specific: "Legumes like field peas can add 40-80 pounds of nitrogen per acre in a single season. The key is timing – these aren't quick fixes, but you'll see meaningful soil improvements within 6-12 months if you choose the right varieties for your conditions."

Grovu is frank about the longer arc: "You may see minor improvements after one growing season. However, significant improvements to soil structure and fertility will typically take 4 or more growing cycles."

It Works Best Alongside Other Methods

Every expert makes the same point: soil-building vegetables are most effective as part of a wider approach. Before you start, it's worth knowing what you're working with. A basic soil test kit, like this one on Amazon, will tell you your soil's pH and nutrient levels, giving you a clearer picture of what it needs most.

Hill describes what the wider approach looks like in practice: "It is always best to feed your soil compostable materials – doing this in the form of some kind of mulch that breaks down over time and also protects the soil from erosion, compaction, and soil carbon loss. On our farm, we mulch with old hay and add things like goat and rabbit manure once a year."

Grovu puts it plainly: "It's usually more effective to do both – grow crops that improve soil quality and feed the soil with compost or mulch. Doing so means you're not merely maintaining the quality of the soil you use as a gardener; you are building the quality of the soil in the long run."

So, @figmentcottagegardens' post is right: you can start improving your soil this season. But, go in knowing it’s the beginning of a longer journey, not a one-season fix.

April is a pivotal moment in the gardener’s calendar. Soil temperatures rise, dormancies are starting to break, and your plants are waking up with a massive appetite. Most plant food goes to waste because it hits the soil at the wrong point in the season. Too early, and the ground is too cold for roots to pull anything in. Too late, and the plant has already burned through its stored reserves. But fertilizing plants in spring can set your favorites up for the whole year.

Getting spring fertilizing right isn’t really about applying more food – it’s about timing. Smart feeding is about applying when each plant can really benefit from it. April sits in that magic window where the soil is workable, roots are moving again, and the plants on this list are either just coming out of dormancy or heading into a high-octane growth phase. A well-timed nutrient boost now doesn't just help for a week, it sets the foundations for every leaf, bud, and fruit you’ll see until the fall.

Get this April timing right for key plants, and fertilizing can be a joyful, mindful ritual rather than a chore. Whether you are tending to a tiny balcony container or a sprawling backyard orchard, these plants and plant groups each benefit from a timely April feed. Here, we reveal why this month is so critical for these key plants, plus which types of feed are best for this critical spring boost.

Why April Matters for Feeding

The urgency of April feeding comes down to the biological spring flush. If nutrients aren't available in the soil the moment the roots go searching for them, the plant will produce leggy, weak growth that is more susceptible to pests and diseases. If you skip the window to fertilize plants in spring, you aren't just delaying growth, you are potentially stunting blooms and crops. In cooler USDA zones, April is the awakening. In warmer zones, it’s the beginning of the marathon. Without that initial boost, key ornamentals produce fewer blooms, and popular berries stay stubbornly small.

When feeding plants in spring, your soil condition plays a massive role in how this nutrition is delivered. Heavy clay soils hold onto nutrients longer, but can be slow to warm up, while sandy soils are like a sieve, requiring more frequent, lighter snacks rather than one big meal. The result is often nutrient lockout, where a plant becomes so stressed by lack of fuel that it even struggles to absorb what is naturally present in the soil. Using high-quality, targeted feeds, like slow-release granules for steady nutrition or liquid seaweed for a quick tonic, is the difference between a garden that survives and one that thrives.

So invest in a core feeding arsenal this month. You don’t need 50 bottles and boxes. Having a balanced 10-10-10 (NPK), a dedicated acidifying feed, and organic soil builders like fish, blood, and bone will cover most of the bases – plus specialized feeds for big league plants. It’s also wise to use a trowel for precision feeding, so goodness is distributed near the roots. You can buy the Garden Guru Ergonomic Garden Trowel from Amazon for an ergonomic, targeted feeding tool.

Remember, the goal is to work with the plant’s natural rhythms. By feeding in April, you are ensuring that as the plant builds its base and structure, it has the nitrogen for green leaves, the phosphorus for strong roots, and the potassium for overall vigor and disease resistance.

Plant Feeding Essentials

Setting up a nutrient caddy doesn't require an expensive outlay. With just a few formulations, you can ensure your plants get exactly what they need without the guesswork. Keep these key essentials close to nourish your crops and ornamentals as they make their first big push of the year.

1. Roses

Roses are heavy feeders. By April, they have pushed out their first set of leaves and are ready to transition from winter reserves to external fuel. If you don't feed roses now, you’ll likely see blind wood (canes that produce no flowers) and a higher susceptibility to black spot.

For classic hybrid teas like the 'Peace' rose or vigorous climbers like 'Eden,' work half a cup (120ml) of a balanced granular rose fertilizer (ideally a 5-10-5 or something labeled specifically for roses) lightly into the soil at the drip line. Avoid getting it on the stems, which can cause chemical burns, and water in immediately to activate the nutrients and help the feed filter down to the roots. You can buy wands like the Dramm ColorMark Rain Wand from Amazon. Available in a range of colors, this wand provides a rain-like soak that carries nutrients deep into the root zone.

Adapt this spring feed for different varieties. Smaller drift or miniature roses need about half that amount, whereas a massive rambling rose might appreciate an extra handful. Consider a multi-pronged approach, using a granular rose food like Burpee’s Natural Organic Rose Bloom for long-term health, supplemented with a liquid seaweed extract every two weeks, like Bloom City’s Seaweed and Kelp Fertilizer from Walmart. This strengthens the cell walls and makes leaves less tasty to aphids.

2. Tomatoes

Whether your 'Celebrity' or 'Cherokee Purple' tomatoes are still shivering in a seedling tray or you’re in a warm zone ready to transplant, April is the month of preparation. For seedlings, the goal with a tomato fertilizer has to be sturdy and stout, not tall and floppy. Use a half-strength balanced liquid feed every two weeks. If you over-fertilize indoor seedlings with high nitrogen, they will grow too fast, leading to a leggy plant that will struggle once moved outside. When planting, tuck a tablespoon of a 10-10-10 slow-release granular into the bottom of the hole, covering with a bit of soil so the roots don't touch the granules immediately.

One of the biggest mistakes gardeners make when growing tomatoes is using a growth fertilizer (high nitrogen) for too long. Once the plant is established, you want to switch to a feed that is higher in potassium, such as Burpee Organic Tomato-tone from Amazon, to encourage fruit rather than just a massive green bush. If you neglect feeding in April, your tomatoes may develop blossom end rot later in the season, because the plant didn't build a strong enough root system to transport calcium. For the best results, look for a feed that contains added calcium and magnesium to prevent these common heartbreaks.

3. Hydrangeas

April is when hydrangeas are actively pushing the new growth that carries this season’s blooms, so the timing is critical. For bigleaf hydrangeas (H. macrophylla), broadcast roughly half a cup of a balanced 10-10-10 slow-release granular over the root zone and water in. If you have panicle hydrangeas (like 'Limelight'), they are slightly tougher but still appreciate this April boost to help them support those massive flower heads later in summer. If you fail to feed hydrangeas in April, you’ll notice leaves looking pale or veiny (chlorosis), and stems that may be too weak to support flowers, leading to a floppy plant after the first rain.

For blue-flowering varieties, April is your window to apply a soil acidifier (aluminum sulfate) such as Espoma Soil Acidifier from Burpee. This lowers the pH, allowing the plant to take up the aluminum it needs for that electric blue. If you have pink varieties and want them to stay that way, you might want to add a little garden lime instead. Regardless of color, avoid high-phosphorus bloom boosters in April. At this stage, the plant needs overall structural health, not a temporary flower spike.

A fantastic hydrangea-specific food is Jack's Classic Hydrangea Blue Water Soluble Fertilizer from Amazon. Unlike a general 10-10-10, this is a specialized 7-3-3 formula that is intentionally low in phosphorus. High phosphorus can block the plant from absorbing aluminum, hence why some gardeners find their blue hydrangeas turning pink despite using an acidifier. For blue-flowering varieties where color maintenance is the goal, adding a soil acidifier at the same time lowers pH and keeps the aluminum availability where it needs to be to hold that blue pigmentation.

4. Blueberries

Blueberries are amongst the few plants that require acidic conditions. If your soil pH is too high, it doesn't matter how much you feed them – they won’t be able to unlock the nutrients, leading to yellowing leaves and a pathetic harvest. In April, as the buds begin to swell, apply an ammonium sulfate blend, such as Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer from Amazon and water in. This provides the nitrogen they crave while keeping the soil acidic. Use around an ounce per year of the plant's age. For mature bushes like 'Duke' or 'Bluecrop,' stop at a maximum of 8 ounces.

Variations matter when feeding blueberries. Dwarf boxwood-style blueberries like 'Jelly Bean' only need a tiny sprinkle (half an ounce), while highbush varieties need the full dose. If you don't feed in April, you are sacrificing the sugar content of your berries, since the plant will prioritize survival over fruit sweetness. To go the extra mile, mulch with pine needles or acidic peat to maintain that low pH through summer. Another great blueberry option is Down to Earth All Natural Fertilizer Acid Mix 4-3-6 for Blueberries from Amazon.

5. Clematis

Clematis breaks dormancy in April and grows with astonishing speed. Because they produce so much in such a short window, they require a high-potassium kickstart. The secret superfeed secret is to use a tomato fertilizer on clematis, such as Organic Healthy Grow Tomato Plant Food from Walmart. The high potassium supports the intense flowering and strengthens brittle stems. Apply a few inches away from the crown at half strength, and water in. Clematis stems are sensitive to rot, so don't choke the neck of the plant with fertilizer or mulch. If you skip the April feed, your plant may suffer from clematis wilt, or produce a sparse pop of flowers.

For Group 1 clematis (the early spring bloomers), feed them immediately after they finish flowering in late April. For Group 2 and Group 3 (the summer bloomers), the April feed is their main fuel source. A follow-up liquid feed in June will help the late-season varieties keep their momentum through the heat of July. You can use liquid feeds like TPS Nutrients’ Clematis Fertilizer from Amazon for a hearty fuel, and a tomato food at half strength for the potassium profile.

6. Lawn Grass

Lawn feed timing depends on where you live and what you’re growing. For cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass or fescue, April is the prime time to apply a nitrogen-forward, slow-release formula. This encourages deep rooting before the stress of summer heat arrives. However, for warm-season grasses like Bermuda or St. Augustine, wait until soil temperatures are consistently hitting 65F (18C) and you’ve mowed the lawn twice. This ensures the grass is truly active and ready to eat, rather than just waking up in a daze.

For cool-season turf, a nitrogen-forward, slow-release formula at roughly one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet (0.45kg per 93 square meters) is the standard. Slow-release spreads the feeding out over several weeks and avoids the surge growth that has you mowing every four days. If you don't fertilize in April, weeds like dandelions and crabgrass will move into the thin spots where the grass isn't thick enough to compete. For the best lawn care feeding in spring, you can buy Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food from Lowe’s.

Don’t Neglect These 3 Plant Groups

These three massive plant groups also need an April power breakfast in order to reach their fullest potential across the whole season of growth. Feeding these plant groups now ensures that the structure of your landscape (your trees, your borders, and your porch pots) will remain vibrant and productive all year long.

1. Fruit Trees

The window for feeding fruit trees is exceptionally narrow. You want to hit them right at bud break in early April. This is when the buds are swelling and showing a hint of color, but haven't fully opened. For apples, pears, and stone fruits like peaches, spread a balanced granular fruit tree fertilizer at about 1 pound (450g) per inch (2.5 cm) of trunk diameter. You can buy Jobe’s Organics Granular Fertilizer for Fruit and Nut from Amazon. Remember to water in. Young trees under 3 years are easily burned by over-feeding, so give them a lighter hand, about a quarter pound (110g).

Specific varieties like citrus or dwarf patio fruit trees (such as 'Meyer' lemons) have even higher requirements. They need micronutrients like zinc and iron. For these, a dedicated citrus feed is better than a general fruit tree one. You can buy Jobe’s Organics Citrus Tree Fertilizer Spikes from Amazon. If a tree grew more than 12 inches (30 cm) last year, it’s telling you it’s got enough nitrogen, so skip the feed this year to avoid growing all leaves and no fruit. If you neglect feeding a hungry tree in April, you'll likely see fruit drop in June, when the tree realizes it doesn't have the energy to support the crop it started.

2. Perennial Border Plants

April is when 'Goldsturm' rudbeckia, hostas, and daylilies start poking their heads above the mulch. Most perennials want a light feed in April as the first leaves push out, but “light” is genuinely the operative word here. Most perennials prefer a gentle nudge rather than a heavy shove. A quarter cup (60ml) of slow-release balanced granular feed, scratched into the soil around the base, is perfect. Be careful with outliers like peonies, though. They hate having fertilizer (or mulch) directly on their eyes (the pink buds at the soil surface). Always feed in a circle around the plant.

The danger of over-feeding perennials in April is that the plant grows so fast and so soft that it flops over the moment it rains in June – so take it easy. This is especially true for coneflowers and black-eyed Susans. If you don't feed at all, however, the clumps will gradually get smaller and less vigorous over the years. For a natural boost, try a top-dressing of well-rotted compost or chicken pellets in April, which provides a slow, organic release of nutrients while improving soil texture. You can buy Espoma Organic Chicken Manure from Walmart.

3. Overwintered Container Plants

Container plants like geraniums (pelargoniums), fuchsias, and dahlias that spent the winter in the garage or a bright windowsill will be growing in exhausted soil by April. Potting mix runs out of usable nutrients within six to eight weeks of planting, so anything that’s been in the same container since last spring is running on empty.

To bring them back to life, hit them with a double-whammy. First, a full-rate 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer, at a tablespoon (15ml) per gallon (4 liters) of water, for an immediate boost. For a high-octane boost, you can buy Schultz All Purpose Plant Food from Lowe’s. This is like a shot of espresso and provides an instant nitrogen hit to wake up dormant stems. After that, top-dress with a slow-release granular feed at the same time for sustained feeding through spring. Repeat the liquid application every two weeks until you see robust new growth.

Dahlias, in particular, are incredibly hungry for potassium as they wake up, so don't be afraid to give them a slightly richer feed as a one-off. Fuchsias, however, love a consistent, weak feed. If you don't feed your overwintered pots in April, the plants will often remain stunted, with yellowing lower leaves and few flowers. By giving them that wake-up call now, you ensure they have the strength to transition from their indoor pajamas to outdoor summer clothes without the shock of nutrient deficiency.

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You water the bed then watch it pool on the surface and slide off without absorbing. It looks like a technique problem or a compaction issue, but it’s usually neither. Hydrophobic soil is likely the cause.

Hydrophobic soil is common in containers, sandy beds, and anywhere that’s been left to dry out hard for long enough. But hydrophobic soil hasn’t just dried out. It has changed at the particle level, developing a coating that sheds water the way a waxed car sheds rain – and watering more won’t fix it.

Understanding the different types of soil helps explain why some kinds are more vulnerable to this issue than others. But the short version is that almost any soil that dries out too fast or too much can turn hydrophobic. Luckily, this problem is easily diagnosable and you can fix it with items you probably have on hand. If left unchecked, though, it could kill plants. Here's how to avoid that dire outcome.

What Causes Hydrophobic Soil?

Hydrophobic soil begins with organic matter drying out past a critical point and leaving a water-repelling film on individual soil particles. Two things are usually responsible for this.

Certain fungi produce hydrophobics as a part of their normal biology. When soil dries out enough, those waxy compounds build up on particle surfaces and stay there. Plant resins and decomposing organic materials do something similar, leaving a waxy residue behind as they break down. The particles end up coated, and coated particles shed water. The worse the drying, the thicker the coating.

Sandy soils are the most prone to this problem because they have low organic matter and dry quickly. Peat-based potting mixes are very vulnerable, which seems a bit counterintuitive because peat is often marketed for its water retention. But once it fully desiccates, it becomes one of the most stubborn types of hydrophobic soil.

Mulched gardens are prone to this problem, too. The mulch layer itself can dry out and form a crust that sheds water before any of it reaches the soil underneath. Pouring on more water doesn’t help because volume isn’t the issue. The soil surface refuses to let water through and down to the plant roots.

How to Test for Hydrophobic Soil

Before reaching for a fix, it’s worth ruling out soil compaction or poor drainage as the actual culprit of water-repelling soil. Testing for hydrophobic soil only takes a minute. Scrape back any mulch, let the surface breathe, and then place a single drop of water on the soil and watch.

Healthy, well-draining soil will absorb the water fast – the droplet should instantly disappear. Hydrophobic soil won’t absorb the water. The drop will hold its shape and sit there on the soil surface. Still there after 60 seconds? That’s your answer. It’s not draining slowly, it’s being rejected by the soil.

Check a few spots rather than calling it from just one drop. Hydrophobicity is rarely uniform. A badly affected patch can sit right next to one that’s fine, depending on where organic matter built up or where drying hit hardest.

The depth of the issue is worth checking, too. The surface may absorb normally, but a repellent layer could sit just below. This shows up as water pooling just below the soil surface when you dig down after watering.

What You Will Need

How to Fix Hydrophobic Soil

For a moderate case of hydrophobic soil, diluting soap in water is the quickest solution. The soapy water works as a surfactant, cutting the surface tension that lets the waxy coating shed water and suddenly the soil starts accepting moisture again.

Three or four drops of a biodegradable liquid soap, like this one from Amazon, in a full watering can is enough to do the job. Stick to a fragrance-free, biodegradable formula. Standard dish soap in small amounts is fine, but anything with heavy degreasers or added chemicals can knock back the healthy soil biology you want to preserve.

Apply it slowly over the affected area and let it work in rather than flooding the surface. One or two passes usually breaks the barrier. A long-reach watering can, like this one from Amazon, makes applying the solution slowly and precisely easier, especially in tighter beds where it's hard to control the flow.

Severe cases of hydrophobic soil need a physical fix first. A sturdy garden fork, like this one from Amazon, is the right tool for the job. It gives you enough leverage to break the crust without digging up established roots in the process.

Push your fork into the soil alongside the affected area and work it back and forth to crack the hydrophobic crust. You don’t have to turn the soil deeply, just enough to open the surface and give water somewhere to go.

Once the soil starts accepting moisture again, work in a layer of organic compost, like this from Amazon, to finish the job. Compost reintroduces the microbial activity that keeps hydrophobic soil from happening again and adds organic matter that holds water rather than shedding it.

Spring is the season for getting all your planting in order. It takes some serious effort to plan out which seeds to start indoors vs. outdoors. Figure out which seeds need to be stratified and what temperature it needs to be before transplanting delicate seedlings. It’s a lot. Luckily, there is one simple measurement you can take that will help you know when to begin planting outdoors.

Determining soil temperature is critical to the success of your transplanted seedlings and seeds sown outdoors. If seeds are sown too early, the ground will be too cold for them to germinate and they can begin to rot with spring rainfall. Even seedlings you diligently started indoors can be ruined by planting too early or too late.

A soil thermometer is an inexpensive, crucial tool that tells you exactly when the ground is ready, guaranteeing a higher success rate for your spring garden. Read on to learn more about how a soil thermometer can up your gardening game.

Air Temperature vs. Soil Temperature

Day-time air temperature can be deceiving when determining when to plant seeds and when to transplant seedlings in the garden. A warm and sunny spring day makes you think it is time to get planting, but air temperature is only half of the story.

Soil holds on to cool temperatures longer and needs many days of warm weather to be suitable for some seeds to germinate. Soil temperature is important to the success of seed germination and to the health of newly transplanted seedlings. The perfect temperature for planting varies depending upon the variety of vegetable or fruit. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and peas need soil temperatures of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 C) and others like okra prefer up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 C)! A simple soil thermometer can help you make the most of your gardening experience.

How to Use It Correctly

Now that you have your soil thermometer, what do you do with it? The best way to determine soil temperature is by taking readings in the early morning. This is when the ground will be at its coolest and will let you know if it is safe for your seedlings or will allow your seeds to germinate.

Insert your thermometer probe 2 to 3 inches (5-7.6 cm) into the soil for taking a reading for seeds. And sample at least 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) deep for transplants. Hold the probe in the soil for one minute and note the temperature. Take soil temp readings three consecutive days to get an average reading. This will be more accurate than just a single reading one day.

Shop Spring Planting Essentials

Spring is an exhilarating time for gardeners. It’s a season where months of winter dreaming and seed-catalog browsing collide with the reality of the damp, dark earth. All your plans are about to be put into action, and the urge to get your hands in the dirt is almost primal. However, as any seasoned grower will tell you, the enthusiasm of a warm March afternoon can often lead to premature planting, a mistake that can haunt your garden’s productivity for the rest of the year.

While we focus on hopeful green shoots above ground, the real secret to successful growing lies beneath the surface. Spring may be the time to start seeds, prepare beds and containers, and even start putting a few transplants in the ground. But it’s also time to check your soil. If you rush into growing before the ground is ready, you risk destroying the structure your plants need to breathe. What you need is soil that is not too wet, and not too dry. Establishing this middle ground is the first task of the season.

To help you navigate this transition, I want to share a pro trick called the squeeze test. Soil testing by hand is a quick, satisfying way to determine if your beds are ready for seeds and transplants. By partnering this tactile test with key observations, you can ensure your plants really hit the ground running. So if you want to make garden beds rather than mud pies, this test is for you. Let’s look at why soil moisture levels can make or break your yard, and how you can master the art of the squeeze.

Why Does Soil Moisture Matter?

Temperature is one of the most obvious gatekeepers of the gardening season. We all know that if the soil hasn’t warmed up sufficiently, warm-weather seeds like zinnias or tomatoes will sit and rot, or succumb to damping off, and any transplants could suffer cold damage. However, moisture is a slightly more nuanced beast. Working the soil when it is still soggy from snowmelt or spring downpours can lead to structural damage that is very difficult to fix later in the season.

The primary villain here is soil compaction. Healthy soil is roughly 50% solid matter and 50% pore space (filled with air and water). When soil is saturated, those pore spaces are full of water. If you step on it or turn it with a shovel, you squeeze that water out and collapse the air pockets. This results in concrete soil, massive, hard clods that roots cannot penetrate. Compaction also has big implications for drainage. Without those tiny air gaps, your plants’ roots will suffocate, leading to stunted growth, yellowing leaves, and root rot.

Compaction issues are particularly stubborn in clay-heavy soils. If you work clay when it’s wet, it bakes into bricks once the sun hits. However, loamy or sandy soils aren't immune. Once you destroy the peds (the natural clumps of soil), you’ve essentially ruined the drainage system for the entire season. Waiting for the right moisture level isn't just about being patient – it's about protecting the subterranean architecture of your garden. Planting too early can ruin that soil structure for months.

How This Squeeze Test Works

Fortunately, mastering the art of manual soil testing is delightfully simple. Natural soil testing for moisture is a sensory experience – and it takes just a few seconds. I always tell new gardeners that their hands are their best tools. The squeeze test relies on the way soil particles cling together, and it’s a reflection of the internal capillary action. Here is my step-by-step guide to doing this soil test right:

• Don't just grab the mud on top. Dig three-four inches (8-10 cm) down. The surface is often dried by the wind, giving you a false positive for dryness. You want to test the zone where the roots will actually live.
• Grab a handful of soil and pick out the extras. Stones, old roots or bits of dry mulch will mess with your results. You want pure, unadulterated dirt.
• Compress the soil in your fist for five seconds. Think of it like making a snowball. Give it a few seconds, though. Count to five if it helps.
• Hold your hand waist-high over the hole you dug and let the ball fall.

Now, observe the results. If the soil forms a slick, muddy ball that stays solid even after hitting the ground, it is far too wet to work. It’s time to make a hot drink and consider tidying or prepping tools. What you really want to see with the squeeze test and the drop is something like a crumbled chocolate cake.

If the ball shatters into crumbly, dark pieces, you’ve hit pay dirt, literally. If it feels like a moist, airy chocolate cake that wants to crumble the moment you poke it, that’s peak soil aeration and soil tilth. The moisture levels are ideal, and it’s time to plant. If the soil won't even form a ball in your hand and just pours through your fingers, it’s too dry. You’ll need to give the bed a deep soak before you think about tucking in your transplants.

Shop Soil Checks and Supports

Now you’ve got a handle on your basic soil moisture levels, you can venture a little deeper into the world of ground controls. These useful gadgets and gizmos can help you get a better measure on whether your garden (and your garden gold) is really plant-ready.

Other Signs Your Soil is Ready

If you’ve been tending the same patch of earth for years, you start to develop a sixth sense for when your patch of land is waking up. That said, even pros can be fooled by a few unseasonably warm days. Soil tilth (the physical condition of the soil) is the best indicator of plant health. But there are a few other things to watch out for.

1. Beyond the squeeze test, look for that crumbly texture. When you rake the surface, it should look like coarse breadcrumbs. Soil that forms hard clumps might need to be worked more. Work some compost in to create a better structure. As another soil tester, check how the soil looks on the blade of a trowel or spade. If you slide a trowel into the dirt and it comes out coated in a sticky sleeve of mud, the clay particles are still saturated. In perfect conditions, the metal should come out clean, with just a few loose crumbs of soil clinging to it.
2. Step firmly on a small patch of soil near your garden bed. If your footprint leaves a slick, glazed impression (or worse, fills with a pool of water), then the water table is still too high. If the soil compresses but remains dull and dry to the eye, you’re in the clear. I call this the boot print test and it can be very telling.

3. Another great natural indicator are worms. Earthworms are the original master gardeners. When the soil warms up and the moisture levels stabilize, earthworms migrate toward the surface. If you dig your test hole and see worms tunneling away, it’s a sign that the biological engine of your garden is running. Worms don't like anaerobic (waterlogged) conditions, so their presence is a green light from Mother Nature that all is well in the soil and planting can begin.
4. Finally, look out for key weeds and indicator plants. If you see native dandelions, henbit or chickweed, the soil has reached the minimum temperature and drainage levels required for hardy, early-season vegetables like peas, spinach, and radishes. Using a combination of the squeeze test and these ecological cues gives you a wonderfully holistic view of your garden’s readiness for planting.

If you’re not sure about temperature, insert a soil thermometer a few inches into the soil. You can buy the Luster Leaf Rapitest Thermometer from Amazon. Early, cool-season plants can go in the ground when temperatures are 40-50°F (5-10°C).

If Your Soil isn’t Ready

If your soil fails the squeeze test because it’s dry, the fix is easy: water your soil. Give your beds a deep watering the evening before you plan to plant. This allows the moisture to seep deep into the soil profile, ensuring a nice, crumbly texture that will support tender new roots.

However, if your soil is too moist, you can’t plant yet, and the only cure is patience. I know how frustrating it is to see the sun shining while your garden remains off-limits, but walking on wet soil will only make the problem worse. If you must do something, use this time for other spring chores. Sharpen your pruners, finish your garden plans, and clean your pots. Work on seedlings you’re starting indoors. Test the soil again after a few days without rain to see if it’s ready. It’s frustrating to have to wait, but patience pays off in terms of soil health and structure.

If you find your soil is consistently too wet year after year, consider structural changes. Adding organic matter like well-rotted compost or leaf mold can improve drainage over time. For those dealing with heavy clay, building raised beds can be a lifesaver, as they drain faster than in-ground rows. Think of the squeeze test as a conversation with your land. Listen to what it tells you, and you’ll be rewarded with a thriving garden.

Shop Key Soil Amendments

As well as keeping tabs on moisture levels, hopefully this easy soil check has given you the confidence and inspiration to add a few choice soil amendments in order to give your planting year the healthiest foundations.

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Applying spring fertilizer is the best way to give some love to all of your outdoor plants. From cool-season grass to potted pansies and everything in between, spring is a great time for fertilizer applications. Plants are waking up and beginning to expend some major energy as they grow, bloom, and produce. Give them a helping hand!

Applying fertilizer can be a little bit of a balancing act. Too much can burn your plants, and waiting too late in the year can harm them, too. Fertilizing Kentucky bluegrass in July can result in disaster. And if you don’t know what your soil is lacking, you could end up wasting your money on unnecessary fertilizer. (We recommend this comprehensive soil test from Amazon to help you determine nutrient needs.)

It can be tempting to use an all-purpose fertilizer for everything, but different types of plants need different things from fertilizers. I’ve compiled a list of go-to fertilizers for all your plants, so let’s dig in!

Understanding the Bag

Reading the back of a fertilizer bag can feel like trying to decode the Rosetta stone. Fertilizer numbers, or N-P-K numbers, are listed in various amounts and suit different types of plant needs. Firstly, the N is for nitrogen, P is for phosphorus, and K is for potassium. So if a bag shows 10-5-5, then that fertilizer contains 10% nitrogen, 5% phosphorus, and 5% potassium. The rest of the weight comes from filler, generally sand or ground limestone, and sometimes micronutrients.

These nutrients are critical for healthy plant growth. If your soil is lacking one or more of them, it can negatively impact plants. On the other hand, overapplication of fertilizer can burn or damage plants. It is a delicate balance and it is always advised to test your soil before buying any fertilizer, and to go low and slow once you know what you need.

Nitrogen (N) is responsible for the rapid growth of green leaves. Phosphorus (P) benefits root growth, flower, and fruit development. And potassium (K) helps the plant's overall function and vitality. Synthetic fertilizers work quickly and effectively, but they only feed the plant, not the soil. If you want to increase your soil’s health long term and all its beneficial microbes, organic fertilizers like compost, bone meal, fish emulsion, and other organic mixes are great options.

Best Spring Lawn Fertilizer

Lawns need some tender care after a long winter, especially if you didn’t fertilize last fall. As your lawn leaves its dormancy period, reintroducing nutrients will aid its spring green-up. Generally, Nitrogen is the nutrient that will be doing most of the work for spring lawns, especially for cool-season grasses. However, it is always advisable to check what your soil test says is missing. Not all soil is the same.

Cool-season grasses slow their growth as the weather gets hot, so it is critical to apply a slow release fertilizer in the spring so they don’t have excessive growth now which will deplete them during the summer. A gentle, slow-release nitrogen fertilizer from Milorganite can be found at the Home Depot. It is an organic fertilizer that improves the soil as it also feeds your grass. A broadcast spreader, which can be found at Amazon, will ensure an even application of fertilizer.

Best Spring Fertilizer for Acid-Loving Shrubs

Acid-loving shrubs like hydrangeas, camellias, azaleas, hollies, blueberries, and rhododendrons need a fertilizer that will keep that soil acidic and delicious (for them). Acidic soil has a pH lower than 6.5 with 5.5 being classified as ‘very acidic’. Most plants like a neutral soil (pH of around 7), but acid-loving plants won’t thrive in neutral soil. Feed your acidic shrubs with a nice organic fertilizer like Espoma Holly-Tone from Ace Hardware or your preferred garden center. It provides sulfur, bone meal, and beneficial microbes for your soil and is slow release so it won’t burn plants.

Not sure what your soil pH is? A simple pH test like this one from Amazon is a quick and easy way to determine how much work you need to do.

Best Spring Fertilizer for Vegetable Gardens

Vegetable gardens are a delicious addition to any yard. You can even grow a container vegetable garden on a balcony or patio! All those veggies need phosphorus to grow strong roots, productive flowers, and tasty fruits. Espoma Garden-Tone, available from Walmart, will give your vegetables and herbs the boost they need to get them through the growing season. It is gentle, organic and feeds the microbes in your soil.

Best Spring Fertilizer for Containers & Annuals

I love potting up a container of pansies as soon as the garden center puts them out. While snow is still occasionally in the forecast, it reminds me warmer days are ahead. Give your spring container plantings and a nice boost with a water soluble fertilizer. They are already established and growing, but can benefit from some extra nutrition in their new home. Miracle-Gro liquid plant food, available from Home Depot, is easy to mix into your watering can and is best applied every 2 weeks to keep those flowers popping all spring!

Shop Spring Fertilizing Essentials

Nothing in nature is entirely yucky, not even livestock manure. While you may prefer not to have mature all over your boots, it can be the best thing that ever happened to your soil. The manure from barnyard animals like cows, horses, sheep and even chickens has many benefits for your garden.

Manure renews and renovates your garden soil, improving its texture, structure and fertility. It can also feed the soil by adding essential nutrients and organic matter. But in case you haven’t checked lately, manure can cost a pretty penny at the store. Sure, it’s already been composted and bagged up neatly, like this composted manure from Home Depot.

But if you have a big garden and will need large amounts of manure, it pays to look around for a free source of animal doo to give your soil a boost. Here are some unlikely places to find manure for free.

The Magic of Manure

Manure is a splendid thing when you add it to the soil of your vegetable garden. It’s a mess in the barnyard but it does so many positive things as a soil amendment. Composted manure supplies the big three nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as a variety of micronutrients.

And when animal manure is blended into your garden as soil amendment, it ups the organic matter content. That means better soil structure, drainage, and water retention in sandy soil. Fresh manure won’t work because it contains harmful pathogens. But once it’s composted, it’s golden.

Be Careful When Using Manure

Although manure is a wonderful additive for soil, there are some precautions to keep in mind. Weigh the pros and cons of using manure before you start your search for free sources:

• Be picky about your source. Never use cat, dog, pig manure, or human waste in vegetable gardens or compost piles. These types of manure can contain parasites. Horse, cow, sheep, rabbit, chicken, goat, alpaca, and llama manure are fine.
• But if the barnyard animals were fed hay treated with pesticides or herbicides, their manure will contain those substances as well. Make sure your manure comes from animals that were not fed contaminated hay.
• Be sure the manure you collect is properly composted. Aged compost is not the same thing. People can become sick and even die if they eat produce infected by parasites and bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. Manure can contain these, but proper composting will kill the pathogens. You’ll need to get your compost pile to reach temperatures between 113-140°F (45-60°C) for at least a few weeks to kill these harmful pathogens. You’ll also have to turn the pile so all the manure has been exposed to these temperatures.
• Manure, particularly horse manure, may contain high amounts of viable weed seeds. This can create a weed problem in your garden. However, composting manure at 140°F (60°C) will kill weed seeds.

Shop Different Types of Manure

Where to Get Free Manure

Low-cost manure is better than pricey manure, but free manure is better yet. Though you may not find as many ads on Nextdoor offering free manure as free compost, with a little work you may be able to locate some. Here are a few ideas about where to find free manure to get you started:

1. Get Some Livestock

If you have enough space for a couple cows or horses, you probably won’t be looking far and wide for free manure. But even if you don't want to become a farmer, anyone with a relatively large backyard can welcome some chickens or rabbits into their family. Even a half dozen chickens in your backyard can, over time, provide sufficient manure to amend a small veggie garden.

2. Local Fairgrounds & Showgrounds

Have you ever been to a county fair? How about a horse show or rodeo? Both fairgrounds and showgrounds invite barnyard animals to the premises. And those animals have to heed nature’s call during their time there. The people who run these venues may be thrilled to have a third party clearing out dirty bedding or mucking out the stalls.

3. Zoos & Wildlife Parks

Remember that Simon and Garfunkel song, At the Zoo? “Something tells me it’s all happening at the zoo / I do believe it, I do believe it's true.”

Now I can’t swear that these singers were referring to obtaining free manure for the garden, but the zoo is a great place to ask. Some zoos give away composted manure from their herbivores. And if they haven’t started this program, it costs nothing to suggest it.

4. Large Animal Veterinary Clinics

Many suburban and urban gardeners may not even know that there are special veterinarians that care for only large animals. Large animal vet clinics are more common in rural areas where there are cows, horses, goats, and other domesticated animals that are bigger than your average cat or dog. If you can find a clinic near you that boards the livestock they treat, they may be happy to allow you to collect the manure for free use in your garden.

5. Mounted Police Patrol Stables

Here in San Francisco, we have a mounted police unit and have had one continuously since 1874. The officers assist patrols all over the city, with their height giving them a clear view of crowds. They also show up for city parades.

The horses are housed at the Fred C. Egan Police Stables in Golden Gate Park and they produce significant amounts of manure. Asking if you can collect some at the mounted patrol stables – in San Francisco or any other city – is a great way to get free manure for your garden.

6. Alpaca or Llama Farms

Most of us don’t include alpaca or llamas in our definition of barnyard animals, but their droppings are just as good for your garden as cow manure or rabbit manure. These animals also tend to poop in communal dung piles, making harvesting the manure faster and easier. Find out if there are any small-scale alpaca or llama farms near where you live and use this unusual, but nutritious type of manure in your garden soil.

As I've expanded my plant collection — both indoors and out in my garden — I've become a lot more aware of the environmental impacts of what I choose to buy for my garden. From plastic nursery pots to soil bags that go straight in the garbage, a surprising amount of waste is generated from traditional gardening supplies.

And then there's peat moss, which is the standard base for almost all commercial potting mixes. When I learned that it's actually strip-mined from vital ecosystems for storing carbon, and therefore unsustainable, I decided to look for alternatives to peat moss.

When I started researching better options, I was immediately intrigued by biochar — specifically, Rosy Soil's Biochar Booster, available on Amazon. It's a powerful, all-natural, carbon negative soil booster — meaning it supercharges your plants' root systems while actively removing excess CO2 from the atmosphere. Win win!

Nature's Soil Supercharger

If you haven't heard of biochar yet, you're not alone. I had never heard of it until I stumbled upon Rosy Soil. Simply put, biochar is "nature's soil supercharger" — a highly stable form of carbon created by heating organic material, like wood or plant matter, in a low-oxygen environment. The result is essentially a sponge-like horticultural charcoal that will stay in your soil for hundreds of years, all while capturing carbon. It's basically a supercharged organic fertilizer.

Instead of just giving your plants a temporary jolt of nutrients, this booster is designed to turn any soil into "living soil". It drastically improves water retention and aeration, and it comes fortified with beneficial microbes and worm castings to create a thriving underground ecosystem. Whether you're repotting your houseplants, prepping a raised bed, or feeding favorite veggies like tomatoes and peppers, adding biochar builds stronger roots and far more resilient plants

Why Rosy Soil Is Different

While biochar itself is a fantastic ingredient, I specifically recommend Rosy Soil because of their entire earth-positive philosophy. Unlike traditional potting soil ingredients that can be environmentally taxing, Rosy Soil consciously sources only organic, carbon-negative ingredients even beyond the biochar.

Instead of letting organic green waste sit in a landfill where it releases potent greenhouse gases like methane and CO2, Rosy Soil uses those materials by stabilizing their carbon structure and adding them to their soil boosters. By using their Biochar Booster, you are essentially turning your garden beds and houseplant pots into a carbon sink that actively removes CO2 from the atmosphere. Cool, right?

Rosy Soil's commitment to sustainability doesn't stop at the soil, either. Their entire mission-driven line features carbon-neutral blends designed to fight climate change, and even their convenient, resealable bags utilize plastic-neutral packaging. It's incredibly rare, and really refreshing, to find a brand that's this committed to helping the planet.

Why Gardeners Love It

When it comes to soil amendments, plenty of products promise a "dramatic upgrade" but require complicated measuring or brewing. Not the Rosy Soil Biochar Booster. There is absolutely no fancy prep required — you just sprinkle, mix, and plant. You can easily use it in garden beds, while prepping raised planters, or while repotting your favorite houseplants.

One of the coolest benefits of biochar (in my opinion) is that it extends the life of the soil you already have. Instead of throwing away old, compacted potting mix every year, you can simply mix in some biochar to refresh and revive your existing potting soil. It's a fantastic, budget-friendly way to maintain a thriving houseplant collection without constantly buying new bags of soil.

You don't just have to take my word for it, either. Reviewers consistently praise how quickly they see results, with one noting that it makes a "HUGE difference" for starter plants, resulting in much larger growth compared to regular potting soil. Another enthusiastic reviewer called it "Awesome plant food," simply stating, "My plants love it."

Next time you're planting new beds or refreshing your potting soil, be sure to add in some Rosy Soil Biochar Booster. Your plants, and the planet, will thank you.

More Carbon-Neutral Soil Boosters

Potato peels headed for the bin might actually deserve a second job. Steeped in hot water, they produce a surprisingly nutrient-rich liquid feed that’s well-suited to delicate spring seedlings—gentle enough not to burn, useful enough to make a real difference.

It sounds a little too convenient. Peel a potato, steep the skins in hot water, then pour it on your plants. Potato peel tea has been circulating in gardening circles long enough that it’s worth looking at why—and it turns out the skins are nutrient-dense. Potassium especially, with phosphorus, magnesium, and B vitamins rounding it out, all of which leach into the water when the peels steep. For seedlings in their delicate early weeks, that’s a more useful combination than most expect.

As a supplemental fertilizer, it sits in an interesting category—useful, but not a replacement for a balanced compost or a proper all-purpose feed. Think of it as a light top-up for indoor starts that haven’t hit garden soil yet. It’s also one of the more satisfying upcycles a kitchen can offer: something that would have gone straight into the compost bin ends up doing real work on the way there.

What’s in a Potato Peel?

Almost all of the potato’s nutrition is sitting right at the surface—in and just under the skin, not in the pale starchy part most people normally eat. Potassium is the big one. Concentrations in the peel are high enough to rival some commercial liquid feeds on a per-weight basis. Not what you’d expect from something destined for the bin! It’s what helps plants move water, build cell walls, and push sugars where they need to go—all things that matter considerably when a seedling is working on its first real leaves.

Phosphorus is present as well, in smaller amounts but still worth having. It’s the nutrient most tied to root development, and at the seedling stage that’s essentially what matters most. Everything happening above soil depends on what’s going on below it. There’s also a modest contribution of magnesium, which supports chlorophyll production and shows up as better, darker green color in the leaves. None of these are present in overwhelming quantities, which is actually part of what makes potato peel tea appropriate for seedlings rather than a risk.

How to Make It Potato Peel Tea

The steeping step is non-negotiable—soaking peels in cold water overnight doesn’t do much. Hot water is what actually pulls the nutrients out. Pour boiling water over a good handful of peels, let them sit at least an hour, and don’t use it until it’s cooled all the way down. One large handful per liter (about a quart) is a reasonable place to start. The finished liquid should look pale yellowish-brown and smell faintly earthy. If it smells off or fermented, it went too long. Compost it and start over.

Organic peels are worth sourcing if you can. Conventional potatoes tend to carry more pesticide residue than most produce, and some of that can transfer to the skin. Once steeped and cooled, run it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean jar before using. A fine mesh strainer like this one from Amazon keeps stray debris out of whatever you’re watering with. Keep it in the fridge and use it within a couple of days as it doesn’t store well at room temperature.

How to Use It On Seedlings

Always dilute it first. Peel tea is mild, but seedlings in small cells don’t have much soil volume to buffer anything, and a gentle nutrient solution can still build up if you’re applying it straight week after week. One part tea to two parts water (1:2) is where to start—safe enough not to cause problems, but still a meaningful dose. Once a week is plenty, and alternate with plain waterings so you’re not feeding every single time.

Bottom watering is the better approach here anyway. It's how seedling trays work best regardless of what you’re feeding with. Pour the diluted tea into the tray, give it about 20 minutes to wick up from below, then drain the remainder. Roots find it naturally as they grow down, and you’re not splashing anything onto stems or leaves where moisture sits and invites damping off. Reusable seedling trays from Burpee, available on Amazon, make that process straightforward and keep things from getting messy on the shelf or heat mat.

What It Can and Can’t Do

Potato peel tea is a supplement, not a system. It adds a potassium and phosphorus boost at a stage when seedlings can use it, and it does that gently enough that the margin for error is wide. What it doesn’t provide is a full nutritional profile—nitrogen in particular is largely absent, which means seedlings fed only on peel tea will eventually look pale and stretched as they run out of what they need for leaf and stem growth. It works best alongside a light all-purpose liquid feed, not instead of one.

Many households generate potato peels regularly, and using them this way means they do one more useful thing before they hit the compost pile. An ideal upcycle! By the time seedlings are ready to transition from tray to garden bed, they should be moving into soil with compost anyway. At this point potato peel tea steps aside and lets the real feeding begin. Until then, it’s a low-cost way to give early starts a leg up without reaching for anything off a shelf.

Shop Seed Starting Essentials

Let’s face it: plants can be picky. One may adore the beaming sun, while another finds it to be its worst nightmare. One may thrive on near neglect, yet another will become temperamental if you don’t prune it in exactly the right way. And then there’s the potential issue of soil – its density, moisture levels, and acidity.

Soil pH is something many beginner gardeners forget to factor in when deciding what greenery to bring into their lives. It can have a huge impact on a plant’s ability to thrive because, after all, plants grow from the roots up. That’s why I was so intrigued when I came across a brilliantly simple way to test it in a video shared by gardening expert Simon Akeroyd on Instagram.

Fortunately, there’s a simple, incredibly nifty trick you can use to test your soil’s acidity that requires just three things – a red cabbage, some water, and a little patience. In the clip, Simon demonstrates how the cabbage soil pH test works, and it’s pure genius. Here’s how to try it yourself, as well as why it works.

How Red Cabbage Reveals Soil pH

Red cabbage contains a special molecule that changes structure when it meets acidity. This molecule is present in cabbage due to its rich pigment, making it ideal for testing soil pH because once it is altered, the color noticeably shifts.

As Steve Corcoran, a plant pro and the owner of Lawn Love, explains: "There is science behind this. Red cabbage contains anthocyanins, which are natural pigments that are water-soluble and are responsible for the color of many different fruits and vegetables.

"The molecular structure of anthocyanins actually changes when they become acidic, neutral, or alkaline, and that unique molecular structure thus alters their light absorption, changing the color."

It might still sound a bit confusing, but trust me, using red cabbage to test pH is actually very simple. Plus, there are ways to alter the pH of your soil once you know what you're dealing with if it doesn’t suit your planting needs.

How to Test Soil pH Using Red Cabbage

To test your soil pH using a red cabbage, you first need to buy one if you aren’t already growing it in your yard. Then:

1. Boil some of the cabbage leaves for three to five minutes until the water takes on the cabbage’s signature hue.
2. After the water has cooled and turned blue, pour your cabbage-infused water into a clear container through a sieve to ensure no debris makes its way in. Debris could potentially interfere with your results if it isn’t removed, so this step is important. A clear container is recommended so you can see the water more easily.
3. Now it’s time to test your soil. Simply stir a teaspoon or two of the soil you wish to test into the water and leave it for a few hours.
4. When you come back to check on the water, you’ll find out whether your soil is acidic, neutral or alkaline – depending on the color of the water.

Reading the Results

Depending on whether your soil is acidic, neutral, or alkaline, the cooled cabbage water will change color.

Angelika Zaber, gardening expert and lawn care specialist at Online Turf, explains what the different colors mean, as well as what to do if your results aren't clear:

"When exposed to acidic solutions, like acidic soil, your water will turn pink, while neutral soil tends to give the water a purple color, whereas alkaline solutions cause the water to turn green or yellow.

"If your results aren't clear and you plan to run the experiment again, I recommend boiling your cabbage in distilled water instead. Distilled water is neutral and free from minerals and impurities that could potentially lead to inaccurate results."

Of course, if you still aren't convinced, you should invest in a soil tester.

Best Soil Testers

Old potting mix has a particular look to it. It pulls away from the sides of the pot, and sits dense and a little crusty on top. Basically, it looks nothing like the light, fluffy stuff it was when it came out of the bag. The organic matter that gave it that lovely structure has broken down, the drainage has been compromised, and whatever fertilizer charge it started with has been exhausted. The plant is just surviving in that potting soil now, and that's probably the nicest thing you can say about it.

But there is a way of giving it a quick refresh, without having to take the plant out of the pot. Topdressing plants in their pots is one of the kindest things you can do for your container gardening buddies ahead of spring. A 10-minute topdress fixes all these problems in minutes – no repotting, no mess, no drama. You just scrape out the top 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) of that tired soil, and fill the space with something worth growing in.

This process is a hearty mix of materials your plants love, including fresh compost, a sprinkling of worm castings, and a little slow-release fertilizer. Watering does the rest, pulling nutrition down into the root zone over time. So if you’re worried your potting soil is spent, crusty or compacted, here’s how to treat your container plants with zero hassles. Discover the art of top dressing to restore nutrients and aeration in minutes.

Why Potting Soil Wears Out

A good potting mix works because of its texture as much as anything. Peat or coco coir hold moisture, perlite keeps things airy, and a bit of fertilizer helps to get early growth moving. But none of that holds up indefinitely. Organic particles decompose, perlite breaks down or migrates to the bottom, and repeated watering gradually presses everything together. What drained freely last spring is likely now compacted or crusty, with almost no air moving through it. Roots don't like this at all.

Most bagged mixes have enough fertilizer for about 6 weeks before it's gone. Liquid feeding helps, sure, but it's not the same thing as the slow background activity that healthy organic matter kicks off on its own, the kind of low-level biological noise that keeps soil alive. A pot that ran hard through a full outdoor season won't have much left by the last dregs of late winter. So top dressing plants in containers handles all of these issues in moments – and it couldn’t be simpler to give your pots a refresh.

Grab These Topdressing Essentials

Creating the best combination of topdressing treats for your container garden involves a blend of optimal nourishment, structural integrity, moisture, and drainage. Add these great topdressing essentials:

What You Can Use for Topdressing

Since the replacement layer is the whole point, what goes in really matters. Finished compost is the base. This needs to be dark and crumbly, definitely not full of odd chunks or anything half-cooked. Alongside this, a top dress supercharge relies on worm castings, around 1 part castings to 2 parts compost. These are loaded with microbial life and release nutrients slowly. Create structure with the likes of coco coir or grit. Here are some of the core ingredients that can replenish weary potting soil:

• Worm castings: The perfect addition for introducing beneficial microbes that can work fast. Worm castings such as those from Back to the Roots (above) act as a gentle fertilizer and soil conditioner.
• Biochar: A highly porous form of charcoal that holds onto nutrients and provides a permanent home for beneficial soil biology. Blends such as that by Rosy Soil (above) are a perfect partner for worm castings.
• Orchid bark: Adding fine-grade bark to your mix improves macroporosity, ensuring oxygen reaches the roots. Bettergro Orchid Bark, available from Lowe’s, is an excellent texture boost and can help to prevent future compaction.
• Coco coir: This is a sustainable alternative to peat that resists compaction. You can buy Sta-Green Coconut Coir from Lowe’s. Mixing some of this into your topdress helps with water absorption.
• Gravel or grit: For succulents or cacti, a topdress of horticultural sand or grit prevents stem rot and assists in effective drainage.

Round out your topdressing mix with a granular slow-release fertilizer. Slow-release fertilizer granules like Osmocote Smart Release Plant Food from Amazon work well. Blend everything together in a separate container before anything goes in the plant pot. That way, the goodness distributes evenly rather than sitting in hot spots near the surface. Add a little splash of water, and it's ready to go.

How to Topdress for Success

Loosen the top inch of existing soil with a hand fork, small trowel, ice-cream scoop, a large spoon, or an old chopstick. Work around the stems. Then scoop out the top 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) of compacted material and pitch it into the compost pile – it's earned its retirement. Any roots clinging to it can be brushed off gently, but don't stress the details.

Pack the fresh mix into the space and press it down enough to close up air pockets, but not so hard it compacts. Keep a little gap at the rim, half an inch (1.25 cm) or so – or else the first watering will run off the edges. Use a can with a rose head, such as the Qilebi Watering Can with Sprinkler Rose from Amazon. Without that gentle spray, a heavy stream of water can crater the loose soil, exposing the roots you just covered, and causing your nutrient-rich mix to spill over the rim before it has a chance to settle.

When You Can Topdress Containers

Late winter into early spring is the right window for topdressing your plants. Aim for just before the plant starts pushing serious new growth, so the fresh material is in place and ready when the roots are. Most houseplants and spring containers do well with a topdress once a year on that schedule. For vigorous outdoor perennials or anything that ran particularly hard through a full growing season, a lighter second pass in midsummer isn't a bad idea at all.

Timing it before new growth kicks off also means the plant recovers from any minor root disturbance quickly. There's energy coming in and the conditions are right for it. Do it too late into active growth and there is a bit more disruption (although chances are it's not the end of the world). Earlier is just better if there's a choice.

How Long It Takes to Work (& Lasts)

Results take a few weeks to really show up, but they do show up. New leaves come in larger, color deepens, and the plant will look more like itself than it has in a while. What's happening underneath is simple; steady low-level nutrition filtering down from the fresh layer above, improved drainage and aeration replacing what compaction had ruined, and biological activity in the potting soil again. All of this is less dramatic than a full repot. The plant doesn't notice the difference from a standard feed – there is none of the potential stress of repotting at the wrong time, or in the wrong way.

As an extra worm casting recommendation, Wiggle Worm Pure Worm Castings from Amazon are great for the long term. One bag goes a long way, stores well between uses, and makes a real difference in the finished mix. Topdressing is one of those habits that feels almost too easy, considering how consistently well it works. Do it once ahead of spring, and the whole season just goes better because of it.

Aftercare for Topdressed Plants

Once you’ve topdressed, remember the initial settling soak. Use a gentle stream of water to saturate the new material; this ensures the fresh nutrients begin the journey down toward the root ball. You may notice the soil level drops slightly after this first watering as air pockets close. Feel free to add a tiny bit more mix if it dips too low.

In the weeks following, keep a close eye on watering. Your fresh top layer (especially if it contains coco coir or compost) will likely hold moisture better than the old, compacted brick below it. So the surface might look damp while the root tips might still be thirsty. Use the finger test and poke past the new layer to ensure the moisture is reaching the heart of the pot. By mid-spring, the layers should have integrated, and you can be confident your plant has the fuel it needs for the season ahead.

A few weeks later, once your topdressing is established, start using a diluted liquid feed every 2-4 weeks. You can buy Miracle-Gro Performance Organics from Lowe’s. Used through summer, this keeps the momentum going for your container plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Seedlings aren't just small plants. They handle nutrients differently than established plants. They’re more sensitive, less forgiving, and much easier to set back than a mature plant. A tomato in a garden bed can shake off a lot of bad decisions. That same plant at two weeks old, crammed into a small cell with barely any roots, just can't.

Luckily, fertilizing seedlings isn't complicated. But it does entail following different rules than you might with mature plants in the garden. Those first few weeks are where strong seedlings and struggling ones split, and a lot of it comes down to how you fertilize them.

I’ll share the most common seedling fertilizer mistakes that can make or break your young plants. It’s vital to avoid these errors if you want your seedlings to last long enough to make it out into the garden.

Common Seedling Fertilizer Mistakes

The damage tends to sneak up: some yellowing, a little stunted growth, leaf edges browning in a way that gets blamed on watering or light before anyone thinks to question the fertilizer.

By the time it's clearly a problem, the seedling is already behind. Most of it comes down to good intentions applied at the wrong time or in the wrong amount for where the plant is in the growth cycle.

Avoid these common fertilizer mistakes to make sure your seedlings grow big and strong.

1. Starting Too Early

Seedlings don't actually need supplemental fertilizer until the first true leaves show up. That's not the seed leaves, also known as cotyledons, that emerge at germination, but the second set of leaves.

Up until then the plant is running on what was packed into the seed and fertilizer added to the mix at that point isn't helping anything along. It just sits in the growing medium and builds up salt around roots that haven't had a real chance to develop yet.

Hold off until those first true leaves are fully open. In fact, there's no harm in waiting a bit longer than that either. Give your seedlings some time to toughen up and mature before giving them a first dose of fertilizer. It should almost be time to transplant seedlings outdoors before they're ready for supplemental feeding.

2. Using Full-Strength Fertilizer

The rates of application for fertilizer written on the label are for established plants with root systems that can actually process a full-strength feeding. Seedling roots are tiny, sparse, and sitting in a small volume of growing medium with nowhere for excess nutrients to go.

Giving seedlings a full-strength dose in that situation can cause fertilizer burn. It shows up as browning leaf edges, sudden wilting, or a growth stall that's genuinely hard to pull a plant back from.

Start at quarter strength and work up gradually as the plant develops. Liquid seedling fertilizer, like this one from Amazon, makes feeding easy and gives you much more control over concentration than granular options do this early on.

3. Applying to Dry Soil

Fertilizing dry potting soil concentrates nutrients right at the root zone with nothing to buffer them, which means fertilizer burn becomes a lot more likely. This is an easy mistake when fertilizing and watering feel like one task, but the order genuinely matters here.

Water seedlings first, give the soil a minute to absorb, then follow with the fertilizer solution. Nutrients moving through damp soil distribute a lot more evenly than they do landing on dry roots.

4. Sticking to a Schedule

A calendar-based fertilizer routine holds up fine for mature plants sitting in stable conditions. But seedlings are different. A two-week-old plant and a six-week-old one that's nearly ready to transplant aren't in the same situation at all, even if they're in the same tray.

Using the same fertilizer schedule for all your seedlings tends to mean the young ones get too much fertilizer while the older ones don't get enough. Slow, pale growth with small leaves usually points to underfeeding. Dark green color with thick stunted stems often means too much nitrogen.

Watch what the plants are doing and adjust from there, scaling up feeding as their root systems actually develop.

5. Using High-Nitrogen Fertilizer

High nitrogen might sound right for young plants, but what it actually does is push soft, leggy growth. That kind of growth is more prone to damping off and fosters seedlings that transplant worse than ones that have stockier, stronger growth.

A balanced NPK fertilizer, or something leaning slightly towards phosphorus does a lot more for seedlings than a high-nitrogen formula. Root development is what matters most before these plants go anywhere, and phosphorus is what drives that.

6. Never Flushing Out Soil

Salt buildup in soil is a sneaky problem in small containers. There's no natural leaching happening the way there is in outdoor garden soil. Repeated fertilizing just adds more and more salts into the medium over time, until the roots start struggling to take up water – even when there's plenty of it.

This issue often looks like underwatering, gets treated like underwatering, but usually gets worse because of it. Every few weeks, run plain water through containers until it drains freely from the bottom to leach out excess salts. If there's persistent wilting or browning around leaf edges that doesn't make sense given the care routine, salt is a good first problem to check.

A fine spray watering can, like this one from Amazon, makes flushing easy without disturbing small root systems or washing potting mix out of drainage holes.

Tips for Fertilizing Seedlings

The same issue runs through all of these common seedling fertilizer mistakes: overdoing it. Seedlings need less fertilizer than it seems like they should, applied more carefully than it feels like it matters.

A light hand, good timing, and paying attention to what the plants are actually doing covers most of it. The goal when growing plants to transplant outdoors is producing strong, stocky seedlings. That comes from steady measured feeding. Get that part right and the rest of the growing season will practically take care of itself.

Growing plants can often feel like a guessing game. Buying the best seeds, following the watering instructions, and providing plenty of sunshine – these are all clearly important, yet they are just a part of it. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by yellowing leaves or stunted growth, the culprit may be hiding in plain sight in your soil.

Your soil (specifically its pH level) acts as a sort of gatekeeper for any nutrients you add. If your soil pH is off, your plants literally can’t eat, no matter how much fertilizer you apply. But before you rush out to buy a soil test kit, there is a simple “fizzy” way to get a baseline reading. This deceptively simple pantry hack deploys a couple of household items to get a read on the state of your soil’s pH.

Using white vinegar and baking soda, you can perform a pantry "fizz test" that provides immediate answers. Relying on basic kitchen chemistry, it’s a fantastic way to save money and gain confidence in your soil health before committing to a plan of action. So is your soil acidic, alkaline, or neutral? Here is how to reveal your soil’s secret profile in minutes.

Why Bother Testing Soil pH

Most gardeners don’t realize how much soil pH quietly runs the show. Drop down to around pH 5 in acidic conditions, and suddenly calcium and phosphorus get locked away in forms that roots can’t touch. Jump up to pH 8 on the alkaline side, and iron and manganese disappear, leaving plants looking yellow and starved – no matter how much fertilizer you add.

The sweet spot for most veggies and flowers is the slightly acidic to neutral range of pH 6-7. However, a few garden favorites play by different rules. Blueberries and azaleas crave sharper acidity (4.5-5.5), while lilacs and clematis prefer a touch of alkalinity (7-7.5). So testing soil first helps you to dodge a lot of headaches.

Decoding the mystery of your garden soil unlocks the full potential of any plant you decide to grow. It also enables you to manipulate your soil profile, making it more or less acidic – say, if you need to make your hydrangeas a different color or just make sure you can grow the ultimate blueberries.

Why This Cheap Test Works

Chemistry doesn't care about price tags. This nifty fizz test works because vinegar is acetic acid and baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (a base). They react with opposite compounds in the soil, in much the same way as a bespoke soil pH test kit – just without the precision measurements.

For basic garden questions such as "should I add lime?" or "will my hydrangeas be happy?" then this simple fizz test is plenty helpful. It takes a few minutes to determine if your soil pH skews acidic or alkaline through easy fizzing – and then if you need to improve garden soil accordingly. And if you don’t see a reaction, your soil is likely neutral. So before you reach for a commercial soil testing kit, this pantry trick is remarkably instructive (and very cheap).

What You Need for This Test

To make your own DIY pH kit for soil testing, just head on to the pantry and gather these items from the cupboard:

• Two small glass jars or bowls: These ComSaf Mini Mason Jars from Amazon work perfectly for holding samples.
• Soil samples: Dig 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) down in a few parts of a particular area. Aim for depth, where the roots live. Mix them together for an average reading.
• Distilled water: Make sure the water is distilled. Tap water contains minerals that can skew the results of our fizz tests.
• White vinegar, half a cup per test.
• Baking soda, 3-4 generous spoonfuls per test.
• Tablespoon or teaspoon for mixing.

1. How to Check for Alkaline Soil

Scoop two tablespoons of your mixed soil into your first jar. Add distilled water and stir until it’s a thick, gloopy paste, like heavy pancake batter. Pour in about half a cup of white vinegar and watch closely.

Immediate fizzing or bubbling means your soil is alkaline (above pH 7). A light fizz suggests a pH around 7.5, while heavy foaming signals 8.0 or higher. What you are seeing is CO2 gas bubbling up as the vinegar’s acid reacts with alkaline compounds (mostly carbonates) in the dirt – it’s simple, and fun to see in action.

2. How to Check for Acidic Soil

Mix a fresh 2-tablespoon soil sample in your second jar with distilled water. Mix it to the same muddy consistency as the first test. This time, sprinkle in a generous amount of baking soda, and watch.

Bubbling here indicates your soil is acidic (below pH 7). The strength of the reaction again indicates how far from neutral your soil is. A mild fizz means you're likely in the 6–6.5 range, while a strong reaction suggests a soil pH of 5.5 or lower.

What to Do Next

If you saw no reaction in either jar, please don’t be sad. It means you likely have neutral soil (around pH 7). For a lot of the plants you’ll be wanting to grow, this is great news. You can plant confidently using standard compost and organic fertilizers, and expect happy planting with a wide range of shrubs, perennials and annuals.

However, if your results throw up acidic or alkaline soils, then based on the plants you wish to grow, you will need to bear the following in mind:

• If soil is alkaline: If you need to nudge the pH downward for plants that require neutral or acidic conditions, some elemental sulfur, aluminum sulfate, or peat moss are your best bets. For a quick fix, True Organic Prilled Sulfur from Amazon is a great option, but check amounts carefully to avoid burning plant roots. For a slower, gentler approach in small beds, mixing in 2 inches (5 cm) of peat moss during spring prep works wonders. You can also mix in some elemental sulfur, or Down to Earth Organic Sulfur Acidifier from Amazon.
• If soil is acidic: Again, if you need to raise the pH for more alkaline-loving plants like camellias, clematis, or lavender, add some lime to the soil. Agricultural lime or dolomitic lime both get the job done. You can buy Organic Dolomite Lime Amendment from Amazon. Spread it evenly and water it in well, but remember that sandy soils react quickly, while heavy clays take more time and product to shift. Start with a light hand, then retest in a few weeks to see how it’s coming along.

When to Run the Test

Timing is everything in the garden. Ideally, you should perform the fizz test before you start a fresh bed, or whenever your plants are looking unhappy for no obvious reason. If your last growing season felt like it involved lots of mysterious yellow leaves, slow growth, or a lack of blooms despite regular watering and sunshine, then this could be the perfect time to do the fizz check before spring arrives. These are usually the first visual clues that your soil pH is locking out nutrients.

Don’t lump the whole yard together, though. It’s worth testing specific corners separately (taking a few samples from different areas). Soil under pine trees or evergreen shrubs almost always trends acidic, due to needles breaking down. Meanwhile, spots near concrete foundations, patios, or old walkways tend to creep alkaline as lime leaches out of the stone over time.

It’s a good habit to retest every couple of years, especially after you’ve added major amendments like a good mulching or thick layers of compost. Organic matter slowly pushes soil pH lower as it decomposes, while lime or sulfur applications take their time to settle in. Quick fizz checks let you catch when you’ve finally hit the right range, so you can stop tweaking and start growing.

What the Test Won’t Tell You

The fizz test shows the general direction, but not the exact numbers. A slight vinegar fizz could mean a pH of 7.2 or 8. There is no way to tell for sure without more precise equipment. While this works brilliantly for broad veggie raised beds or flower borders, finicky acid-loving plants like blueberries will need a precise soil acid test kit. That way, you can lay the right foundations for the juiciest, more generous harvests.

Our DIY soil test also misses nutrient levels (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), soil texture, and organic matter content. This fizz method is great for quick seasonal checks, but consider a lab analysis every few years, and try bespoke soil kits such as the Rapitest Soil Test Kit from Amazon for a deep-dive into overall soil health.

If you are prepping soil beds in late winter, it’s also worth thinking about gentle high-quality amendments, such as humic acid or worm castings. These won't drastically swing your pH, but they will improve soil structure and microbial life, and make minerals more accessible to plants. You can buy Sta-Green Earthworm Castings from Lowe’s to give your soil a gentle organic boost.

Taking Soil Health to Next Level

Once you have taken this quick DIY test and decoded soil pH, you’ve taken at least some of the guesswork out of better soil health. The fizz test is a great first look, but remember that decoding soil health is a journey. If you want detailed insights to help plant smarter, try these soil care essentials.

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While your garden may look dormant in January, the soil is still there, acting as a sponge for invisible pollutants. As snow melts and rain falls, it carries de-icing salts from nearby roads and sidewalks directly into your flower beds. These salts act like a microscopic vacuum, pulling moisture out of plant roots and leaving them dehydrated even in wet earth. Simultaneously, herbicide residues from summer lawn treatments can carry over in the soil, waiting to stunt your spring seedlings.

Plants often struggle in the spring because of "hidden" stressors that build up over the winter. The danger of these toxins is that they mimic nutrient deficiencies. You might see a yellowed leaf and reach for the fertilizer, but in salty or chemically stressed soil, extra fertilizer actually worsens the problem!

Catching these issues in January allows you to clear the path for your plants before the growing season even begins.

How to Test Your Soil

You don’t need a lab or any fancy gear to check for soil toxins. All you need is soil, jars, and radish seeds.

Radish seeds?? That's right! Radishes are the "canaries in the coal mine" for gardeners. They germinate in just 3–7 days and their sensitive roots absorb toxins immediately, showing stress signals long before other plants would. The process of using them to test soil is called a "radish bioassay." Here's how to do it.

Materials

• Two small jars: One for your garden soil, one for control soil. These mason jars from Amazon are perfect.
• Radish seeds: Any variety works, but "Cherry Belle" is famously fast.
• Control Soil: A bag of sterile potting mix (to show you what "healthy" looks like). My personal favorite is FoxFarm Light Warrior, available on Amazon.
• Garden Soil: Collect samples from the top 6 inches (15 cm) of your garden beds.

Instructions

1. Prep the Jars: Fill one jar with your garden soil and the other with the sterile potting mix. Label them clearly.
2. Moisten: Add water until the soil feels moist to the touch.
3. Sow: Plant 10-15 seeds in each jar, about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) deep. Cover the soil gently with your fingers.
4. Create a Greenhouse: Cover the jars loosely with plastic wrap to hold in humidity and place them on a bright windowsill.
5. Observe: Use a spray bottle to keep the surface moist. Within a week, compare the growth in your garden soil to the "control" jar.

Results

Once your radishes have sprouted, take a look at them. In clean, healthy soil, radishes will push up straight, sturdy stems (hypocotyls) with vibrant green leaves. They should have a 90% germination rate. Basically, they should look like this:

If your soil is toxic, the results are dramatic. You might see twister or curled stems, which often indicates herbicide residue, or burnt yellow tips on the leaves, which is a classic sign of salt accumulation. Germination rate will be much lower – likely 60% or less.

How to Fix It

If your radishes come up stunted or discolored, you still have time to fix it. For salt-heavy soil, the most effective solution is a deep, consistent flush. Hose your beds deeply 3-5 times a week – this will wash the sodium down past the root zone where it can no longer harm young plants. Adding a soil amendment like this gypsum from Amazon can also help – it binds with the sodium and improves the overall soil structure.

For chemical or herbicide residues, the strategy shifts toward dilution and biological breakdown. Mixing in 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) of finished compost introduces a massive army of beneficial microbes that work to metabolize and break down chemical "hangers-on." This doesn't just dilute the toxins; it builds a rich, crumbly soil base that acts as a buffer for future stress.

Once you've treated the soil, you can run the radish test again in four weeks to confirm that the environment is finally safe to plant in.

To be truthful, I am more of an outdoor plant person than a houseplant person. But my partner loves tropical houseplants and he’s always adding to our collection (we have over 100 now). He loves to propagate cuttings from friends and is prone to rescuing dying houseplants in the sale section of the big box home improvement store. Unfortunately, some of those rescue plants don’t fare much better once they’ve made it home.

A few months ago, one of my good friends from the park service mentioned that she has had great success switching some of her pickier tropicals from traditional soil to LECA, which is a type of semi-hydroponic medium. LECA stands for “lightweight expanded clay aggregate” and can be beneficial for certain houseplants.

Using LECA takes a little getting used to and it is not a suitable medium for all houseplants, but the plants I switched to LECA are making a great recovery.

What is LECA?

Lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) is a soilless growing medium that looks like clay marbles. LECA balls are made by heating natural clay to high temperatures in a rotating kiln. This causes the clay balls to expand and become porous. LECA balls are great at wicking water while also providing lots of air circulation for plant roots.

LECA is lightweight, pH neutral, and reusable. Although it is on the pricier side of soilless media, it can be a great option for plants that are easily damaged by soggy soil. Unlike traditional potting soil, LECA clay balls won’t harbor any pests like fungus gnats. I also love that it is less messy than potting soil.

You can purchase LECA balls at Amazon, the Home Depot, or from your local garden center.

Which Plants Benefit From LECA?

Plants like monstera, alocasia, orchids, snake plants, and philodendrons all do well in LECA. I switched a ‘Thai Constellation’ variegated monstera and two alocasia plants from soil to LECA and they have been recovering well and putting out new growth like crazy.

These plants had root rot problems in the potting soil they came in from the big box store and I was afraid they were a lost cause. Making the switch to clay balls was a Hail Mary effort and it has paid off!

Other plants that do well in LECA include ZZ plants, spider plants, jade plants, peperomia, and hoya.

How to Make the Switch to LECA

Using LECA as a soilless medium does require investment of time and practice in order to get it right. Here is how to get started:

1. Rinse the clay balls to remove any excess clay dust. Rinse repeatedly until the water runs clear.
2. Soak LECA balls in water for 24-48 hours so they absorb water and will be ready to transfer the water to your plant’s roots.
3. Remove the plant from its pot and gently rinse all the soil from the roots. This takes time and patience. All soil needs to be completely removed so that the water in the new semi-hydroponic set up doesn’t get mucky. This is also a good time to trim any mushy or diseased roots.
4. Place the first layer of LECA balls in your container of choice and gently place your plant’s roots on top. While holding the plant, gently fill clay balls around its roots until you reach just below the base of the stalk. Add more clay balls if necessary to ensure the plant is stable, but do not have the balls touching the stalk.
5. Use filtered water to fill up the bottom third of your container, or just to where the root tips are. As the plant adjusts, it will grow new roots that are adapted to the level of moisture.
6. Be patient and monitor closely. The transition period to LECA is different for each plant, so keep a close eye on it and make changes as necessary.

More Tips for LECA

• Since LECA is a completely inert material, there are no nutrients and you will need to use hydroponics fertilizer like this FloraGro trio from General Hydroponics, which is available from Amazon.
• Younger plants with less complex root structures are easier to transplant into LECA and will make the transition better than older plants.
• Since using LECA requires some experimentation, try it out with a small plant that you don’t have much investment in. A great way to start is by taking a cutting from a healthy plant, get roots started in a propagation station, and then transfer it to a LECA setup.

Winter sends most plants into a quiet rest, with growth grinding to a halt as light fades and cold sets in. But you still may be asking the question, “Can I fertilize in December?” Usually it's a bad idea to fertilize in the winter – excess nutrients force weak shoots that succumb to frost or disease. Yet a handful of indoor bloomers and fruits keep pushing through the month and actually benefit from a careful dose of fertilizer at the end of the year.

You can fertilize plants in December only if they're actively growing indoors or currently blooming. Outdoor plants rest deeply in December, but houseplants under lights keep going. The same basics of fertilizer types and timing that fit any season apply here, too. Stick to diluted formulas to avoid fertilizer burn on these winter workers.

December fertilizing risks outweigh benefits for dormant plants, but the right ones thrive with it. December fertilizer should always be half-strength or less, mixed with lukewarm water. The key is watching for signs like new leaves or buds – that's your cue to feed sparingly. Let's take a look at the 10 plants that benefit from fertilizing in December.

1. Indoor Citrus Trees

Indoor citrus trees, like lemons and oranges, often bear fruit in winter if conditions stay warm. They need steady nutrients to support that load without stalling. Feed every 4-6 weeks with a citrus fertilizer diluted to half strength. The leaves will stay glossy and the fruit will develop nicely when you get it right.

Watch for yellowing leaves – that's a sign of deficiency. A balanced fertilizer like this citrus food from Amazon keeps pH low and iron available to plants. Water thoroughly after fertilizing to flush out excess salts. The pot should feel heavier, but drain fast. New growth will appear within weeks.

2. Potted Herbs

Indoor herbs like basil, rosemary, and mint push out leaves year-round when placed under grow lights. December fertilizing keeps them bushy and flavorful without a break. Use a light organic fertilizer every 3-4 weeks, mixed weakly to avoid leggy stems. The herbs will perk up, filling the kitchen with scent.

Pinch herbs regularly to encourage branching. An all-purpose liquid fertilizer like this from Amazon dissolves quickly and absorbs fast. Soil should stay moist but not wet – it will feel springy to the touch. Fresh harvests should continue through the holidays this way.

3. Amaryllis

Amaryllis bulbs flower boldly in December, drawing energy from stored reserves. Fertilize amaryllis lightly every two weeks with a phosphorus-rich fertilizer once buds open. The stems will stand tall and colors deepen.

Cut back faded flowers, but leave foliage. A bloom-boosting fertilizer like this from Amazon promotes strong petals without excess nitrogen. The bulb will feel firm when fed right. Water sparingly to prevent rot. Getting an amaryllis to rebloom next year is easy with proper care like this.

4. Christmas Cactus

Christmas cacti bloom in December, then shift to foliage growth. Fertilize lightly after flowers drop to fuel new green growth. A balanced houseplant fertilizer diluted to half and applied every month works well. Your plant should stay plump and ready for next year's show.

Avoid overwatering during feedings. An Epsom salt mix like this from Amazon for magnesium helps if Christmas cactus leaves turn purple or red. Foliage will feel waxy when healthy and light from an east window aids nutrient uptake. Fertilizing Christmas cacti this way will aid recovery from bloom stress quickly.

5. Cyclamen

Cyclamen bloom through winter indoors, but they need consistent nutrients to produce those ruffled flowers. Fertilize every 2-3 weeks with a low-nitrogen formula at quarter strength. The petals will hold color longer and leaves stay green.

Cool rooms suit cyclamen best. A diluted houseplant fertilizer prevents lush growth that's prone to pests. Tubers should feel solid below the soil. Bottom-water to keep crowns dry and prevent rot. Blooms will extend into spring with careful fertilizing of cyclamen plants.

6. Paperwhites (Narcissus)

Paperwhites forced indoors grow fast in December, so they benefit from a light soluble feeding during stem elongation. Add a weak all-purpose fertilizer once foliage reaches 4 inches (10 cm) . The flowers open fuller and fragrance intensifies.

Discard after flowering as paperwhites don't rebloom well. A soluble fertilizer dissolves quickly for easy absorption. The bulbs will feel heavy when properly hydrated. Group them in shallow bowls for stability. Stems stretch tall without tipping over.

7. Forced Hyacinths & Tulips

Other forced bulbs, like hyacinths and tulips, push out stalks in winter and also need soluble feed for strong blooms. Fertilize lightly once buds color up, using a diluted bloom-boosting feed. The scents will fill the room and colors will pop vividly.

Plant in a cool spot post-forcing. Bulbs should feel firm. Chill them before replanting forced bulbs outdoors for the best results. Flowers last weeks longer with a boost of fertilizer.

8. Blooming Orchids

Phalaenopsis orchids bloom anytime, including in December if cycling is right. Feed weekly at quarter strength with an orchid fertilizer during blooming. The roots absorb nutrients quickly, keeping new growth loaded with buds.

Mist aerial orchid roots daily. An orchid fertilizer like this from Amazon supports this tropical plant's needs. A bark potting mix drains fast, so pots will feel light when dry. New leaves unfold steadily throughout the cold months with proper fertilization.

9. Winter-Flowering Pansies & Violas

In mild climates, pansies and violas bloom outdoors in December. Fertilize very lightly with a diluted liquid feed, if soil tests show low nutrients. The flowers should hold through frosts and colors brighten.

Deadhead spent blooms. A mild feed prevents fertilizer burn in cool weather. The soil should feel cool yet loose. Mulch lightly for insulation. Plants spread wider with proper care, filling in nicely for gorgeous winter pots.

10. Nutrient-Deficient Houseplants

Houseplants with yellow leaves or stunted growth in December need a one-time diluted feed to stabilize and recover. Use a balanced formula at quarter strength to correct nutrient deficiencies. The color returns and growth will resume slowly.

Diagnose the exact cause first by looking at leaf patterns. Different types of yellowing signal different deficiencies. Next, a good houseplant fertilizer will revive without shocking your plant. Repot houseplants if roots are crowded and health should improve noticeably in just weeks.

If you are one of those lucky souls who look forward to a white Christmas every year, you have likely heard the expression: “snow is the poor man’s fertilizer.” While it’s the kind of phrase that gets kicked around a lot, have you ever wondered if there is any truth to it? Does snow fertilize the soil?

Like many “old spouse’s tales,” this bit of homespun folklore has a foundation of truth. Like expensive, store-bought soil fertilizers, snow in the garden can add nitrogen, sulfur and other trace elements to the soil. And since it penetrates the soil when it melts, it delivers the nutrients exactly where they are needed.

Let's dig in and explore just how beneficial snow really is for your garden.

Snow Adds Nitrogen

Yes, a new snowfall looks white and clean, just like in the old expression: “pure as the driven snow.” But scientists have established that it is not quite as pure as all that. In fact, as the water that will turn into snow falls through the atmosphere, it picks up trace minerals, including nitrogen which is notoriously good for plant growth. Nitrogen compounds include nitrate, dissolved organic nitrogen and ammonium.

Some of the nitrogen fixed in the snow comes from nearby lightning strikes. The rest is attributable to human activities, like car or factory emissions. Note that the initial flush of snow will have the most nutrients since, once the air is cleared, it takes time to build back up again. Altogether, rain and snow, taken together, deposit between 2 and 12 pounds of nitrogen per acre in the United States.

While the amount of nitrogen garden soil receives from snow is small, nitrogen delivered by snowfall has several important advantages. First, snow stays on the ground for some period, often some weeks, as it is melting. That gives the soil ample time to absorb the nutrients during snowmelt. Second, unlike commercial fertilizers, it is free to fertilize with snow and available to anyone living in a snowy area.

That is why it may be accurate to call snow the poor man’s fertilizer: it costs nothing and provides some nutrients. If you are interested in what nutrients your soil is lacking, try using a soil test kit like this one from Amazon. The amount of nutrients found in snow are very limited, impossible to calculate, and, all in all, inadequate to provide the soil all the nutritional help if it is majorly deficient. It does offer other benefits, however.

Protection and Hydration

You may not like the task of shoveling the driveway, but your garden benefits mightily from snow - in addition to adding nutrients. First, snow hydrates the soil. Although rain may be a quicker way of getting water to plants, much rainwater is lost in runoff. Snow melts gradually and is more likely to be absorbed into the soil, giving a needed drink to seeds, sprouts, and seedlings so they survive until spring rainfall.

In addition, snow acts like a winter mulch on the soil, a mulch you neither need to buy nor to apply. It falls on the soil without human help, then acts like a blanket, insulating the soil, moderating soil temperature and reducing the depth of any freeze. This benefits garden plants that remain in the soil over winter, including bulb plants and perennial plant roots.

Snow also protects plants from hungry animals, since a deep snow layer covers vulnerable lower branches and bark. A deeper snow pack also creates a safe zone in which smaller mammals can dig tunnels and travel distances without worrying about predators.

Soil Aeration and Winter Rest

Hard, compacted soil is not ideal for gardens. Loose soil makes it easier for plant roots to push their way down and seedlings to push their way up. Some farmers use soil aeration techniques to keep their soil loose enough to allow for microorganism activity as well as proper water and air circulation.

A blanket of snow can offer small but meaningful assistance with soil aeration. Melting snow seeps slowly into the soil. As it does, the water fills air pockets, reducing compaction, leading to improved root health and more microbial activity.

Finally, winter snow ushers in a period of rest for both the plants and the soil. With a snow fall and drop of temperatures, plants enter into their annual period of dormancy. This rest period - essentially a time out from growing - helps them save energy they might otherwise expend in producing stems and foliage, and invest what energy they have on root development.

Hopefully, this explained the benefits of snow for your gardens. Rest assured that you can leave that snow right where it is and it will work for you all winter long!

There was a time, dear readers, when I was guilty of dumping used potting mix after just a year of use. Yes, indeed, I used to throw out old potting soil as a matter of habit whenever I potted on my container perennials and houseplants, assuming those admittedly dusty or tired looking piles were no longer useful. The idea that I could reuse potting soil didn’t enter my head. I honestly cringe now when I think about how I used to innocently (and wastefully) tip away untold goodness.

I’m glad to say I’ve learned that there is a much better (and cheaper) way to keep your container gardens healthy. And it doesn’t necessarily hinge on forking out on bags and bags of expensive fresh plant material every time you reach for a pot – or empty one, for that matter. In this day and age, it’s important to embrace a gardening ethos that is geared more towards sustainability, longevity – and frugality!

The thing is, it’s so easy to repurpose and revive tired old potting soil to bring it back to life. Yes, it might look a bit sad after a couple of years of hard graft, but that doesn’t mean it’s done and dusted. If you test your soil, you’ll find that most old potting soil isn’t dead – it just needs a little care to make it rich, airy, and ready for new roots again. There are plenty of uses for old potting soil – just a few thrifty little tricks are all you need to replenish what you’ve got and help it spring back to action.

Now’s a great time to sort through your old post-summer pots and sift through the remains to determine what you can use again next year. Reusing potting soil is a great way to start. By cleaning it, nourishing it, and restoring its structure, you can have beautifully refreshed potting soil ready for your spring planting, and all without buying new bags. So don’t just toss your used pots of dirt! Here’s how to make your old potting mix as good as new in 3 simple steps.

Why Reuse Old Potting Soil (and When Not To)

The ‘why’ of reusing old potting soil is a no-brainer for conscientious, eco-friendly gardeners who care about sustainable living and want to save some money as you go. Knowing how to reuse potting soil cuts down on the need to keep reaching for ‘bag fresh’ each and every time (and all the costs that go with it). Recycling potting soil also reduces waste, and it’s better for the planet. Because when you look at it, it doesn’t actually wear out – what tends to happen after a year or so is that it gets a little tired, loses its structure, and depletes nutrients. All those things can be fixed.

Should you reuse potting soil every time? In order to make this essential resource last longer, there are just a few deal-breakers – those are mold, pests and diseases (the three horsemen of the gardening apocalypse, if you will). Now, trace elements of pest eggs won’t necessarily compromise your potting soil if you take action now. But there’s a line. If you sense its former life may have resulted in waterlogging or disease, if it smells musty or if it’s riddled with bugs, you might need to call it.

If you’re not sure whether your old potting soil is actively bogus or just lacklustre, try the simple smell test. Foul odors can usually give you a reliable indication, as can the health of the plant that was in the potting soil previously (check the roots in this case for signs of rot or mushiness). Black fungus gnats usually make themselves known, and mold reveals itself as fuzziness or slime on the surface of the potting soil in your container gardens.

To gauge the overall health of your potting soil, a soil test is a good idea. Use a meter like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Meter from Amazon to get a sense of water levels, soil ph and nutrient gaps. You can then set about making your old potting soil great again. These easy tweaks show you how to supercharge your soil for future containers and gardening projects. Give it a good clean, replenish the nutrients, improve drainage and structure, and prime your potting soil for the new gardening year. This quick 3-step refresh works like magic. So if you don’t know what to do with old potting soil, read on – because it’s time to clean, feed, and fluff!

1. Clean and Refresh the Old Soil

The business of cleaning old potting soil is two-fold. First, you need to excise any old roots, sticks and chunky plant debris. Depending on potting soil type, you may need to break up any compacted clumps with a trowel, or even by hand. Second, and perhaps more importantly, you need to sterilize the soil to obliterate pathogens and soil-borne diseases. Primarily, we’re talking about pests like fungus gnats, which may be loitering in the potting soil unspotted in egg form. However, sterilizing is also a great way to nuke weed seeds. Cleaning your potting soil is a beautiful way of wiping the slate clean – and the best way to do this is to heat or cook it.

Yes, I know, it sounds a little ooky – and hardly the most delicious thing you’ll be pulling out of your oven this week, but your future plants might disagree. Improving your soil starts with hygiene, and to remove pathogens, you need extreme heat. Cooking or baking old potting soil doesn’t require expensive equipment and special techniques. All you need to clean old potting soil is an oven or a microwave. Just make sure your soil is damp, rather than dripping wet. This moisture is critical during baking as it becomes steam which assists in even heat distribution all the way across and inside the soil.

When cleaning your potting soil in the oven, the magic numbers are 180°F (82.2°C) and 30 minutes. This needs to be inside your soil, not just the oven – so make sure you have a meat thermometer (or similar) handy both before and after baking, ready to stick into the soil. Place your soil in an ovenproof tray or dish, ideally around 4in (10cm) deep – anything more than that might compromise the integrity of the steaming process. I love Fat Daddio’s Large Square Cake Pan from Amazon, for its generous capacity and optimal depth. Cover with foil, also to help with steaming and soil renewal. After cooking, leave the soil in the oven to cool completely.

If using a microwave, place your soil batches in a microwave-friendly container or sturdy bags. You can buy Sealapack Simply Steam Microwave Cook Bags from Amazon, but sturdy freezer bags or plastic tubs are also ok. The top of the bag or the lid of the tub must be left slightly open, so steam can circulate. Again, make sure the soil is moist. In terms of cooking, aim for approximately 90 seconds for every two pounds of soil you microwave. Don’t forget to let it cool completely inside the oven. Hopefully, this removes all those pathogens, so your potting soil is ready for feeding.

2. Rebuild and Nourish the Soil

Knowing how to revitalize old potting soil relies on appreciating what your soil needs, assessing any gaps, and making sure they are added before planting. In that respect, it’s no different to treating outdoor ground-based planting sites before placing your plants in the ground. The best potting soil consists of a happy blend of key nutrients, a fine balance of essential phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), and potassium (K), plus micronutrients such as calcium. A part of this depends on what you are hoping to grow, but having used your soil meter to isolate any depletions and nutrient deficiencies, this is your chance to redress the balance.

Based on the findings of your soil test, your potting soil will almost certainly benefit from some fresh organic matter in the form of well-rotted compost. Aim for one third compost to two-thirds used potting soil. Another great way to rebuild your potting soil back to full health is to add a slow-release organic fertilizer or balanced granular feed. such as Miracle-Gro Shake 'N Feed All Purpose feed from Walmart. Alternatively, add a sprinkling of bone meal chicken manure or kelp meal to top up micronutrients in the soil. Refer back to the findings of your soil test to help with nutrient ratios.

To rejuvenate a weary potting mixture, I also like to add a handful of worm castings, such as Back to the Roots Worm Castings from Amazon. This nod to vermicomposting culture can help to improve texture as well as soil health and microbial levels. As part of this essential potting soil renewal, you can also add a little mycorrhizal fungi or beneficial microbe inoculant. Add other amendments (like lime or sulfur) based on your soil's pH and what you are most keen to grow. Mix your freshly invigorated potting soil thoroughly to ensure an even distribution of goodness.

3. Fluff and Restore Soil Structure

This final step in what to do with old soil from pots is trial and error, based on the types of plants you are looking to grow (whether you are after houseplant potting soil, or potting soil for outdoor containers, for example). This final step is also dependent on how comfortable you feel manipulating soil texture. But it is important to assess structure, since it impacts drainage, water (and nutrient) retention, the effectiveness of root development, and so many important aspects of plant development.

Plus, it’s instructive to get your hands dirty, to identify and eliminate any residual lumps and bumps, and to amend coarseness, grittiness and aeration accordingly. A little perlite, vermiculite, coarse sand, fine bark or coco coir can help to improve the drainage and texture of potting soil, and restore that light, airy feel. Hopefully, these amendments will give your revived potting soil space to breathe, and prospective plant roots plenty of room to stretch and grow.

At this stage, I like to rub the freshly infused potting soil through my fingers to assess how loose and springy the composition feels. Again, this is part personal preference and part instinct – but it gives a good idea as to how your soil is likely to hold up. If you need to make further sifts or loosen residual pockets, don’t be afraid to use a hand fork, crumbler or cultivator. The Wolf Garten Multi-Change Crumbler from Amazon is good for manual cultivation, and I also like the GrillsGoneWild Compost Sifter/Riddle, available from Amazon, for light and fluffy texture adjustments.

Your Potting Soil Revival Checklist

So can you reuse potting soil now? Hopefully, once you’ve cleaned, fed, and fluffed your old pot contents, your refreshed and reinvigorated soil is almost ready to use. Take a moment to tick off these quick checks, and refer back to them for every refresh. Treat it as a mini action plan to help motivate you to revive even more potting soil so it's clean, fertile, fluffy, and in the very best shape come spring:

• Remove debris, weeds and plant roots: Pick out any large roots, rocks, or other plant debris. Sift to help reduce smaller debris.
• Sterilize soil by cooking in an oven or microwave: Bake your potting soil to eliminate the risks of pathogens and residual pests.
• Add new organic matter and organic fertilizer: Replenish nutrients with aged compost, organic material and slow-release fertilizer, plus worm castings to add beneficial microbes back into the soil.
• Test and adjust moisture: Check moisture, add more if necessary, and let it sit for a while, to allow the new microbial life to build up.
• Aerate finished mix: Treat your potting soil to a final sift. Manipulate your freshly topped material to aerate the soil and optimize that fluffy feel.
• Label or store in a dry, rodent-free area until ready to use: Store revived soil in covered bins or breathable bags to protect from frost.

Best Plants for Refreshed Potting Soil

Once you know how to refresh used potting mix and restore it to its former glory, you can use it for all kinds of gardening projects. As long as it’s clean, fertile, and fluffy, it’s good to go. Use it in containers, raised beds, and even flower beds or borders as a soil conditioner. Your refreshed potting soil will work especially well with forgiving, low-maintenance crops such as marigolds, lettuce and nasturtiums.

Recycled and repurposed potting soil is great for easygoing divisions of perennials like monarda and asters, and also for relatively undemanding, nutrient-light ornamentals such as impatiens. Several herbs are great for repurposed potting soil, particularly Mediterranean herbs like rosemary and lavender, and vigorous container-based mints. The only times I'd be inclined to grab brand-new potting soil mixes would be for really hungry feeders like tomatoes. Also, if you’re growing seedlings, I’d recommend a seed-starting mix with lighter, more balanced nutrient levels, which are less likely to burn fragile seedling roots.

Potting Soil Repair Tool Essentials

Knowing what to do with old soil in pots is refreshingly economical. You don’t need loads of fancy kit. But these essentials make light work of clumpy old mixtures and help energize them quickly. Grab these versatile tools to turn last year’s dregs into healthy, fertile potting soils.

Don’t Forget: Feed Microbes and Plants

Potting soil that’s been round the block can quickly be revived. Just remember, while sterilizing is key for removing soil pathogens, you have to take steps to reintroduce beneficial microbes. Some homegrown compost or organic material, a handful of worm castings or some compost tea, and a microbial inoculant, are all great ways to replenish microbial life to the soil, to help boost root health and nutrient uptake.

Couple with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, and use your revived, fluffy soil on hardy perennials and herbs rather than seedlings. It also helps to rotate between plant types, from flowers to herbs to greens, to offset potential nutrient imbalance. That’s all it takes to give tired old soil a second life. Do this, and you’re not only saving money – you’re supporting a more sustainable garden ecosystem that’s bursting with potential new growth, future blooms, and happy harvests.

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Fall is perfect the perfect time to start hügelkultur in your yard. Grab branches, old leaves, and kitchen scraps to build mounds that break down into nice, fertile dirt. It does take a little work, but you save money on soil later. Start small if space is tight. You can do this directly in a raised bed or dig a hole to create a hügelkultur mound.

To start using the hügelkultur system, layer big stuff at the bottom and fine material on top. Then, water it in, and let winter do the rest. The pile soaks up rain and decomposes steadily. Hügelkultur works because wood breaks down slowly, feeding plants for years and the other compost material you add gives an immediate boost to microbes in the soil.

Creating a simple hügelkultur bed now means no hauling bags of dirt in spring. Just a bit of stacking today fills raised garden beds with rich soil come springtime.

Gather Natural Materials

Hügelkultur mimics the forest floor with layers of rotting wood and plants that decompose into soil. It cuts watering and supercharges your soil without store-bought amendments. Wood acts like a sponge, pulling in rain and holding it for roots. As it breaks down, it releases nutrients so plants stay strong all season. You end up with deep, living soil that gets better over time.

To start a hügelkultur bed, hunt down any branches, logs, or sticks lying around the yard—thin twigs, fat logs, whatever is there. Rake up leaves, scoop the grass clippings, toss in straw if you’ve got some. Flatten cardboard, grab old newspaper, or throw in a ratty cotton shirt for carbon. Kitchen scraps are good: coffee grounds, eggshells, veggie scraps. Just no meat, dairy, or oils. Yank weeds before they seed and chuck them on. Even that tired potting soil from old containers gives the hügelkultur pile some heft.

Build Your Hügelkultur Bed in Fall

Cooler months give wood time to soak up rain and start rotting. By spring, your hügelkultur bed settles into a firm mound ready for seeds or transplants. Wet wood rots faster, and cold keeps pests low. The pile will shrink over winter, so you avoid sinking beds in summer. You also use fall cleanup waste instead of bagging it for the curb.

Pick a good sunny spot—at least six hours of light—and mark a long oval that’s about 3 feet high and 6 feet wide (1 m high and 2 m wide). Start small if you’re new to this; a 4 x 8 foot (1.2 m x 2.4 m) bed works perfectly. Dig a shallow trench for the base logs to sit in. You can also construct your hügelkultur mound in a raised bed garden.

Start with big logs at the bottom of your mound and stack them tight to form a base. Add smaller branches next, filling gaps. Toss on cardboard or newspaper to block weeds. Pile leaves, clippings, and scraps in thick layers. Top with compost or garden soil, about 2-4 inches (5–10 cm) deep. Water each layer heavily to settle it and initiate decomposition.

You can add kitchen scraps and soil as you go and be sure to cover your new hügelkultur bed with a final layer of leaves or straw to hold moisture.

Add Kitchen and Garden Scraps All Winter

Adding scraps through the winter keeps your hügelkultur bed cooking all season. Like with regular composting, greens and browns balance each other, pumping nutrients into the mound for spring plants. It turns kitchen waste into fertilizer and keeps the pile active. Microbes and worms move in, breaking down wood faster. You are building healthy soil without buying anything!

Toss in some fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells, and your used coffee grounds daily. Mix that with dry leaves, shredded paper, cardboard tubes, or straw. Avoid thick citrus peels or pine needles in large amounts as they take a long time to break down.

It’s best to bury the scraps a few inches under the top layer so you can hide smells and speed up breakdown. All you have to do is dig a small hole, drop in some greens, cover with some browns, then top with some soil. Make sure that you alternate green scraps with brown material for even rot. A good rule is one part fresh to two parts dry. Add a bit each week and water after adding scraps to keep it damp, but not soggy.

By spring, your yard waste and kitchen scraps will turn to dark, crumbly soil. You will have beautiful, rich soil ready for planting all of your vegetables, herbs, or flowers.

Hügelkultur Essentials

• Looking to build a new raised bed? You can easily make a raised garden bed for cheap out of scrap wood, cinderblocks, or rocks you may have on your property. Or you can purchase a gorgeous metal garden bed kit from Vego Garden.
• Trim branches a twigs from trees and bushes to add to your raised bed with the compact Fiskars folding handsaw from Amazon.
• Make quick work of even large logs with this Greenworks cordless chainsaw from Amazon. The Greenworks brand is a staff favorite here at Gardening Know How!
• Collect kitchen scraps in this stainless steel compost pail from Home Depot that will contain smells until you are ready to add the scraps to your hügelkultur bed. It is also easy to clean!
• Dig into your hügelkultur mound to add kitchen scraps through the winter with the Fiskars ergonomic garden trowel from Amazon.

It is time to start to prepare soil in fall to set up a thriving spring garden next year. A quick fix now keeps dirt loose and aerated, letting roots spread deep when snow melts. Mixing in organic matter takes a bit, but it builds strong soil structure for planting.

Good soil will hold in nutrients properly and will drain well. To prep soil in the fall, you’ll want to work in a little compost to break up any of those hard clumps and boost some. This will help to stop weeds from taking hold, making spring planting a lot smoother.

Just a bit of fall soil prep keeps dirt from packing tight or eroding in winter rains. Not only does it improve drainage, but it also cuts weeding later. Then you raise plants that grow strong from the start

1. Feed Your Soil with Organic Matter

Soil runs out of steam after summer crops pull nutrients. Without a boost, it’s too weak for spring plants. Adding organic material now builds rich dirt, so roots grab what they need to grow strong. It’s a must for next season’s blooms or veggies. I like to use an organic compost like this Back to the Roots compost from Amazon.

You can also use your homemade compost that is comprised of kitchen scraps, leaves, or grass clippings broken down. Manure is good too, but make sure it’s aged to avoid burning plants. Straw or chopped leaves also add bulk to keep soil loose.

I always recommend spreading a thick layer of compost or manure, about two inches deep, over garden beds. Make sure to work it into the soil with a shovel or fork. It takes a bit of work to get going, but it’s very much worth it. Mix it well to feed the soil evenly. Then you let it sit all through the winter, so you get the added benefit of worms and microbes increasing the nutrient levels.

2. Test and Balance Your Soil

Soil that’s off balance grows weak plants—too acidic or low on nutrients stunts growth. Testing soil now lets you fix things before planting, so crops don’t struggle. A quick check avoids a surprisingly weak harvest when spring hits.

Grab an easy little soil test kit like this from Amazon to check pH and nutrient levels. Scoop dirt from a few spots, mix it, and follow the kit’s steps. If your pH is off, add some lime to raise it or, add sulfur to lower it, working it into the top few inches. For low nutrients, mix in fertilizer based on what the test tells you. Fall soil prep like this sets you up for strong roots.

3. Protect and Build Soil with a Winter Cover

Bare soil washes away or packs down hard in winter rains, making planting tough. Planting a cover crop or using mulch keeps dirt in place, adds nutrients, and stops weeds from taking over. Using a winter cover is a simple move to make spring planting easier.

Use Cover Crops

Cover crops like crimson clover or hairy vetch grow fast and hold soil tight through winter. They’re a great way to amend soil in fall, adding nitrogen when tilled in come spring. Clover will help by boosting the nutrients for your crops like tomatoes, while vetch chokes out any of the weeds that grow.

Scatter all of the seeds about a quarter-inch deep and, rake them in very lightly. They can sprout pretty quick. Water well to start their growth, especially if you have dry fall weather. Then you get a richer, looser soil ready for spring planting.

You can buy Seedville USA Russian Vetch Hairy Crown Vetch seeds from Walmart. And you can find crimson clover seeds from Amazon.

Apply Mulch

Applying mulch, like straw or chopped leaves, can aid in stopping any erosion and keeps soil warmer in winter. It’s an easy way to amend soil in fall, while holding moisture and blocking weeds. Straw spreads easy on veggie beds, while leaves are free from your yard. You can get mulch in a variety of colors from Home Depot.

Spread mulch evenly in a three-inch layer over bare spots, making sure to keep it off the plant bases to avoid any rotting. This is going to set up your beds for a super smooth spring start.

Spring and summer gardens are made in the fall. These simple tips to prepare your soil in fall are a great way to get your garden ready for next year. Happy growing!

Shop Spring Prep Essentials

When people think of fertilizing, they tend to think of the spring when fresh bulbs and blooms are working hard to peep their heads through the soil. But fertilizing certain plants in the fall is highly beneficial to give them that much needed boost to get through the winter and ensure a more bountiful crop of plants comes in the better weather.

Even if you’re a more seasoned gardener it can be hard to know which fertilizer is best to use in the fall, and it can be difficult to squeeze in learning about fertilizers among other fall garden tasks such as harvesting crops and preparing your yard for winter.

To help you, I talked to five horticulturalists on the topic of the best fall fertilizers to create a reliable list of their top recommendations, including information on why each kind is so good. Fertilizing plants in the fall may be an extra task but trust me - and the pros. It’s definitely worth it.

How Is Fertilizing in the Fall Different to Other Times of Year?

Avid gardeners know the benefits of fertilizing their plants in the fall, but these benefits aren’t common knowledge. If you put yourself in the position of your plants for a moment, you’ll quickly see why fertilizing in the fall is so important.

Imagine you’re a freshly planted spring bulb, seeking nutrients to grow healthy and strong. You’ll definitely benefit from some nutrient-packed fertilizer to help you on the way in the fall. But now imagine you were a grassy lawn, or perhaps a tree or hardy shrub. You aren’t a plant that’s necessarily looking to produce a bunch of new leafy growth throughout the fall and winter, but you could still benefit from nutrients, right? Your roots will be working harder to survive as the soil surrounding you gets colder, so being given extra soil nutrients will be a massive form of support.

Fertilizing in the fall, therefore, is a shift in focus. You aren’t aiming to produce new growth, but rather to protect what you already have from the harsh shift in temperature. Even if you live somewhere with a milder fall and winter climate, it’s important to remember that plants are outside in the elements at all times and their roots will be feeling everything!

5 of the Best Fall Fertilizers, According to Experts

I spoke with five expert horticulturalists to get their thoughts on the best fall fertilizers. Let's break it down.

1. 3-1-2 NPK Blend

The first recommendation of fertilizers for fall comes from Hillary Thompson, a horticulturalist at Super Sod, who recommends a balanced NPK variety. NPK refers to nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium: three essential nutrients that are all important in their own ways to keep plants healthy in the fall.

Opting for a 3-1-2 balance in your fertilizer - 3 for nitrogen, 1 for phosphorus and 2 for potassium - is better than one that’s split into an equal ratio, which may be more suited to other times of year. This 3-1-2 fertilizer from Leaves and Soul can be found on Amazon.

Hillary explains: “I generally recommend blends with a 3-1-2 ratio of N-P-K for optimal absorption in the fall. The common 10-10-10 blend is not ideal for plants in the fall or ensuring growth come spring because plants don't take up nutrients equally. This split aligns better with how plants behave in this shift of season, as well as with what they need.”

Nitrogen helps plants to develop new growth. Even though you won’t see this growth in the colder months necessarily, it’ll really help your plants to thrive in the spring. Phosphorus strengthens the roots of a plant and stimulates stronger root development which is vitally important in the cooler weather for survival. And lastly, potassium is ideal for helping to improve hardiness and boosting your plant’s immune system to fend off diseases. This trio is amazing for plants looking to survive through fall and winter.

2. Lawn Winterizing Fertilizer

The second recommendation comes from Chris Link of Plant Addicts, who believes fertilizers with winterizing properties are a great pick for fall as their main purpose is to boost the strength of your plant’s roots and fend off diseases until spring comes. Fertilize grass in fall for a better lawn next year.

“In my opinion the best fall fertilizer has to be the Ferti-lome Winterizer Lawn Food available on Amazon,” says Chris. “It’s designed to build winter hardiness and strengthen roots so turf and woody plants will come through the winter healthier, as well as green up faster in the spring. I also like how it contains a decent amount of potassium to support cold tolerance and disease resistance without pushing tender top growth late in the season.”

The Ferti-lome Winterizer is available on Amazon in two different ratios of NPK: the 10-0-14 or the 25-0-6. If your main goals are to build hardiness and cold resistance while encouraging new growth overall, without a particular concern for roots of more fragile plants, this is a great pick. Remember, the last time to fertilize your lawn is Halloween. Cold fall weather will make your fertilizer less effective, so don't wait. As always, be sure to read the fertilizer’s label carefully to dilute the correct amount for your plants.

3. A Slow-Release Variety

Bryan Clayton of GreenPal has worked with gardens, lawns and landscapes for years, and swears by a slow-release variety of fertilizer for the fall.

“When it comes to fall fertilizer, I’ve always had the best luck with a slow-release granular triple 13 like the 13-13-13 Garden Grower Fertilizer from Amazon,” says Bryan. “It’s balanced, feeds your existing plants, and it’s gentle enough that it won’t scorch new grass seed if you’re topping up patches in your yard ahead of spring.”

Though Bryan notes that it’s important to do your research to make sure you’re using the right formation of slow-release fertilizer to work with the kind of soil in your yard.

“Do a little research and make sure you’re using the right formulation. And definitely stick with granular varieties - not liquid. Liquids can burn tender plant growth if you’re not careful,” says Bryan.

A plant meter like this 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon will tell you the pH of your soil as well as its moisture levels and how much sun it receives. Having this information on your side when choosing your granular fertilizer will be useful, as you can tailor what you’re buying to suit your soil’s needs.

4. Bulb-Tone Organic Fertilizer

This is a great pick if you’re hoping to have a yard filled with stunning plants grown from bulbs come spring. The Bulb-Tone Fertilizer available on Amazon is a slow-release brand that will consistently continue to feed your newly planted flower bulbs and their budding roots underground throughout the fall as it transitions into winter. It’s this consistency that makes it one of James S. Mastaler, PhD, founder and CEO of Pistils & Pollen’s, top fall fertilizer picks.

“My go-to fertilizer for fall planting is Espoma’s Bulb-tone,” says James. “I love planting native perennials this time of year, and I’m also a big fan of spring bulbs - especially daffodils and globe alliums.

“Bulb-tone is a slow-release, organic fertilizer that gently feeds over time. In my experience that’s key in fall, when cooler soil temperatures mean plant roots need consistent, steady access to nutrients as they establish.”

The fertilizer in Bulb-Tone also contains microbes that break down to help improve overall soil health in the long term, making it an investment in both your plant’s health now as well as for your soil in the future.

5. Homemade Compost

Lastly, but not least, the fifth fall fertilizer recommendation I heard was a big green check mark for homemade compost. Lindsey Chastain, a homesteader, gardener and the owner of The Waddle and Cluck, believes the natural properties of compost are amazing for plants, meaning if you have a good supply of compost already you don’t need to go out and buy any fertilizer.

“My favorite fall fertilizer is compost,” says Lindsey. “If you had all summer to let your compost break down in the heat, now is the time to add it to your garden beds.

“Do a thorough cleanout of your beds and remove any dead or diseased plants. Then, mix in some compost to the soil so it has all winter to get your beds ready for spring planting.

“You can add a layer of shredded leaves on top as mulch to add even more nutrients, protect the soil, and give the beneficial bugs a place to overwinter so they will be ready for spring too.”

If you don’t have any extra leaves in your yard to do this, you can top up your beds with something like this Organic Natural Mulch from Amazon. And if you’re hoping to start composting, fall to late fall is a great time to get started.

Overall Verdict

Overall, the best fall fertilizer for you will depend on a few factors including what plants you already have, the kind of soil in your area, and what you’re hoping to grow come spring.

Generally speaking a balanced NPK variety is a solid pick for fall weather, containing simple ingredients that work together to protect your plants right at the source: their roots.

But you can’t go wrong with homemade compost that can be topped up with extra nutrients if you feel uncertain as the weather continues to cool.

Fall is a time to think about gardening jobs that may have been on the back burner while beds and planters were fizzing with dazzling ornamental color and cropping abundance. As more gaps appear in borders, rockeries, and patio arrangements, no doubt you’ve noticed the tell-tale signs that your garden soil is peaky and exhausted. With many bald and recently emptied patches groaning from diminished nutrients, structural disintegration and parched earth, you’ll be doing your garden the biggest service right now if you take time to amend soil in fall and give it a helping hand before the next wave of growth begins in earnest.

Autumn is the perfect time to invigorate your garden soil and get it ready for another frantic calendar year. Soil temperatures are still relatively warm, and you’ll have less resistance from the earth if you need to work materials into the ground. Added to which the quieter months of the year give slow-release organic fertilizers and compounds plenty of time to work their magic whilst many perennials, shrubs and overwintering plants are resting. Giving amendments time to get settled into the soil while the weather is gentler and conditions are quieter also reduces the risk of damage to tender plant roots.

Conditioning soil while things are relatively quiet and you still have some decent weather on your side also saves you important time in spring, when you’ll be wanting to get on with other things. But what are the best ways of amending soil in fall, you may well be wondering? Here are some of the best slow-release treatments, derived from a few easy and also a few less-obvious sources. They can all assist in restoring your garden soil’s balance, structure and fertility – so you can hit the ground running as the next gardening year rolls around.

Best Ways to Amend Soil in Fall

Knowing how to amend soil in fall doesn’t have to be complicated, nor does it have to be a chore. In fact, giving your soil a helping hand in autumn can be rewarding and enjoyable – yes, you read that right! I’m not kidding, I find the process of enriching and treating soil endlessly fascinating, from a broader appreciation of worms and beneficial soil organisms to a specific understanding of why certain soil amendments work so well – depending on when, and how, you add them. Making soil amendments in the fall is one of the best things you can do for your garden. And right now, you have time on your side. Things are a bit quieter, and making amendments now means your soil has plenty of time to deal with what you do next.

At this time of year, attention will naturally turn to your compost heap or bin, or any composting routine you already have in place, and that’s as it should be. However, for those of you looking to expand on your soil nourishing strategy, or just experiment a little with different methods of approach, this selection of amendments can all be added in the fall to help set you up for the best blooms and healthiest plants as you head into the new year. Just be sure to test the soil first, as it will help give you some natural pointers and direct your approach for these essential soil improvements. So roll up your sleeves and let’s get started.

1. Worm Castings

If you’re lucky enough to have a generous supply of your own wiggly worms in the garden (in the ground or in a ‘worm farm’ composter), you may already be blessed with a good measure of these in the soil. Worms are synonymous with lush, healthy and organic composting. However, a top-up of worm castings or casts (soil that has been through the digestive tracts of worms) can work wonders for your garden gold on the way into fall. As a slow-release source of essential nutrients, worm castings (or ‘vermicast’) help to replenish beneficial microbes and bacteria, as well as assisting in the co-creation of that lovely crumbly structure.

This wondrous worm-worked concoction, worked into the soil in fall, also gives you a controlled release of essential phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, sulfur and calcium. And as a helpful bonus, it delivers an effective pest control for aphids and spider mites, thanks to an enzyme it releases called chitinase. A vermicomposter like the Vego In-Ground Worm Composter (8 Gallons) from Walmart is a smart (and genuinely fascinating) way of churning out a fresh supply of worm-based goodness, including castings, for a nourishing topdressing for beds and borders.

If you are looking to hit the ground running right away, you can apply these organic amendments for soil in granular form. Highly rated Wiggle Worm Pure Organic Worm Castings from Amazon make exceptional topdressings while the soil is still warm. Simply apply above the root zone, and let this smart vermi-boosting fertilizer do its thing.

2. Bone Meal

Perhaps a little ominous sounding and not the most obvious place to go for soil health, the ground up bits of animals have a lot of natural goodness that your plants crave. Originating primarily from animal bones, this organic supplement is rich in calcium and provides a gentle slow release of phosphorus. Bone meal fertilizer is great news for any perennials and plants that are entering dormancy in your garden, as it helps wrap around roots and fosters healthy root development ahead of spring. Bone meal is an excellent boon for spring flowering bulbs that can benefit directly from this rich root-booster. It also works well for spring flowering shrubs, which can soak up the goodness in a steady way for optimal absorption.

These powdered fall organic amendments for soil are great for any root vegetables you are thinking of adding to a kitchen garden or raised beds, encouraging fast root growth that is robust and well branching around strong central tap roots. Try Back To The Roots Organic Bone Meal With Gypsum (12lb) from Amazon. Alongside bovine-based bone meal supplements, you can get fish bone-based fertilizers (bone-based amendments focus on phosphorus, while those that contain blood add nitrogen for a general-purpose top-up). I love sprinkling crushed fish bone into borders to give root systems a little TLC. Buy Down To Earth Fish Bone Meal (5lb Box) from Amazon. Mix into your compost, sprinkle over the soil surface, or work into the earth with a fork.

3. Cover Crops

Plants that actively improve the condition of your soil? Yes, please! It might sound too good to be true as light and warmth starts to dwindle, but there are still plants geared towards actively fixing soil deficiencies and nutrient gaps caused by overworked summer beds and borders. Cover crop plants replenish these nutrient gaps simply by dint of existing – and they also help to counter the effects of soil erosion, exposure to the elements, and compaction. Growing some of these proactive soil amenders in fall is a simple yet effective way to redress the balance underground ahead of spring – they are deeply low maintenance and seriously hard working, and some of them also look quite pretty, too.

Legumes like crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and alfalfa (lucerne) are naturally adept 'nitrogen fixers' – they redirect nitrogen from the air into the earth via the roots. This is an effective counterbalance to other garden plants, which absorb nitrogen from the soil into their roots. Cover crops appreciate the cooler weather, and flowering types like Survival Garden Seeds Crimson Clover seeds from Amazon can service lingering beneficial insects that may still be tripping in and out of your flower beds. Just be sure to dig the plants into the ground before they self-seed. For a quicker-acting granular alfalfa treatment, buy Dr. Earth Alfalfa Meal from Amazon. Mix into the earth for a generous bump of core nutrients, a food source for soil organisms, and a gentle way to aerate particles and improve structure.

4. Bat Guano

This is perhaps not the most obvious source of goodness when you’re going about soil amending in fall, admittedly. After all, the chances of getting your friendly neighborhood bat to build up a ready supply of fertilizer would hinge on attracting them to your garden on a regular basis, to say nothing of gathering the stuff. And for those of you who aren’t familiar with the word ‘guano’ – yes, we are talking about bat poop. Still, there’s no denying that this unexpected organic soil amendment has a lot of natural clout. It works on a slow-release level when applied in the fall, nourishing the soil over several months to improve friability – which is a fancy way of saying that it works really well to bring about peak crumbliness in the ground.

Get your (gloved) hands on some guano (to prevent the risk of pathogen transfer), and either work into the soil or add as a topdressing. As regenerative gardening techniques go, it might seem like one of the more ambitious, especially if you don’t feel you get much bat action in your backyard. But it’s a genuinely effective treatment, and a little bit goes a long way. So if you’re not sure you can attract any helpful bats in the next few weeks, a quicker way to kickstart the soil amendment process is to buy some highly rated Dr. Earth Pure & Natural Bat Guano from Amazon. Some gardeners also soak guano in water overnight (1tsp of guano to 1gl of water) and then pour it over the soil for an unusually restorative tea.

5. Chicken Manure

Well, now that I’ve done the dirty and opened the floodgates on animal poop (and please forgive that mental image if you can!) I may as well share my favorite way to supercharge the soil in autumn: chicken manure. Adding aged manure to beds is an excellent soil amendment in the fall. The relative warmth of the soil gives animal-based top-ups the home field advantage, accelerating the process of accessing natural goodness like nitrogen, which in turn assists in improving soil structure and aeration levels. And on top of boosting airflow and drainage, there is an extra benefit to adding chicken manure in the fall – it helps to protect the surface of the soil, protecting it from rain and so preventing those important nutrients from being leached away.

There are a couple of ways of getting this perky nutrient source away from your chicken pals and into the ground. You can cultivate your own chicken manure – which is an idea for many growers as chicken gardening becomes more of an attractive sustainable option. However, creating your own chicken poop soil amendment isn’t simply a matter of enticing Henrietta Hen to squat over your flower beds (perish the thought). You can’t just add the poop fresh into the ground as that would be a big mistake – it’s so loaded with nutrients that it can actually burn plant roots in its raw form. As with other manures, chicken manure needs time to be aged before it can be added, either by being composted or cured. It also needs to be heated before use to eradicate the risk of salmonella and the like.

So your second option is to add chicken manure in granular form, making it easy to scatter across the soil surface as a topdressing. Try the highly rated True Organic Chicken Manure from Amazon, which can be added as a topdressing or worked into the soil for enhanced moisture retention.

6. Good Old Mulch

The beauty of mulch as a soil amendment is multifaceted and far-reaching. It helps to regulate soil temperatures, protects the earth from weather extremes, and regulates moisture levels. As long as you have removed weeds from a particular part of your garden before you add this soil amendment, your mulch of choice does a top job of suppressing future weed growth. And while it might be tempting to think of mulch as something that sits on top of the surface of the soil, several organic options break down and release nutrients into the earth (depending on the type of mulch you choose), as well as dynamically impacting structure. There are plenty of excellent natural mulching options which can be applied in the fall to give a measure of protection and sustenance as the seasons shift.

Give a little thought to which type of mulch is easiest to source, and how to apply it, to avoid common mulching mistakes that can adversely affect soil condition. Depending on where you live, your soil type, and plants you already have in your garden, you could easily create a very effective mulch to set your soil up nicely for spring. Gardeners with lawns can put those end-of-summer grass clippings to great use as a natural mulch, particularly on flower beds and veg patches. Pine needles are also in ready supply in many gardens, and break down amazingly fast, working well around shrubs. Straw is a great mulching option for potato growers, and bark is great for ornamental borders. If you don't have access to your own, you can buy Back To The Roots Organic Bark Bagged Mulch from Walmart.

If you use a shredder or chipper like the Yeryork Wood Chipper, Shredder and Mulcher from Amazon, you can quickly transform late summer shrub and perennial prunings into a mulching material that can be layered gently in various spots around the garden. Not forgetting another natural mulch source available at this time of year: leaves! Again, shredding leaves means they will layer better on the surface of the soil, benefiting airflow and the quicker release of vital nutrients as they break down into the soil.

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One of the latest plant hack buzzing around gardening circles is using rice water for plants. Many folks swear it’s a miracle boost for blooms and veggies. The starchy liquid from cooking rice supposedly feeds roots and keeps pests at bay. But is rice water good for plants or is it just kitchen waste you should pour down the drain? The answer is a bit murky, but I've dug into the details for you and will tell you whether this trick is worth trying.

DIY liquid fertilizers for plants are a smart way to nourish gardens without breaking the bank and rice water sounds like it could fit the bill. It’s cheap, easy, and uses what’s already in your kitchen. Giving plants pasta water is another common hack, with some claiming it’s a nutrient-packed alternative to traditional fertilizer.

I'll break down how using rice water for plants works, how you can try it at home, whether fermented rice water for plants is better, and how these methods stack up against the classic pasta water for plants trick. Let's take a look at how surprising fertilizers you can find in your kitchen really hold up and if they're worth your time.

What Is Rice Water?

Before boiling rice, you're supposed to rinse it to wash away any dirt, debris, pesticides, and even pests (yuck!) leftover from the harvesting and hulling process. When you rinse your rice, there's cloudy leftover water that holds starches and trace minerals that plants in your garden or houseplants collection can use. Instead of tossing it down the drain, put it to use for your plants.

This starch wakes up soil microbes, which turn it into food for roots. It’s more of a slow-release snack and less like a full-blown, balanced fertilizer. Rice water is not a cure-all either. Overuse can attract pests or mold, especially in wet climates.

Fermented rice water for plants also adds probiotics, like lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus cereus, which boost soil health. Though watering plants with plain boiled water works fine, it won't have the additional starch to feed microbes.

Leftover pasta water carries wheat starches that act in a similar way to rice water. Both are safe and cheap, but neither replaces fertilizing houseplants with a balanced fertilizer like this one from Miracle-Gro on Amazon.

Benefits of Rice Water for Plants

Tomatoes respond especially well to starchy rice water. The starch fuels soil microbes that help roots soak up water by loosening the soil, especially when fruits are forming. Peppers may pop out more buds with regular doses of rice water, too.

Acid-loving plants like blueberries or azaleas, however, prefer pasta cooking water. Its slight acidity matches their soil needs. What other plants like pasta water? Rhododendrons and hydrangeas dig it, too.

Houseplants like pothos or peace lilies take to rice water like champs. It keeps their soil moist without overloading nutrients. Skip this trick for succulents, though—they hate the extra wet.

Potential Risks of Rice Water

Since leftover pasta liquid carries starch from wheat, which makes it a touch acidic, it works as a mild fertilizer for certain plants but not for others. For plants that prefer alkaline soil, avoid adding pasta water.

And though the carbs in pasta water and rice water both feed soil microbes, on their own, neither method can carry a garden. Pasta water has fewer vitamins than rice water, so it’s less nutrient-rich. Too much can also pull in ants or slugs. Dilute it and use sparingly.

Make sure to only use unsalted pasta and rice water, because salt can negatively impact plants. Pasta water is a decent homemade plant food, but rice water wins for most gardens. A meter for testing, like this one from Amazon, can help you to determine whether it is making a difference or not.

How to Use Rice Water for Plants

Making rice water for plants is a breeze. Before boiling rice next time you make dinner, rinse your rice in the water, mixing it with a spoon. Once the water becomes cloudy, pour it off into another container or use a strainer or slotted spoon to remove the rice, then cover the rice in another batch of water, and repeat the process. Do this two or three times or until the rice water looks less murky and mostly clear (it won't be perfectly clear).

Next mix 1 part rice water with 5 parts fresh water so it doesn’t cause fertilizer burn. Use it weekly on houseplants or garden beds.

Fermented rice water for plants is another good option for homemade plant food. Take your rice water and let the strained liquid sit in a jar for 3-5 days at room temperature until it smells tangy. Dilute 1:10 with water and use every two weeks. A spray bottle is great for misting leaves.

I toss in a pinch of Epsom salt for a magnesium boost—it’s not required, but gives plants a little extra boost. You find Epsom salt on Amazon for just a few bucks. Keep leftover rice water in the fridge for up to a week.

How Other Alternatives Compare

Pasta water is mostly starch. That cloudiness you see after draining noodles feeds soil microbes and can give a little lift to plants that like a touch of acidity. But again, steer clear of salted water—it will fry roots instead of feeding them. Dilute your pasta water and think of it as a light snack for plants.

Cooked vegetable water has more going for it. When you boil potatoes, carrots, or green beans, minerals and vitamins leach into the pot of water. You can use these nutrients to give your garden an extra dose of goodness.

After boiling veggies, strain the cooking water, let it cool, and you’ve got a mild tonic that fruiting crops will appreciate. It’s still not a substitute for real fertilizer, but carries more nutritional variety than plain pasta water.

When comparing these viral plant hacks side by side: pasta water is simple starch with a slight acidic edge, while vegetable water offers a broader nutrient mix. Both are worth using, but veggie water tends to give plants more substance in the long run.

Cooking Water Plant Food Recipe

Try a kitchen waste fertilizer mix for plants. Boil potato peels or carrot tops in water for 20 minutes, strain, and dilute it in a 1:5 ration with fresh water. The peels supply quite a significant portion of potassium, which is great for fruiting crops. Also, I recommend tossing in a banana peel for even more potassium, plus a touch of phosphorus.

For an even better and more balanced food, it is a good idea to mix in crushed eggshells while the water boils to release calcium. Or you can add a spoonful of used coffee grounds for a light nitrogen boost. A few spinach stems or other leafy scraps also contribute to an extra kick of iron and magnesium.

Spray or soak soil weekly with one of these mixes. Use a watering can with a fine spout. This works best for even coverage and will prevent too much soil disturbance. Leafy greens will perk up from the added nitrogen. Fruiting crops will soak up the potassium. And calcium will protect tomatoes against blossom end rot.

These homemade mixes are safe, cheap, and surprisingly broad in nutrients. Just store leftovers in the fridge and use within a week so they don’t sour. Think of it as a gentle, all-around plant tonic made from scraps you’d normally toss.

But remember that rice, pasta, and veggie water won’t replace a good compost tea. But they’re an easy way to turn kitchen waste into garden fuel faster. Pairing these DIY brews with a good organic liquid fertilizer, like this one from Amazon, will give your plants the full range of nutrients they need.

Fall can be a busy time in the garden. Between harvesting the vegetable garden, cleaning up flower beds, dividing perennials, and raking the leaves, there’s a lot to do. That’s why it’s good to know what you need to focus on and what you can leave off your to-do list.

I’m here to help you pare back your chore list by sharing when to fertilize plants and what plants to fertilize in the fall. There are three main types of plants that benefit from fall fertilization. I’ll explain which ones need a little feed this autumn and recommend the right fertilizers for the job.

Plants You Need to Fertilize in Fall

You don’t have to fertilize everything in your garden in the fall. In fact, over-fertilizing can cause more harm than good. There are, however, three types of plants that do benefit from a boost of nutrients this fall. Here are ones you need to feed now before winter.

1. Cool-Season Grasses

Fall is the perfect time to fertilize cool-season lawns if you want green grass that lasts up until the first frost. When fertilizing the lawn in fall, choose a fertilizer with a lower nitrogen content. Nitrogen promotes new green growth, which will die back when cold weather hits and defeat the purpose of your fall feeding.

Instead, choose a lawn fertilizer specifically made for late-season feeding, like Winterguard Fall Lawn Food from Scotts on Amazon. The right fall lawn fertilizer will help your grass grow stronger roots, which means a healthier lawn next summer. Selecting a fertilizer with potassium can also improve your lawn’s winter hardiness, drought tolerance, and ability to resist common lawn diseases.

2. Trees & Shrubs

Not all trees and shrubs require fertilizing in fall, but new plants and ones that are recovering from stress do benefit from a late-season boost. If you moved any trees or shrubs this year, fall is a good time to fertilize them and help them settle into their new home.

Timing is crucial for fertilizing young or recently transplanted trees and shrubs. Don’t fertilize too early or plants will put out new growth that will get damaged during winter and make your plants more likely to struggle. But don’t wait too late either.

Fertilize immediately after trees and shrubs drop their leaves (feed evergreens at the same time). Roots keep growing and accepting fertilizer until soil temperatures dip below 40° Fahrenheit (4° C).

Use a fertilizer that’s lower in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium to help plants grow a robust root system that lets them flourish next year. Espoma Garden Food, which you can find on Amazon, is a good choice for fall fertilizing. I also find that a sidedressing of composted cow manure helps my hydrangeas and other woody plants do well the following summer. You can find composted manure at Ace Hardware online or in stores.

3. Fruit Crops

Set up next year’s harvest for success now by fertilizing fruit trees and shrubs in fall. After harvest, plants begin to set blooms which will become next year’s fruit. Make sure trees and shrubs are well-nourished so they can produce lots of delicious fruits for you next season.

Avoid fertilizers that are high in nitrogen. Feeding plants with nitrogen now will force them to put out tender, green growth, which is susceptible to cold damage. Instead, choose a fertilizer that’s rich in phosphorus and potassium.

Rock phosphate, which you can find on Amazon, is great for strong root growth. Apply that and a dash of potash, which is also available on Amazon, around apple trees, blueberry bushes, raspberries, and peach trees to give them a boost this fall.

For the last few years, a plant fertilizing hack has been circulating the internet and it is time to put it to rest. This ‘hack’ claims that using banana peel water for plants is a cheap, natural way to fertilize your garden and houseplants to boost plant growth.

Bananas do have potassium which is a valuable nutrient for plants, but research has shown that banana peel water is not an effective fertilizer and could even harm your plants. There are ways to use bananas in the garden, but this hack needs to be put to rest once and for all.

Let’s explore more about this trend, what it claims to do, and what scientists and professional gardeners recommend instead.

What is Banana Peel Water?

Banana peel water is made by steeping banana peels in either room temperature or boiling water with the goal of extracting potassium and other nutrients from the peels into the water. Then gardeners are supposed to water their houseplants with this banana peel tea and, supposedly, it will boost their plants’ growth as a free, natural fertilizer.

Potassium is an essential nutrient that is crucial for plant growth. Soil sometimes lacks enough potassium which is where fertilizers come into play. Potassium is necessary for the photosynthetic process, building cellulose, and increasing root growth, but banana peel water is not an effective way to deliver potassium to your plants.

Does Banana Peel Water Work?

In short, no. Banana peel water does not provide enough potassium to plants to be a useful organic fertilizer. Just because it is ‘natural’ does not mean it works. This hack could actually end up harming your plants. Pouring sugary banana peel water on your plants can lead to mold growth and destroy all your hard work.

You also don’t know what pesticides were used on your bananas before they got to you. Using banana peel water on your plants could mean you are unwittingly dousing them with whatever was used on the banana farm which might not be good for the health of your plants. And after you make your banana peel tea, that peel is just going to end up in the trash so it isn’t helping the environment either.

Additionally, some internet gardeners suggest cutting up banana peels and burying them in the soil around plants like roses. This is also a bad idea. The banana peels will take a long time to break down in the soil, thus creating a perfect environment for mold. This can also attract scavenging wildlife that you probably don’t want digging around in your garden.

Alternative to Banana Peel Water for Plants

Master gardeners and agricultural scientists all agree, the best way to fertilize your plants with banana peels is to compost the peels before adding them to your soil. Placing banana peels in your home compost pile will add potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and phosphorus to the mix.

Banana peels break down quickly in compost, as opposed to their slow degradation when just buried in soil. This means that you get more of those beneficial nutrients in your compost. You can speed up your composting even more with the Reencle home composter, available on Amazon.

Composting at home can be very easy and is a great way to reduce the amount of food waste that goes into garbage dumps. Properly maintaining and turning your compost pile is important to ensure that the compost will have the most nutrients and beneficial microbes possible.

You can also test your soil to see if it is lacking specific nutrients and then purchase fertilizer to address those deficiencies. Commercial fertilizers are developed by experts and can address issues you may be having with your plants quickly and efficiently. Your local garden center and bigger stores like Home Depot have many options for fertilizer, and gardening experts who can help you pick one out.

Try composting your banana peels or making compost tea instead of using banana peel water for your plants. This internet hack is busted.

It seems like as soon as you buy bananas, they’re already brown. The go-to answer is to whip up a loaf of bread, but there’s only so much banana bread you can eat. Luckily, there are some less obvious ways to use brown bananas in the garden that will help you use up those overripe fruits.

With so many wacky online hacks and TikTok gardening trends out there these days, especially about using garbage to make plants grow better, it can be hard to sort out the rotten ideas from the truly fruitful ones. That’s why our experts decided to select some of their favorite ways to use bananas in the garden that actually work.

Here are three of their favorite uses for brown bananas—other than banana bread.

How to Use Brown Bananas in the Garden

If you have a bunch of brown bananas lying around, don’t throw them in the trash. Try one of these ingenious ideas for using bananas in the garden instead.

1. Give Pollinators a Sweet Treat

Humans and monkeys aren’t the only ones who love to eat bananas. Pollinators love them, too! When it comes to butterflies, the browner the banana the better.

Slice your bananas lengthwise down the middle or cut them into medallions and place them on a dish in your pollinator garden for butterflies and bees to eat. You can also place a banana directly onto a butterfly feeder or get a specialized banana hanger for butterflies on Amazon to make it even easier for pollinators to feast on the fruit.

Brown bananas are a great supplementary source of food for pollinators in addition to nectar-producing plants. To help keep ants away from brown bananas, pour a little water in the dish around them. Ants won’t cross the water to get to the fruit. You can also add a pollinator watering station nearby to create a mini oasis for bees and butterflies. Our experts love these best-selling Bee Cups from Amazon.

2. Turn Old Peels Into Plant Food

Ok, so this one is a popular TikTok plant hack, but our gardening experts stand behind it. Banana peels are a go-to ingredient in our scientist-turned-garden writer Mary Ellen’s homemade orchid fertilizer recipe. She boasts her recipe always brings more blooms on her orchids.

Banana peels are also said to be a natural black spot remedy for roses. Our garden experts aren’t convinced, but they do recommend planting peels directly into the soil around rose bushes to give them a boost of nutrients as the bananas break down.

They also recommend using banana peels as a simple DIY succulent fertilizer and pest repellent. First cut up and dry the banana peels, then crush or blend them into a powder you can sprinkle around plants or mix with water to create a nutrient-rich homemade plant food. The calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus in the banana peels not only provides nourishment to plants, but the sulfur that’s released as the peels rot also helps keep away pests.

3. Add Bananas to Your Compost Bin

Whether it’s brown bananas, rotten apples, or limp lettuce, you should never throw produce that’s past its prime into the garbage can. Put it in a compost bin or pile instead.

When you throw produce in the trash, it ends up in a landfill. From there it releases methane and can even pollute waterways. Help reduce food waste in landfills by composting in your garden or on your countertop with an electric composter like this one made by Reencle, which you can get on Amazon.

Brown bananas are great “green” material for composting at home. To compost bananas, simply throw them in whole—but remember to remove any stickers! Then cover with a layer of “brown” materials and let the bananas do their magic.

Have you noticed the cost of fertilizer lately? The costs keep going up and it's becoming harder to garden on a budget.

The other day, I pulled out an old fertilizer contemplating if I should use the dust-covered bottle or go out and buy some new feed. Then I began wondering “Does fertilizer go bad? Is there any harm in using it?”. The product looked and smelled as usual but it was purchased oh, about 15 years ago which makes it suspect.

So, does plant fertilizer really expire? It looks and smells okay to me, but will it still work on my plants? With a little research, I found out the truth. Keep reading to answer the question “Can fertilizer go bad?”.

Does Fertilizer Go Bad?

There are a couple of issues here. The first is do fertilizers expire? The answer is no. Not really. Unlike food, there is no expiration date on fertilizer. However, their effectiveness does diminish over time. So while fertilizer can expire, it is more about how well it was stored than an actual expiration date which the fertilizer probably doesn’t have listed anyway.

The other issue is storage. The better you store your fertilizer the longer it will last.

If the bottle or container smells bad, is bulging, has mold growth, or has an unusual texture that is different than when you purchased it, then you should properly dispose of it.

How Long Can Fertilizer Stay Viable?

The dusty container of conventional fertilizer I was looking at was purchased about 15 years ago and moved to 3 different houses. It was purchased for rose bushes we had at house #1. We don’t have roses. We still have rose fertilizer and it looked and smelled the same as when I purchased it.

Although the product may still be good, you need to understand that as time goes by, the fertilizer will gradually lose its efficacy. It may take more of it to nourish the plant.

If you decide to use an old fertilizer, use it sparingly at first and keep notes on how the plant is doing. You can always gradually increase the amount you’re giving the plant.

Granular formulas do not expire. Liquid fertilizers are generally good for 8-10 years. Lawn fertilizers that contain herbicides for weeds have a shelf life of 1-2 years. Again though, proper storage is key here.

How To Store Fertilizers

So how do you store fertilizer so it lasts longer? Fertilizer is hygroscopic meaning it absorbs moisture which causes clumping and dissolution; sometimes the fertilizer cakes up like cement. This in turn reduces the usefulness of the product.

So you will need to store your fertilizer in a sealed, waterproof bucket or other container. Seal any opened bags of fertilizer before you place them in the bucket. Liquid foods should stay in their original containers. Also store it in a cool, dry place. It is best to not store it in a shed.

Label the container when you seal the fertilizer inside with the type of food and date purchased. Rotate your products so the oldest are at the front and newer fertilizer is behind it. This way you will use the oldest fertilizer first.

Also, check the manufacturer’s instructions for information on storage recommendations.

How To Get Rid Of Old Fertilizer Safely

If you’ve decided a fertilizer is too old, what do you do with it? You can try using it in small increments on your plants as mentioned above, or you can get rid of it. How on earth do you safely get rid of old fertilizer though?

If the product is old but can still be used yet you don't want it, give it away. Don’t do this if the fertilizer is really old (like my 15 year old rose food) and you’re too lazy to find another way to get rid of it. If the product looks suspect; it's clumpy or solid, or if it’s generations old, find another way to get rid of it. Start with reading the instructions for disposal on the container. If it is an organic fertilizer, you can even mix it in to your compost bin.

Since I’m certainly not the only person with 15 year old fertilizer, some municipalities offer a hazardous household materials collection day. Check with your town or city to see if they accept fertilizer.

Similarly you can often take the fertilizer to your city’s municipal waste transfer station. If this or the above are options, but your fertilizer contains pesticides (or herbicides), check with them to see if they will dispose of the product for you.

Lastly, you can pay for a service to dispose of it. Let your fingers do the walking, on the internet, and find a company that specializes in the disposal of hazardous waste.

More and more of us are turning to peat-free compost for our gardening needs. As gardeners, it’s likely we’ve all used soil medium or soilless seed starting medium that contains peat moss.

So why is peat-free gardening gaining a foothold? Well, despite attempts by those who profit off of and harvest peat bogs in saying that the product is “eco-friendly”, the harvest and use of peat is anything but. As more of us educate ourselves on how a peat bog is formed, its importance as a delicate ecosystem and the dangers harvesting and processing peat has on the environment, we’re choosing peat-free gardening. Keep reading to learn some peat moss information, as well as its role in our environmental health.

What is Peat Moss?

Peat moss, which are in the Sphagnum genus, are partially decomposed plant materials that build up over centuries, even millennia in wet, oxygen deprived bogs. Without oxygen, the plant debris takes millennia to break down. It is made up of three layers. The deeper the layers go, the more broken down the plant material becomes.

The first or upper layer is made up of sphagnum moss, living moss harvested for decorative uses. The second layer down is harvested for use in bagged potting mixes and as a soil amendment. This second layer is much more, although not entirely, composed of decomposed plant material. The third layer is located deeper still, 5-7.5 feet (1.5-2 m) down and is composed of mostly decomposed plant life.

Why Is Peat Moss Bad?

Peat bogs and fens only encompass about 5% of the earth but contain more carbon than all the earth’s forests combined. As the peat is harvested, it releases this stored carbon in the form of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas responsible for much of climate change.

Along with that, stripping peat bogs disturbs and even destroys valuable ecosystems known only to exist in peatlands, but which are vital to our environment as a whole.

Companies that harvest peat now more commonly respond to their critics by replanting harvested bogs. The problem here is that 30-40 years may elapse before the bog quits emitting carbon. Meanwhile as the bog is harvested, native plant and animal species are destroyed, often never to return again.

How to Go Peat Free

The sale of peat moss in England is being banned for use by amateur gardeners by the end of 2024 and commercial by 2026. This is in response to the concern over decimated peatlands and their associated ecosystems. The same can’t be said for the United States, where peat products are still routinely sold.

Concerned consumers can do their part to reduce the reliance on peat products by checking labels on potting mixes and soilless mediums. They can opt for different products rather than peat moss when amending soils. They can also contact their legislature with their concerns about the continued use of peat. Public demand will propel manufacturer’s to come up with alternate solutions to peat.

Peat-Free Compost Alternatives

As the health of our planet begins to weigh heavily on more people, the option to go peat-free is becoming more popular. What exactly are the options?

Dried peat as a soil amendment is actually low in nutrients, has a low pH, and doesn’t contain or facilitate beneficial microorganisms. A better alternative is compost which does feed soil microbes as well as retaining water and improving drainage; but it does decompose more quickly than peat moss.

One of the best alternatives is coconut coir, sustainably harvested from coconut. The problem with coir is the amount of fossil fuel needed to transport the product.

Other options to replace peat moss include aged manure, wood chips, leaves and perlite.

Lastly, until more products are available that are peat free, you can make your own peat-free potting mix using compost, leaf mold and inorganic materials such as loam and sand.

Frequently Asked Questions

This article features products available from third-party vendors on the Gardening Know How Shop.

Peat moss vs. coco coir. How do these two soil amendments compare? Many gardeners were told by their parents and grandparents that adding peat moss to garden and potting soil improves the soil structure. But today ecologists tell us that peat moss is being harvested for this use at non-sustainable rates. Coco coir, (aka coco dust, coco fiber, or coconut coir mulch) is proposed as an alternative.

So let’s look at coco fiber vs. peat moss. Will coco coir actually do the job? The simple answer is yes, but read on for the details.

Peat Moss vs. Coco Coir

The question of coco coir vs. peat moss is more than an issue of which is more effective as a soil amendment. There are bigger things at play here.

Let’s start by looking at these two materials and where they come from. That’s critical because the main advantage of coco coir is that it is not endangered. Peat takes hundreds of years to form and plays a vital role in a wetland's ecosystem. Coco coir is often tossed as detritus.

Peat Moss Pros and Cons

We all are aware of the value of wetlands as ecosystems. They support a multitude of plant and animal life. Peat comes from peat bogs, which are a special kind of wetlands. Occupied by peat mosses, peat bogs acidify the wet soil to the point that only acid-loving plants can thrive there, including unique, carnivorous plants like pitcher plants and Venus fly-traps.

Bacterial decomposition is slowed by the acidity, so as the centuries pass, layers of peat moss are squeezed and compressed into the substance called peat. But there is a limited amount of peat, and more of it is being extracted and used commercially than is being produced.

When peat is extracted from the bog and added to garden soil, it improves the structure of the soil. However, take note: peat does not act as a fertilizer or add any nutrients. Rather, it amends the soil, making it lighter so that air can enter, and the soil can be moist without getting soggy. This helps plants to grow.

Peat moss aerates soil well and is easy to buy in commerce, since it comes from Canada. On the other hand, it is extremely acidic, and once it is wet, it is hard to wet again.

Coco Coir Pros and Cons

So where does coco coir come from? It may not surprise you that it comes from coconut palm trees. Coconuts are harvested and husked before being sold commercially. During this process, the longer fibers are sold for use in upholstery stuffing, rope, and brushes. What about the short fibers? This substance used to be considered detritus and tossed, but today is used in gardening as coconut coir or coco peat. Coir, then, is a renewable resource and its new role in gardening makes constructive use out of a waste product.

Coir holds moisture well and rehydrates easily. Like peat, it is low in nutrients, but works well as a soil amendment. It is less acidic, closer to neutral in pH value. On the down side, it is shipped from overseas and is more difficult to buy in bulk.

Which One Is Better?

Comparing coco coir vs peat moss in terms of practicality for horticulture, both products work well. Coir wets more easily than peat, drains well, and withstands compression better than peat. In addition, it has none of the peat bog detritus that peat has.

But given the differences in ecological impact, there can be no question that in the peat moss vs. coco peat balance, it is far better to buy coco coir than peat.

One of the ways peat moss is used in the veggie garden is to lower the pH of the soil which benefits acid loving plants but how about crops that like a more alkaline soil; what vegetables do not like peat moss? For that matter, what vegetables like peat moss? Since there will be a mix of crops in most veggie gardens, a gardener may want to inquire, “Can I use peat moss in my vegetable garden?” It isn’t as confusing as it sounds. We’ll discuss in this article whether using peat moss in the garden is a good idea for some vegetables, and why.

Is Peat Moss Good for Vegetable Gardens?

Peat moss is used for a variety of reasons in vegetable gardens. For one thing, peat moss helps improve soil structure. It helps lighten compacted soil, improves drainage and fertility and improves soil texture and tilth.

Peat moss helps retain moisture so it is often included in potting mixes but it can also improve moisture retention in garden soils.

Some plants like acidic soil, others prefer alkaline and still others thrive in neutral soil pH. Peat moss can lower the pH of soil making it more acidic, which can be beneficial to some crops.

Peat Moss and Soil pH

Peat moss has a natural pH of 3.0-4.0. It is sometimes used to lower the pH of alkaline soils when a more acid loving crop is desired. Acid loving plants, like blueberries, prefer a soil pH of around 5.5. Most plants grow best in a soil pH of 6.0-6.8.

What Vegetables Don’t Like Peat Moss?

There are quite a few crops that don’t do well with the inclusion of peat moss into the soil. These include:

• asparagus
• beet
• cabbage
• cantaloupe
• carrot
• cauliflower
• celery
• eggplant
• ginger
• gourds
• lettuce
• okra
• onion
• parsnip
• rutabaga
• spinach

What Vegetables Like Peat Moss?

Plants that prefer a pH of 5.6-6.8 and can tolerate a lower pH include:

• beans
• broccoli
• chives
• corn
• cucumber
• grape
• melon
• pea
• pepper
• peach
• pumpkin
• radish
• squash
• tomato

Alternatives to Peat Moss

As well as being bad for many vegetables, peat moss is an unsustainable resource that is best avoided. Some good peat moss alternatives are coco coir, compost, sawdust, and composted bark mulch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Many of us are searching for ways to repurpose once discarded items, so why not use a coffee filter in the bottom of your plant pot? Utilizing a coffee filter for plants is a trendy solution to losing your potting soil. It actually makes some sense, and is a great way to use a spent item without clogging up the landfills.

It’s good to know that it isn’t just the coffee grounds that can be used to give your plants a lift! The ‘coffee filter in bottom of flower pot’ trick is a double win solution that can only be a good thing. Find out why it can benefit your plants.

Why Put a Coffee Filter in the Bottom of a Flower Pot?

The idea of a coffee filter plant pot drain hole cover probably stemmed from someone who hated the thought of tossing out the filter every day. It is also a way to circumvent the common wisdom of putting a layer of gravel in the bottom of a container. This garden myth has proven to be unwise because it allows moisture to accrue on the sides of the container instead of moving through the drainage hole.

We all know a container needs a drainage hole to help excess moisture evacuate from the pot. Without some drainage, plant roots will sit in that excess water and rot. But when that extra moisture moves through the hole, it takes with it some of the potting medium. Over time, the soil level is depleted and the plant will be sitting too high. Without enough soil to hold moisture and nutrients, the plant health can suffer.

This is solved when you repot, but repotting frequently disturbs plant roots and causes stress. So figuring out how to keep that soil in the container can be solved by a coffee filter in flower pot drainage areas. Using a coffee filter in a plant pot avoids waste, keeps that soil inside, and is a natural, compostable solution.

Don’t Drink Coffee? Try These Other Options

If your beverages do not include those of the caffeinated variety, using a coffee filter in flower plant pot drainage holes is not an option. Gardeners have used many things to slow percolation in a container. Gravel is common, although not wise, but so are many other things.

Porous items like landscape fabric, newspaper, compostable packing material, coconut coir, pine cones, wood chips, peat moss or even a paper towel will keep the soil inside the container while allowing excess water to leave. These freely draining types of materials allow the water to leach out accumulated salts and build ups to preserve soil and plant health. So if you aren’t a coffee drinker and the filter idea isn’t an option, try some of these other items.

What Not to Put in the Bottom of Pots

Even though we are often instructed to put certain things in the bottom of plant containers, some of them are a bad idea. Water will follow gravity from the top of the pot to the bottom. When you put inorganic, non-porous items like rock in the bottom, there is less soil to conduct that movement. There is also less soil for the plant roots to grow into. The diminished soil actually means water will remain at the bottom of the container.

This makes a waterlogged base of the pot where any roots will sit in too much moisture. This causes root rots and makes for a stinky container. So rocks and gravel are a no-no. Items like a layer of perlite or vermiculite might seem like a good idea. They are often part of potting soils and contribute to drainage, but they also hold moisture. So if there is a layer of these materials at the bottom of the container they will retain moisture, which can adversely affect root health.

How Else to Use Coffee Filters in the Garden

If you have covered all your container holes with coffee filters but the filters keep coming, use them up in these other ways. Coffee filters around veggie plants will reduce weed growth, conserve moisture and help regulate soil temperatures. They are essentially performing as a mulch. They will compost into the ground naturally. Rip up coffee filters and add them to your compost pile. They will add carbon which is necessary for balanced compost production.

Finally, start your seeds in used coffee filters. Dampen them and put the seed inside, folding the filter over. Place the filter in a plastic bag and seal it. Open it daily to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Moisten the filter as needed. In time, the seeds will germinate and are ready for planting.

While it’s easy to find high-quality potting mix at gardening stores and nurseries, there are good reasons to consider DIY potting mix. Making your own blend gives you greater control and allows you to make adjustments for different needs. You can also save money this way.

As you investigate recipes for the perfect potting mix, consider the importance of leaving out peat. Peat moss is often used in potting blends but unfortunately it must be harvested from wetlands. The process damages a delicate ecosystem and releases carbon dioxide. Luckily, if you want to make soilless growing mediums, there are plenty of good alternatives. Here we show you how to make your own potting mix.

Finding Good Alternatives to Peat-Based Mixes

Peat in potting mix is a common ingredient because it helps the blend retain water while simultaneously allowing it to drain well. It helps create a healthy root environment for seedlings and mature plants alike. Peat is generally inexpensive, but if you’re looking for alternatives for your homemade potting mix, consider these:

• Coconut coir is a byproduct of processing coconuts. It has similar properties to peat in a mix and is one of the most common alternatives to peat. There are a few pros and cons with coconut coir, so be aware. It may contain too much salt, so look for low-salt types.
• Perlite and vermiculite are also used in standard potting mixes. Like peat, they improve drainage. Vermiculite is better at retaining water.
• Rice and other grain hulls, if available commercially in your area, are great natural and eco-friendly alternatives to peat.
• Yard waste and composted materials can also be good additions to potting mixes for improving drainage and water retention. They also add nutrients to the soil. Use regular compost, leaf mold, composted bark, worm castings or pine needles.

What is the Best Homemade Potting Mix?

There are many different ways to make your own potting mix. Start with standard recipes and experiment to find a blend you like the best. Start by considering the materials available to you. If rice hulls are hard to find, but coconut coir is available and inexpensive, go with the latter.

Compost is an ideal ingredient for any mix because of the nutrients it provides. Getting to grips with composting basics isn’t too difficult. However, if you don’t have your own compost made, you may be able to source it from your local government. Many cities create compost, mulch, and other products from collected yard waste and allow residents to collect and use it for free.

How to Make Your Own Peat Free Potting Mix

Gardeners all have their favorite recipes for potting mix, but you can only stray so far from a good basic recipe with these proportions:

• 2 parts compost
• 2 parts peat alternative (like coconut coir)
• 1 part perlite or vermiculite

If you don’t have a lot of compost to work with, you can substitute one part compost for one part soil. You can also add in amendments like sand, worm castings, or fertilizer.

Adapting Your Mix for Different Plants

DIY peat-free potting mix works for all kinds of plants, but you might want to adjust your basic recipe for various types of plants:

• Succulents and Cactuses: For plants that need very well-drained soil and less moisture, from jade plants to christmas cactus, use perlite instead of vermiculite and replace one part compost with one part sand.
• Vegetables:
  Veggies need a lot of nutrients, so use three parts compost to one part perlite or peat alternative and add fertilizer.
• Seedlings:
  When starting seeds, moisture retention is essential. Use two parts peat alternative, one part compost, two parts vermiculite, and one part sand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Raised beds offer many benefits, providing a flexible growing zone tailored to specific plants. More unique raised garden bed ideas can also add architectural appeal to a yard, enabling you to make the most of a small space.

There are many clever inexpensive raised garden bed ideas. However, working out how to fill a raised garden bed cheaply – or for free – requires some forethought.

Even a small raised bed needs a lot of fill material. While you can purchase bags of soil at big box stores and nurseries, the large amount required means this is rarely the most economical solution.

Cheap soil for raised beds may be sourced in a variety of ways. Much of the soil can be made for free through layering and composting.

In this article, we delve into the best ways to fill raised beds on a budget.

The Right Type of Soil for Raised Beds

Selecting the right raised bed garden soil is crucial, as the plants' roots will be restricted to the confines of the bed. In general, most plants will thrive in well-draining, loose soil.

Unless you are blessed with excellent soil on your property, utilizing garden soil can lead to compaction, lack of nutrients, and poor percolation.

Often, making your own mixture will lead to better nutrient retention, root health, and overall plant performance.

A diverse variety of media will provide just the right amount of plant needs. The exact mixture will depend on which plants will be grown in the raised bed.

There are four main types of soil: sandy, clay, silt, and loam. Loamy soil is a combination of the other three types and is an ideal planting medium for many plants.

If succulents or other water-wise plants will be grown, loose, gritty soil is preferable.

How Much Soil Do You Need?

Before you source soil to fill your raised beds, work out how much you need by performing a soil volume calculation. This will help to minimize costs by avoiding over-ordering.

You will need to know the size of your raised bed in feet, and the required raised bed soil depth in inches.

Soil in bulk is usually sold in cubic yards. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet (0.8 cubic meters). Alternatively, soil can be purchased in bags. A 40lb bag will cover 0.75 cubic feet.

To work out how many cubic feet of soil you require, multiply the raised bed width (ft) x length (ft) x depth (in), then divide the figure by 12 (the number of inches in a foot).

For example, a raised bed measures 4 feet wide and 6 feet long, and you want to fill it with 8 inches of soil. So, you would calculate 4 x 6 x 8 = 192. Divide by 12 to get 16 cubic feet, which equals 0.6 cubic yards.

Alternatively, use an online soil calculator to do the math for you.

Should You Source Free Soil?

It is possible to source soil for free if you can find someone giving it away locally. This often happens at construction sites. You may spot listings in the classifieds or online sharing sites.

However, the quality of the soil may be suspect. It could contain building rubble, invasive weed seeds or roots, or even be contaminated with chemicals.

Unless you know the source to be reputable, sourcing free soil may prove too much of a risk.

Buying Soil in Bulk

Another way to fill a raised garden bed cheaply is to buy soil in bulk. On average, bulk materials are cheaper than bagged soil. This is the best option if you want to fill a large surface area and plant it up quickly.

Always use a reputable supplier and be wary of delivery fees that could make the soil more expensive.

Any soil that is acquired can be amended if necessary. To improve garden soil, first assess the soil type then add a corresponding type to loosen, add nutrients, or enhance composition. For example, compost to sand; sand to clay.

Other additives might be leaf litter, peat moss, rice hulls, coconut coir, and composted bark.

Making Your Own Soil

Making your own raised bed soil is by far the most inexpensive method of filling raised beds. However, it will take some time before the bed is ready for planting.

A lasagne box garden is almost free to make. It takes months to have usable soil, but it can be done in situ, meaning the finished product will be right where you want it.

Inside the raised bed, layer brown and green materials. These provide a mixture of carbon and nitrogen. The brown layers need to be twice as thick as the green materials.

In some cases, brown materials may be in short supply, but newspaper or cardboard are excellent carbon sources. Dry leaves, peat, eggshells, small pieces of twig, and hay are other brown options.

Green materials include kitchen scraps, compost, coffee grounds, and grass clippings.

After a few months, the area is ready to plant. Additional amendments such as manure, worm castings, or fertilizer will greatly enhance the bed before planting.

Halve The Cost With a Hugelkultur Base

Take inspiration from the Hugelkultur system and layer woody material and other organic material in the bottom half of your raised bed, and then fill the top half with soil. This traditional Eastern European gardening method results in bigger, more productive crops.

Over time, the matter in the lower layers will break down to create a rich, moist but free-draining growing base.

In the base of your raised bed, fill the hole with logs, twigs, and branches, and add some brown material, leaves, grass clippings, as well as organic matter such as well-rotted manure and homemade compost. Give these a thorough watering.

If you want to plant your bed immediately, avoid adding too much green material or kitchen scraps, as you are not looking to make a compost heap that will heat up.

Fill the top half of the raised bed with new soil, mixed with any amendments as required. Give it another thorough watering.

Plant up your bed, and as the new plants establish the lower matter will begin to break down to accommodate the roots as they develop.

Just like all living things, plants need nutrients to survive. But it's not often that soil alone can provide all the necessary macro and micronutrients, as well as trace minerals and other elements. These nutrients drive growth, fruit and flower production and healthy root development.

Not all plants need the same nutrients, and even the same plant needs different nutrients at different stages of its development. In this guide we'll look at types of fertilizers, rates of application, and how to best apply it to improve garden soil. Let's dive in!

What is Fertilizer?

Fertilizer is a concentration of nutrients, minerals, and elements that can be applied to plants to help them grow. All fertilizers should have three numbers listed on their packaging, such as 10-5-10. This is called NPK, and it's the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, in that order, that's contained in that particular fertilizer mix. Other trace elements and secondary nutrients will also be contained in varying amounts.

There are many forms of fertilizer available to give to your plants, shrubs and lawns. They can be organic fertilizer types or conventional synthetic feeds.

A fertilizer may come as a spray, powder, or granules, like the blue ones in the picture below.

Regardless of which type you have, those three NPK numbers are always in the same order.

Why We Need to Use Fertilizer

Plants need around 17 key elements. Of these, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are absorbed through the air and water, so they're pretty much taken care of by nature.

The remaining 14 elements are found primarily in the soil. When soil is depleted or low in an essential element, it's up to you to add it back in with fertilizer. Plants that have been fertilized don't just grow better – they're also stronger and better able to combat pests and disease.

Shop Synthetic Fertilizers

Decoding Fertilizer Numbers

All commercial fertilizer should list three numbers, separated by hyphens. These numbers represent the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, always in that order. Hence the term NPK. (Confusingly enough, the elemental symbol for potassium is K). These are the three macronutrients most needed by plants.

Each number represents the percentage of a given nutrient that is in a fertilizer mix.

For instance, a 100-pound 10-10-10 bag contains 10 pounds of each macronutrient. The same size bag but with a ratio of 10-20-15 will contain 10 pounds of nitrogen, 20 pounds of phosphorus, and 15 pounds of potassium. If all three numbers are the same, you're dealing with what's called a balanced fertilizer.

Nitrogen is primarily important for vegetative growth, so plants that are grown mainly for their leaves need a higher nitrogen number. This is why we use a high-nitrogen fertilizer on lawns.

A plant grown primarily for its flowers may need a formula with a higher phosphorus number.

Potassium helps move water, nutrients, and carbohydrates through the plant.

In addition to the NPK nutrients, a side panel will generally list any secondary nutrients as well as minerals. Secondary nutrients are calcium, magnesium and sulfur. Plants don’t need as much of these nutrients. Micro-nutrients are copper, molybdenum, nickel, chlorine, zinc, iron, manganese and boron.

Different Types of Fertilizer

Plant fertilizers may be organic or synthetically sourced. You’ll see different modes of application (ie slow release or fast) as well as different ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The most simple and ancient fertilizers are well-rotted manure or compost, which can be very effective.

However, it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact amount of nutrients in each of these. On average, garden compost is fairly balanced in the three macronutrients, but it contains a smaller amounts than commercial fertilizer.

Manure is especially high in nitrogen. Compost is more of a soil conditioner, while manure is often a top dress or soil amendment prior to planting.

Commercial fertilizers start with raw materials like sulfur, ammonia and phosphate rock. These ingredients are crushed, mixed and chemically treated. Organic fertilizers are mineral rocks combined with natural plant and animal derivatives.

Both organic and synthetic fertilizers come in liquid, granular, and powder form. Granular fertilizers are designed to be worked in around the root zone. Liquid forms are diluted with water and can be a soil drench or foliar spray. Powders are similar to granular fertilizers and are worked into soil at precise pound measurements per area.

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Choosing the Best Fertilizer for Your Needs

Before you apply any fertilizer, it's important to do a soil test. This test kit from Amazon will do the trick. The test will tell you which nutrients your soil is deficient in, which will help you select the right fertilizer. Soil tests will also tell the pH of the soil. The pH will affect a plant’s ability to uptake nutrients.

Vegetables like a pH of around 6.5, turfgrass needs 6-7, and most trees and shrubs prefer 5.5-5.6, while acid-loving plants like blueberries need a pH of 5. Some fertilizers will also help amend your soil's pH. You can also raise soil's acidity or make soil more alkaline with other amendments.

Once you have determined the pH is adequate for your plants, the individual nutrient needs can be addressed.

When to Fertilize Your Plants

One of the biggest mistakes people make with fertilizer is the timing. Misjudging the best times to apply fertilizer can cause more harm than good.

Most plants are dormant in winter and should not be fertilized. In cold regions, fertilizing too late in the summer can force new growth that will be sensitive to freezes in fall. Generally speaking, spring fertilizing is recommended for a lot of plants that are about to start active growth.

There are both fast and slow-release fertilizers. In cooler areas, a fast release is best because a slow-release formula requires the soil temperatures to be around 70°F (21°C) to release nutrients.

The frequency of fertilizing depends on the plant. For example, tomatoes are heavy feeders. If you're fertilizing tomatoes, bear in mind that they need more frequent feeding than most of your other plants. That being said, it's important not to over-fertilize, as this can burn plants, cause unsustainable growth spurts, and run off into waterways. Always read the label carefully to make sure you're applying the right amount.

How to Use Plant Fertilizer

Allowing for the type of plant, time of year, and even weather conditions when adding food, there are several ways to fertilize plants. One way is to broadcast prior to planting and mix into the soil to a depth of four inches (10cm). Another method is a band application, where plant food is arranged in bands a few inches below the surface of the soil to feed roots.

Foliar spray (applying a mist of fertilizer directly to the leaves) works especially well with plants that have large leaves. Starter fertilizers are gently formulated to avoid injury to young or newly transplanted plants. Side dressing (applying fertilizer to a vegetable garden that has already begun to grow) increases yields, but must be watered in thoroughly. If you have questions about fertilizing in your zone, check with your local extension service for information tailored to your area.

Frequently Asked Questions

As all gardeners know, soil is an essential element of growing healthy plants. The type of soil you have in your garden depends on local conditions, and the soil you need depends on the plants you want to grow.

Getting soil right is crucial, so it’s important to really get into it. Use your hands and senses to familiarize yourself with your soil.

You can rely on soil testing kits, which can provide a lot of detailed information about your soil, but you can also tell a lot about it by touch.

Learn to feel your soil texture to determine if it’s ready for plants or if it needs any amendments first.

How to Determine Soil Texture By Feel

There are three basic soil types often described as textures:

• Clay is made of fine particles that pack together very tightly. It makes soil sticky, dense, and hard to dig into, while water and air penetration is difficult. Roots also struggle to penetrate clay. Clay soils typically have poor drainage. Some examples of plants that grow well in soils with clay include daylilies, asters, and cabbage.
• Loam is made up of clay, sand, and silt. This is an ideal type of soil for many plants because it is easy for roots to penetrate and grow through it. It allows water and air to access roots and retains moisture well. The only plants that don’t grow well in loam soil are desert species.
• Sand consists of gritty, large particles. Pure sand lacks organic material in other types of soil. Sandy-textured soil drains water very well. Cacti and succulents, and some herbs, like rosemary and lavender, grow well in sandy soils.

If you are gardening in a new area, you can get a rough idea of the soil texture with a touch test. Place a small amount of soil in your hand and add water drop by drop until you can knead it into a small ball. If a ball will not form, it’s mostly sand.

If you can get some degree of a ball to form, keep working it to determine texture and soil type. Squeeze the ball of soil into a ribbon shape. If it won’t form a ribbon at all, you have a loamy sand.

If a ribbon forms to a length of about one inch (2.5cm) before breaking, feel the texture of it to determine the primary composition:

• Sandy loam has a very gritty feel
• Silty loam feels very smooth
• Loam feels both gritty and smooth

If the ribbon gets longer – up to about two inches (5cm) – before breaking, you have one of these soil textures:

• Sandy clay loam feels very gritty
• Silty clay loam feels very smooth
• Clay loam feels both gritty and smooth

If you get a very strong ribbon of moist soil, you have one of these soil texture types:

• Sandy clay is very gritty
• Silty clay is very smooth
• Clay is neither overwhelmingly gritty nor smooth

Amending Soil Texture

Loam is the ideal soil texture for many plants, but you don’t need a perfect loam to get good results. Improving soil is necessary if you have extreme soil texture. For instance, if sand or clay predominate, you should amend it to get closer to loam. Of course, this depends on what you are planting, so know what type of soil your plants prefer.

Sandy soil needs amendments to add nutrients and water retention. Add organic material, like compost, and mix it well. This will add both nutrients and help the soil retain water better. You can also add sphagnum moss for water retention.

If you are planning ahead, you can grow cover crops in the fall and turn them into sandy soil in spring to improve texture and nutrients.

Amend clay-heavy soil to add nutrients and better drainage. As with sandy soils, organic material and compost will greatly improve the texture and nutrient content. Compost also lightens the soil. Resist the urge to add sand – it will not help amend clay soil.

How to Feel Soil Moisture Content

Another important piece of information you can get from feeling soil is moisture content. Very dry soil should feel dry and will run through your fingers. Clay soils are very dry when they look baked or cracked.

Soil that forms a ball in your hand has an ideal amount of moisture in it. When squeezed, it should not release any more water, but it should leave moisture on your hand. If water comes out when squeezed, the soil is too wet. Clay soil that is too wet has puddles on the surface.

Amending dry soil is as easy as watering it. If the soil is too moist, let it dry out. If your soil is consistently too moist, you may need to change the texture to increase drainage. Low areas of the garden may always pool water without a drain and should be reserved for plants that tolerate standing water.

What Can You Not Learn About Soil By Feel?

With practice, you can get very good at determining soil texture and moisture content by touch. This information allows you to amend the soil to create better growing conditions. What you can’t feel in the soil is nutrient content.

To learn about the nutrient profile of your soil, you need a test kit. You can order tests through your local county extension office. They will send you the test kit with instructions for collecting and returning a sample. They will then provide results with recommendations for amendments and how to make them.

Get to know your soil on a more personal level to become a better gardener. Soil is what your plants grow in, so getting the texture, moisture, and nutrients right is essential.

Plants need nutrients to grow, thrive, and produce. You can find all kinds of fertilizers and plant food products online or at your garden center. But liquid fertilizer for plants is easy to make at home.

Organic fertilizers are much kinder for the environment than chemical fertilizers, and can be made using ingredients readily available in your kitchen and garden.

These liquid plant tonics are powerful, organic, and cost almost nothing.

Why Make Liquid Fertilizer For Plants?

Fertilizers come in two main forms: granular and liquid. Granular fertilizers contain a mix of individual particles applied at the soil level or mixed into the soil. Liquid fertilizers are nutrients dissolved in water that can be sprayed onto the soil or directly onto plants.

Liquid fertilizers are increasingly popular for several reasons:

• Liquids are easier to apply and act more quickly than granular products.
• Liquid fertilizers can be applied more uniformly.
• Liquids work well for feeding seedlings and new plants and can also be applied for a mid-season boost.
• Granular products create areas of high salt content that roots often avoid. Liquids do not cause this issue.

Liquid fertilizers for plants are particularly beneficial for new seedlings and container plants. They can also provide a boost for bedding plants in early spring and throughout the growing season.

Ingredients & Nutrients

Fertilizers provide three primary nutrients for plants: nitrogen for foliage growth, phosphorous for root growth, and potassium for flowering and fruiting. Plants also need many micronutrients, like iron, copper, and manganese.

A homemade liquid tonic cannot give you the same nutrient precision as a store-bought fertilizer, but you can manipulate the ratios to some extent through the choice of ingredients:

• Nitrogen – manure, weeds, grass clippings, comfrey, stinging nettle.
• Phosphorus – banana peels, comfrey, lamb’s quarter
• Potassium – banana peels, dandelions, stinging nettles, comfrey, borage, alliums, horsetail, chicory

5 DIY Plant Tonic Recipes

Homemade liquid plant fertilizers – also known as plant tonics or compost tea – are easy to make and allow you to get more out of organic waste.

Although you cannot get the precise nutrient mix of a store-bought product, you can manipulate these tonics to emphasize one or more nutrients.

Here are some easy recipes to try:

1. Weed Tea

Weed tea is a rich fertilizer that takes the nutrients from weeds, without the seeds. Use this basic recipe to make a tonic for any use in the garden or with houseplants and seedlings:

• Add weeds to a bucket as you pull them.
• When the bucket is about half full of weeds, add water, preferably rainwater.
• Cover the bucket with mesh to keep mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water.
• Let the bucket sit for a few days or a couple of weeks to brew.
• Strain off the weeds and use the liquid as your fertilizer. Dispose of the weeds or add them to your compost pile.

This makes a good general fertilizer with any mix of weeds. Add specific weeds in higher concentrations to vary the nutrient content. Apply it no more than every two weeks.

2. Compost Tea

If you compost yard and kitchen waste, you have an excellent starter for liquid fertilizer. Compost provides a wide range of nutrients, but in its solid form must be mixed into the soil. Make a compost tea for a liquid fertilizer you can use at any time to boost plant health and growth.

First, remove any larger pieces of waste from compost that has not fully broken down. Use the well-decomposed matter and add it to a bucket until it is about one-third full. Fill the bucket the rest of the way with water and let it sit for one or two weeks.

Strain the mixture and use the liquid to water plants. It’s best to use the mixture as soon as you strain it, but you can make more throughout the growing season, applying it every couple of weeks.

3. Manure Tea

If you have farm animals, make manure tea for a big nitrogen boost. Keep in mind that too much nitrogen can be a problem, especially for flowering or fruiting plants. Excess nitrogen promotes leaf growth over flowers. Use this tea if you know your plants need more nitrogen or to feed those you grow for foliage.

Fill one-third of a bucket or other container with manure and fill with water. Let it sit for a few days, stirring daily. Strain the tea or let the manure settle to the bottom and pour off the liquid to use. Dilute the tea if necessary. The color should be similar to iced tea, or it will be too strong. Apply to plants every week or two.

You can use waste from chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, horses, cows, or sheep to make manure tea. Do not use manure from cats, dogs, or other carnivores, as this kind of waste may contain harmful pathogens.

4. Banana Peel Tonic

For an easy way to reuse banana peels in the garden, keep a pitcher or jar of water in the refrigerator and add your peels to it as you eat bananas. The cold temperature will keep them from getting too stinky. After about a week, strain the mixture to get a potassium-rich tea.

Use it to boost flowering and fruit production on plants like tomatoes, peppers, and squash. Apply it to seedlings and to plants every couple of weeks throughout the growing season.

You can also compost banana peels to enrich your homemade compost.

5. Eggshell Tonic

A tea made from eggshells provides calcium, a micronutrient that benefits many plants. Use this tonic in your vegetable garden to promote healthy growth and prevent blossom end rot.

To make calcium fertilizer, boil 10 to 12 empty and clean eggshells in a gallon of water. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it sit for 24 hours or longer. Strain the mixture and use the liquid to water your plants. You can also use the water left over from making hardboiled eggs as long as you do not salt the water.

Homemade liquid fertilizer for plants is easy to make, gives a second life to yard and kitchen waste, and benefits growing plants. Make and use tonics as needed in spring, throughout the summer, and year-round for potted houseplants.

Most garden plants grow best in a moist but well-drained soil. Both too little and too much water can be detrimental or even deadly to many plants. Wet garden soil can cause root rot that quickly leads to a dead plant. Correcting poor-draining, wet, clay soil is essential unless you grow plants that thrive in standing water.

How to Fix Waterlogged Clay Soil

If your soil has already become waterlogged, you might not be able to save the plants, but you can fix the soil and drainage to avoid it happening in the future. Once conditions are dry again, amend the soil by adding organic material to break it up and improve drainage.

If the content of the soil isn’t the issue, you may need to do a bigger project to install proper drainage. You can dig a ditch to direct water to lower areas in the yard or out to the drain in the street. Another option is to embrace the moisture in this area and create a rain garden with native plants that naturally absorb the excess water and thrive in wet conditions.

How to Prevent Waterlogging of Soil

Preventing waterlogged soil begins with building healthy soil. Recognize that some areas will always be soggy. These include marshy and low-lying areas. These areas of the garden are best reserved for plants that tolerate or even appreciate wet soil. Contact your local extension office for recommendations for native plants.

Areas of the garden that are not marshy or low can become waterlogged when the soil compacts over time. You can prevent soil compaction by avoiding walking or driving over it. Create paths that take most foot traffic.

Avoid working with soil when it is wet, which can exacerbate compaction. Limit how often you till the soil. Tilling breaks soil down into smaller particles, which compact more easily.

Improving clay soil is also important for improving garden drainage and preventing waterlogging. Organic material, like compost, is the best way to improve soil for drainage. If your soil is very rich in clay and difficult to work, consider creating raised beds.

What Is Waterlogged Soil?

Waterlogged soil is simply soil that is completely saturated with water. All or most air pockets have filled with water that is unable to drain away or drains very slowly. This can happen during periods of heavy rain or flooding.

It is more of an issue where soils are heavy and contain a large proportion of clay. Even lighter soils with more sand and silt can become waterlogged if they get compacted or are subjected to extended rain and flooding.

How Waterlogged Soil Affects Plants

Waterlogged soil is a major issue for most plants. Some plants, like those that naturally grow in marshes and bogs or along streams, tolerate or even thrive in soggy soil and standing water. Most plants, however, will not do well in waterlogged areas for very long.

The problems begin at the roots, which literally drown in standing water. The water excludes oxygen, which can kill the roots. Above the soil line, you’ll see:

• Overall poor growth
• Wilting
• Yellowing leaves
• Soft, dark, or rotting areas on the stems or leaves
• Absence of flowers or fruits
• Leaf drop
• Death

Frequently Asked Questions

In order to grow healthy plants, you need to start with a foundation of nutrient-rich, good-textured soil.

Some gardeners find it takes a lot of work to prepare soil for planting, while others are blessed with beautiful, lush soil full of organic material and beneficial soil microbes.

Either way, there is always more you can do to improve and enrich your soil to promote better growth.

As plants grow each season they use up the existing soil nutrients and organic matter. Therefore, it is beneficial to amend the soil in anticipation of spring planting, and there are numerous ways of doing this. 

Most gardeners resort to buying bags of compost and soil conditioner from the garden center. This can be very expensive when you consider that there is a wealth of organic material available for free, or very cheaply.

Use a combination of these soil improving methods for the best results, and your plants will reward you with bushy growth, maximum flowers, or a bumper harvest.

1. Grow cover crops as “green manure”

It might seem counterproductive to grow crops in the soil you want to use for something else. However, growing cover crops as green manure is a common agricultural practice that has multiple benefits for soil.

Cover crops are sacrificial plants – such as grass mixtures and legume plants – that are grown for the purpose of improving soil fertility and structure. 

To achieve this, the crops are usually cut and then plowed into the soil – at which point they become green manure. Alternatively, they may be left in the ground for an extended period prior to tilling the ground.

There are green manure seed options that can be sown from spring through to fall, depending on when you want to plant.

Try sowing seeds wherever you have a patch of bare soil you want to plant up, or after you have lifted crops such as potatoes.

Many green manure seeds are fast to germinate and can be dug in within 6 weeks.

As well as enriching the soil with organic material and valuable nutrients such as nitrogen and potassium, green manure crops will help to keep down weeds while they are growing, and even retain more warmth within the soil.

2. Try “trench composting”

If you don’t have room for a compost pile, then trench composting enables you to gain many of the same benefits without losing space in the garden.

It simply involves digging a trench and adding food scraps to the bottom, covering with compostable garden materials, and then again with soil. Finish by watering deeply.

The entirety will break down and enrich the soil with little work from you.

It takes at least six weeks for the scraps to decompose before you can plant in the soil. To speed things up, you can sprinkle a handful of blood meal over the top of the kitchen waste before covering with soil.

You can either position the pits according to your planting plan, or create small compost pockets in random areas.

3. Source free manure

At the end of the growing season, when the plants are starting to die back in the fall, it’s a great idea to top dress the soil with aged manure. Then, when spring arrives, you can turn the soil to amend it.

Not only does manure improve the structure of all soil types, it also improves its capacity to store water and nutrients. 

Manure is by far the cheapest organic fertilizer you can buy – and is often available for free from local farms and stables.

However, free manure is usually fresh, so cannot be used until it has had a chance to rot down. 

If you have a small yard, then you should purchase well-rotted manure, as fresh manure contains high levels of harmful pathogens, as well as undigested weed seeds – plus it stinks. It cannot be used fresh on plants as it can burn the roots.

If you have a large yard and can pile up manure without offending your nostrils (or those of your neighbors), then allow it to rot for at least four months – ideally six – before adding it to soil.

4. Dig in cut grass and leaf mulch

Instead of disposing of fallen leaves and grass clippings, recycle them back into the soil. The decomposing matter is packed with nutrients and will also help to improve the structure of the soil. It’s also a great way to reduce garden waste 

While grass clippings can be used as they are, leaves need to be shredded before being used around the garden, otherwise they can have a smothering effect.

To do this, allow them to dry for a few days before spreading them out on the lawn and shredding them using the mulching blade on your mower.

A clever way to get a double benefit from grass clippings and leaves is to layer them up around plants as mulch in the fall, then to dig them into the soil in spring. 

This helps to protect plants from winter’s icy breath before doing their duty as an amendment once they have been dug in.

5. Make organic compost

If you don’t already have a compost heap, then you should really start one. Known as “black gold”, it's one of the most nutrient-rich soil improvers you can cultivate.

To start making compost, you will need some space for a bin or enclosure – ideally at the bottom of the garden to avoid being subjected to any unpleasant smells or flies.

To your bin, you can start adding a mix of green and brown materials. Green items add nitrogen to the compost and include grass clippings and kitchen scraps. Brown materials add carbon to compost, and consist of things like leaves, shredded newspaper, and sawdust.

When you have the right balance of materials, there will be a natural reaction in the compost and it will heat up, aiding the decomposition process.

It’s vital to turn compost regularly with a garden fork, to keep it moist and aerated.

Depending on the materials used and size of the pile, it will take anything from several months to a year before your compost is ready to be used in the garden.

You will know it is ready when it is dark brown to black in color, has a crumbly texture, and a pleasant earthy smell.

Potting soil plays a central role in backyard gardening during the summer months. That’s when gardeners are installing new beds, refreshing old beds, and planting seeds and starts. Roll around to the end of August and the growing season is coming to an end, sometimes before the bags of potting soil are used up. And then there’s the potting soil used to grow annuals that have germinated, flowered, and died.

So, what to do with old potting soil? If you are wondering what to do with old soil, read on. We have a lot of good ideas for you.

Do You Throw Away Old Potting Soil?

The throw-away culture of yesteryear is now considered wasteful. Our nation has become more conscious of waste. As recycling came into its own, disposable straws disappeared from the coffee shops and one-use bags were banned from grocery stores. That new awareness means that tossing out old potting soil just isn’t an acceptable option.

Yet you have to do something with old potting soil. Do you find yourself asking “Where can I dump old potting soil?” Or, “Can I put old potting soil on my lawn?” You definitely can recycle that potting soil yourself in your very own garden.

What to Do With Old Potting Soil

Potting soil doesn’t “go bad” after one use. That means that you can treat unused half-bags of potting soil in exactly the same manner as potting soil that was to grow pots of annuals or vegetables during spring and/or summer. Just be sure not to reuse soil that was used to grow potted plants that died from bacterial, fungal or viral disease.

Assuming that isn’t the case, you have options! Here are six great ones to consider.

1. Landscape hole filler or topper for current beds - Use old potting soil in the landscape to fill any holes on footpaths. It can also be used to top off existing flower and vegetable garden beds, and these stand-up garden bags with handles make it simple to move the soil where you need it. The soil acts as a sort of mulch to protect the old beds from temperature swings. Don’t use soil from potted plants that died from disease, however, without sterilizing it.
2. Starter soil for new beds - Are you installing new beds in your garden that will be used in spring for flowers or crops? Old potting soil makes a great base soil. In the spring, you will top it with new soil and add appropriate fertilizer. For crops, we recommend this Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix from Amazon.
3. Compost heap - Here is the easiest option of all: Simply toss the old soil or unused half-bags of soil right on the compost bin. A good compost pile should be a balanced mix of green material, brown material and soil. As you blend in green and brown materials, the old potting soil will be incorporated into the compost to be used for future plantings.
4. Layered on lawn - Lawns need love in winter too. Why not spread a thin layer of the old potting soil on top of that lawn. Over time it will work its way into the soil, and, in the meanwhile, it will offer some winter protection.
5. Reuse in potted plants - Out with the old, in with the new! That attitude was typical for in years gone by when it came to old potting soil, but it isn’t the rule anymore. It is entirely possible to reuse soil recovered from container planting as long as you blend in about ⅓ new potting soil and add fertilizer for nutrients. Miracle-Gro Potting Mix, available on Amazon, is a great option for your new potting soil.
6. Make a potato bin - What is a potato bin? It’s a home-made container made of box-wire frame and up to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall in which potatoes will be grown. If you don't want to build one yourself, a much simpler option is this set of heavy-duty potato grow bags from Amazon. Start this project in the fall by layering newspaper in the bottom of the bin, then add used potting soil, shredded fall leaves, aged horse manure and compost. Let this sit all winter long and toss in seed potatoes in spring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fertilizer can help any of your landscape trees, but it is absolutely necessary for fruit trees. You might enjoy a fruit tree’s blossoms and the shade it offers, but the primary purpose for fruit trees in the garden is the fruit. In order to produce abundant and juicy fruit, a fruit tree has to be healthy.

What is the best fertilizer for fruit trees? Is 16-16-16 fertilizer good for fruit trees? That depends on the type of tree and how fast it is growing. Read on for information about fertilizer for fruit trees.

Best Fertilizer for Fruit Trees

Fruit trees are hungry trees, feeding heavily on mineral nutrients in the soil. Some 16 elements are considered essential nutrients, and fruit trees require all of them. But their primary need is for macronutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (the NPK nutrients listed on every fertilizer package), as well as calcium, magnesium and sulfur.

How about carbon, hydrogen and oxygen? These are also necessary for fruit trees, but you don’t have to consider them when it comes to fertilizer. The trees get these from the air, the water and organic matter found in the soil.

The key to providing soil for fruit trees is to figure out first which nutrients your soil already contains. The fertilizer you add can be organic or conventional (chemical), but it should only contain nutrients that are lacking in the soil.

Fertilizing Apple Trees

Apple fertilizer needs vary year to year. Keep your eye on the annual growth of your young apple trees. Their growth each year will dictate whether to increase fertilizer amounts.

From the ages of 1 year to 3 years, apple trees should add a foot (30 cm) of growth or more every year. If they are growing less than that, you’ll need to increase the amount of fertilizer by 50% the following year.

Once an apple tree is 4 years old, it will need additional nitrogen. Again, the amount is determined by growth. If the tree has grown at least 6 inches taller (15 cm), don’t increase the fertilizer. If it hasn’t, increase the nitrogen by 50%. If you see generous growth of more than a foot (30 cm), no more regular fertilizer or calcium nitrate is needed. Instead, only apply sul-po-mag and boron.

Boron should be applied every three years in the amounts described on the label. Generally young fruiting trees need 4 oz (113 g) of boron, bigger trees need 8 oz (226.7 g), and big trees can be given 12 oz (340 g) every three years.

Fertilizing Pear Trees

Test your soil regularly to be sure you don’t give pears potassium, magnesium or sul-po-mag if it is available in sufficient amounts in the soil. Fertilize pear trees with 1 pound (453.5 g) of calcium nitrate in the spring if their annual growth is under 6 inches (15 cm).

What about nitrogen? Nitrogen helps a tree to grow faster, but with pears, excess growth makes the tree susceptible to fire blight. So, cut back the nitrogen for any tree 4 years or older that grows more than 12 inches (30 cm) annually.

Fertilizing Stone Fruits

Stone fruit fertilizing is a little different. The rule is, no fertilizer unless the tree sets a crop the previous year. If it does set a good crop, fertilize it with one pound (453.5 g) calcium nitrate. Alternatively use 1 ½ lb. (680 g) of 10-10-10 fertilizer for fruit trees.

Organic Fertilizer for Fruit Trees

Organic fertilizer for fruit trees are those fertilizers that are naturally occurring from plant or animal sources. These organic fertilizers include manures, composts, blood meal, bone meal, fish meal, alfalfa pellets and others. These can be found as granular or liquid fertilizer for fruit trees.

Non-Organic Fertilizer for Fruit Trees

Non-organic fertilizer for fruit trees is also called chemical or conventional fertilizer. These are either made of chemical salts or processed minerals. They are also found as granular or liquid fertilizer for fruit trees.

Note: Any recommendations pertaining to the use of chemicals are for informational purposes only. Chemical control should only be used as a last resort, as organic approaches are safer and more environmentally friendly.

Even when your soil is fertile, there may be times during the growing period when your crops need a little boost with the addition of a water soluble fertilizer for vegetables. There are many options of liquid fertilizer, even organic and DIY liquid fertilizer for vegetables.

Below we'll teach you the pros and cons of liquid vegetable fertilizer, how to tell if you need it, how you apply it, and how to make your own at home.

Pros and Cons of Liquid Fertilizer

Both liquid and granular fertilizers have similar nutrient amounts, but there are differences between the two.

Nutrient Concentration

Nutrients, especially phosphorus, are more mobile in a water solution and can get to plant roots more easily. Granular fertilizer can be too strong or “hot,” containing heavier bands of nitrogen or potassium which can damage plants.

Granular fertilizer has differing amounts of nutrients in each grain, whereas liquid fertilizer contains an identical amount in each drop. Using a liquid fertilizer ensures that each plant is getting fed the same amount of nutrients at each application.

Cost

Granular fertilizers are often less expensive when bought in bulk and easier to store than liquid. However the uniformity of application with a liquid food is a plus. Liquid fertilizers are also the recommended food for tender starter plants, again owing to their consistent even coverage.

Storage

Liquid fertilizers do not store as well as granular. They tend to settle or “salt out” in cold weather. Granular foods are also available in slow-release forms which may be more suitable for some plants.

Do I Need to Apply Liquid Fertilizer?

Whether or not to fertilize depends on a number of factors. If the plant is in an active growing or production phase, if it is naturally a heavy feeder, and if the soil is nutrient-deficient are all considerations when deciding if you should use a supplemental fertilizer. Foliage color and plant vigor are two visual cues that can help determine if your plant needs fertilizer.

A soil test can help to determine if there are elements lacking or low in your soil, and can tell you how you can amend accordingly.

There are 16 elements involved in plant growth. Air and/or water provide carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Calcium, magnesium and sulfur are secondary macronutrients that are usually present in sufficient quantities, while the remaining 7 nutrients (micronutrients) are also usually available in soil in the nominal amounts a plant needs.

Larger quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, however, are often needed in larger quantities that can only be provided by supplemental fertilizer.

How to Use Liquid Fertilizer for Vegetable Gardens

Feeding your vegetables is quite different than feeding your lawn. Look for a well-balanced food, 5-5-5, that contains 5% each of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Do not use a high nitrogen food during mid-season at the peak of growth, as this will encourage foliage rather than veggie production.

When possible opt for an organic liquid fertilizer, such as a fish emulsion. Apply liquid fertilizer as often as once a week either at the root system or leaves. Foliar applications allow the plant to uptake the nutrients more rapidly than ground application. It is short acting, however, so it’s really best to correct mid-season deficiencies or to supplement soil applied liquid nutrients.

DIY Liquid Fertilizer

A DIY liquid fertilizer costs less and allows the maker to know exactly what is in the fertilizer. A DIY fertilizer is simple to make. The only real mistake you can make is to allow it to ferment too long, which can concentrate the salts that can damage or kill your plants. Also, be sure to only apply around the base of the plant, always taking care not to splash on the foliage.

Make a small rather than large batch of DIY fertilizer. The mix is highly biologically active and can easily tip over into overload if kept for too long. The mixture smells unpleasant, but when it has over-fermented it smells horrible. Discard any DIY fertilizer after about four days.

One way to make a quart of DIY liquid fertilizer, place 4 tablespoons (57 g) of processed poultry manure or blended dry organic fertilizer into a quart (946 ml) jar and fill with lukewarm water. Stir and cover. Allow to sit at room temp for a couple of days. Then dilute the mixture prior to use. For seedlings, use one part DIY fertilizer to four parts water.

Soil nutrients are what plants absorb to make their own food. What nutrients are in soil is similar to the vitamins and nutrients we need in our food for our bodies to thrive. All living things need nutritional chemical substances.

What nutrients are in soil that plants require? There are more than a few. Read on to learn all about the optimal nutrient soil.

Soil and Soil Nutrients for Plants

Plants rely on the soil they grow in for many of their needs. Everyone knows that soil gives a plant stability as the roots extend downward, but that’s not all. Soil also protects plants from dramatic changes in temperature, which becomes very important during the hottest and coolest times of the year. In addition, it provides oxygen used by the plants’ roots to break down sugars into form they can use, and water that travels up the plants’ roots carrying essential nutrients. Soil nutrients are used in every part of the life process of a plant.

What Nutrients Are in Soil?

Plants absorb nutrients from soil, as well as from the water that's in the soil. The primary nutrients they need to make food for energy are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Other organic soil nutrients include the “big three,” nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.

Essential Soil Nutrients

When it comes to essential nutrients for plants, several are provided by air and water. The other important elements come from essential soil nutrients. The soil itself provides these nutrients, although they can be added and supplemented to the soil as fertilizers.

These soil nutrients almost always enter a plant through its roots.

The most important nutrients - the ones plants require in larger amounts - are referred to as macronutrients. These are:

• nitrogen
• phosphorus
• potassium
• calcium
• magnesium and
• sulfur

Nutrients that plants require only in tiny amounts are called micronutrients. They include:

• iron
• chlorine
• zinc
• molybdenum
• boron
• manganese
• copper
• sodium and
• cobalt

How Soil Nutrients Affect Plants

Not every soil nutrient is easy for a plant to access. In order for a plant to tap into elements in the soil, the element must be in a chemical form that the plant can absorb and it must also be dissolved in water. Undissolved or granular soil nutrients- like those in newly applied fertilizer - have potential to aid the plant but are not immediately helpful.

Think of the soil as acting as a bank of nutrients. A plant withdraws nutrients from soil like one might take money from a checking account. But those undissolved nutrients are like funds that aren’t immediately available to withdraw and stashed in a separate account. Once all of the readily available nutrients are absorbed, nutrients are transferred from one “account” to the other.

Note that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing when it comes to soil nutrients. Too many nutrients often have a negative impact on an ecosystem. For example, they can result in a harmful algae bloom that creates dead zones in an ecosystem as algae, which absorbs all of the nutrients.

Testing for Soil Nutrients

It is important to do soil testing to determine the quantity of nutrients available to plants. This enables a gardener to add the nutrients that are lacking rather than applying more of the nutrients already present.

Soil test results are used to determine the type and amount of fertilizer to be recommended. Soil testing is often provided by a local university extension service for a nominal fee. Essentially, you can collect some soil as a sample and submit it for analysis.

Summary:

Good garden soil needs nutrients and micronutrients. Contact your local extension service and request a soil test to be sure it has the right balance of both.

Soil provides nutrients for plants as well as millions of microorganisms. However, this only applies if the soil is healthy. Soil conservation is the movement to keep soil healthy, fertile and productive, as well as protecting it from erosion and deterioration. Learn about different methods of soil conservation here.

What is Soil Conservation?

It is of great importance to farmers and home gardeners alike to conserve the soil. Soil conservation involves a focus on maintaining soil fertility and preventing soil loss from erosion and salt or chemical pollution.

Soil conservation practices vary depending on the crop management objectives and the different environmental factors involved. But taking action toward conservation is necessary to preserve our soil today and for future generations.

Why is Soil Conservation Important?

Soil conservation is important because soil is essential for growing the crops that keep humankind alive. Do you think of soil as indestructible? It isn’t. Humans need agriculture but only a small percent of the earth’s topsoil is appropriate for agriculture, and it is fragile. The US has lost much of our topsoil to erosion and it is disappearing much faster than it is being replaced.

But that’s only one part of the story of why soil conservation is important. Using soil conservation methods is important for climate science too. Healthy soil means healthy ecosystems, and this can help to reduce the destructive impact of climate change. Land conservation helps grow enough food and material for technical needs such as household textiles or fuel.

Land on which vegetation grows is a place where animals can find food and shelter. Additionally, soil conservation is important to water quality since the soil filters water that passes through it and improves the quality of water.

Erosion, Pollution, and Overuse

Climate change is one threat to conserving soil, but equally important are the overuse of toxic pesticides, slash-and-burn land clearing methods and overuse of land. Chemicals in pesticides not only contaminate soil and water sources, but they also kill off beneficial insects including pollinators like bees and also wild birds.

Overuse of land is also a problem. When forests are taken out for timber or pastures are grazed to the ground, erosion can quickly remove soil from the land. The area becomes a desert, which can limit soil’s ability to play its part in the global climate cycle.

Methods To Conserve Soil

There are more than a few soil conservation methods that can protect our land. The ones that are appropriate in one case might not work well in another, so methodology must be tailored to the environment. A few methods that appear to work well include:

• No-till farming - Tilling the land removes all plant covering, making the soil subject to erosion. No-till farming leaves cover crops in place.
• Terrace farming - Terracing uses steps built into the hilly areas. It creates a system of catching water as rainwater brings nutrients from one terrace to the other. Finally, it minimizes possible soil erosion.
• Contour farming - This practice also involves agriculture on hills. Farmers use the natural slope during plowing to create rows of small dams. This method limits water runoff and causes more water to pass into the soil.
• Integrated Pest Management - This is a method of using organic and nontoxic methods to control pests before resorting to toxic chemicals. It manages insects by preventing them from feeding without disrupting the ecosystem.

Although it is possible to get an accurate reading of soil texture in a lab, it can be expensive and time consuming. That’s why it’s a good idea to learn to estimate soil texture accurately by feel.

Hand Texturing Soil

Soil texture is important. The texture of soil influences almost every aspect of gardening and is responsible for the presence of particular ecosystems. In fact, some scientists consider the texture of soil its most important property, impacting soil/water relationships, gas exchange, and plant nutrition.

The term “texture” describes how rough or smooth an object is. With many materials, texture can be determined by touch. This is true of soil texture, which is a product of the proportion of sand, silt, and clay in the soil. When you determine the soil texture, you can figure out if the soil is largely sand, clay, silt, or a mixture of two of these elements.

Soil Particles Contributing to Texture

Particles of sand, silt and clay are of different sizes. Sand is the largest type of soil particle. Sand particles are large enough to see with your naked eye. Sand is gritty and dry, and an overabundance of sand can often mean the soil is not very fertile.

Silt particles, on the other hand, are smaller. They feel softer, more like flour to the touch, and feel somewhat sticky when they are wet.

Clay particles are the smallest of all and can only be seen with a microscope. Clay is sticky if it is wet, and very hard when dry. While an abundance of clay in soil has the capacity to hold a lot of water, it’s not always able to yield the water in dry or hot temperatures.

Soil Texture Field Test

While there are other ways to test the texture of your soil, this may be the simplest. The first part of the “feel test” for soil is sometimes called the soil texture ribbon test. A ribbon test involves mixing a handful of soil with water, kneading it into a ball, and – once it is the consistency of putty - trying to make a ribbon of it. Make the ribbon as long as possible, then measure it.

The second part of the soil texture field test, the “touch test,” involves adding water to a pinch of soil until you have a muddy puddle in your palm. Touch it and determine how gritty it feels.

These are the preliminary steps to estimate your soil texture. With the information gleaned from them, it is possible to follow a flow chart diagram to determine the soil textural class for your soil sample. Each combination of answers (from the ribbon test and the touch test) indicates a particular texture.

1. If you were not able to make a ribbon from the soil and the touch test was gritty, the soil texture is loamy sand.
2. If you were not able to make a ribbon and the touch test was not gritty, the soil texture is silt.
3. If you were able to make a ribbon at least 2 inches long and the touch test was gritty, the soil texture is sandy clay.

A good balance of silt, sand and clay particles is ideal for gardening. A nice crumbly soil that lets water and air move through it it is appreciated by plants, making it easier for their roots to stretch and grow.

Allowing your garden soil to be compromised by driving machinery over it while wet, walking on it and even digging and rototilling it, can inflict damage that makes it less welcoming for plants and their roots.

Amending Imbalanced Soil

If you find your garden soil is out of balance, try amending it with an organic compost to enhance its quality and increase aeration, beneficial microbes, nutrient content and water retention.

Knowing how to improve flower bed soil without starting from scratch is an important gardening skill. You can make any soil better by digging it all up and mixing in new materials or starting over with top quality dirt. This isn’t realistic in established gardens, but there are other solutions.

Start with a Soil Test

If you're trying to improve soil in established beds, you'll want to do as little as possible. Doing too much digging, tilling, or mixing can harm your plants and their roots.

Start with a soil test to find out exactly what it needs to be healthier. This allows you to apply only the amendments you truly need and eliminates disruptive trial-and-error actions.

Contact your county’s local extension office for information on soil testing, including instructions, pricing, and a timeline.

How to Improve Garden Bed Soil Around Plants

Understanding how to improve soil in established flower beds and perennial beds is important for protecting those established plants. Once you know what your soil needs through testing, you can apply targeted ingredients with minimum disruption.

Your solution might be as simple as applying a specific type of fertilizer, which you can do in liquid form without disrupting the soil. If your soil is generally poor, lacking in organic material, and too dense and compact, you’ll need to do a little more work to fix it. Try these solutions to avoid harming existing plants:

Top Dress Beds

One of the easiest ways to improve soil in a bed is through top dressing. This means adding an inch or two of compost to the surface of the soil. Do this each year, and it will break down and make its way down into the soil, adding nutrients and microorganisms, and loosening dense soil.

Add Organic Mulch

Similar to top dressing, adding an organic mulch helps hold nutrients and moisture in the soil. It will break down more slowly than compost, but eventually adds more nutrients and microorganisms to enrich the area around the plants.

Grow Cover Crops

More often used in agriculture, cover crops can also enrich the soil in established garden beds. Seed around established plants in fall and let the cover crops grow through the winter. Gently turn them into the soil in spring where they will break down and enrich it.

How to Amend Clay Soil Without Tilling

Clay soil is particularly difficult to amend. Soils high in clay are problematic because they aren’t very permeable. Drainage is poor in clay soils, which can lead to root rot and similar issues. Clay also makes it difficult for roots to get oxygen.

Ideally, clay soil is amended by digging deep to mix in peat, compost, perlite, and other materials that make it more permeable and porous. Tilling is the most effective way to do this, but it might not be possible if you are working around existing plants.

The good news is that if you already have plants growing in clayey soil, the situation isn’t dire. Plant roots break up hard clay, making it easier to dig around them and add amendments. Gently add compost using hand tools to break up the soil.

You can also try liquid aeration and core aeration, which are helpful in reducing compaction in soils. It’s not an ideal solution, but it can help you break up soil, making it easier to add some compost. Just be careful when applying these as you work around the roots of existing plants.

Amending soil for perennial gardens can be difficult. It’s best to perfect the soil before putting plants in the ground, but this isn’t always possible. Keep working at it with small measures each year, and eventually you will have richer, better soil and happier plants.