Soil, Fixes & Fertilizers

Did you know that some plants can absorb and safely store toxins? Plants that clean contaminated soil are under study. Learn more here.

By Mary Ellen Ellis

Feeding plants with fish waste has been used for quite some time but how does fish waste help plants grow? Find this out and more here.

By Amy Grant

As you're digging a garden, you hear a clang as it hits rock. Poking and prodding inside the hole, you discover more clangs and more rocks. If this scenario seems all too familiar, then you have rocky soil. For tips on how to work this soil type, click here.

By Darcy Larum

Oftentimes, topsoil is brought in around new construction areas and graded out for future lawns. However, underneath this thin layer of topsoil there may be severely compacted soil. Learn how to tell if soil is compacted in this article.

By Darcy Larum

If your soil is too hard to dig, you may be dealing with compacted clay. Click to learn how to remedy the problem.

By Amy Grant

If your soil is highly alkaline, adding sulphur, peat moss, sawdust, or aluminum sulfate can help neutralize it. Rather than messing with products to alter the soil pH, you can simply add plants suitable for alkaline soil. This article will help with that.

By Darcy Larum

Greensand soil supplement is beneficial for improving the mineral content of your soil. What is greensand? Read the following to learn more about this organic fertilizer for the garden.

By Bonnie L. Grant

Boron toxicity symptoms usually aren't the result of small amounts of boron generally found in soil. However, some areas have boron in the water in high enough concentrations to cause boron toxicity in plants. Learn more here.

By Mary H. Dyer

The numbers in the fertilizer ratio correspond to the amounts of nutrients represented in the fertilizer content. But how do you know how much you need for each plant and how to apply it? Get info on fertilizer rates and applications in this article.

By Bonnie L. Grant

What fertilizer types to use in the garden is a personal choice. Here’s a helpful discussion to guide your decision.

By Bonnie L. Grant

Alum powder is typically found in the spice department of supermarkets, as well as most garden centers. But what exactly is it and how is it employed in gardens? You can learn more about alum uses in gardens in this article.

By Mary H. Dyer

Caffeine might be said to make the world go round, as many of us rely on its stimulating benefits. It has intrigued scientists, leading to recent studies regarding caffeine use in gardens. What have they discovered? Find out here.

By Amy Grant

Magnesium is one of thirteen mineral nutrients that come from soil and when dissolved in water, is absorbed through the plant?s roots. This article explains the role of magnesium in plants.

By Susan Patterson

When plants are stunted, grow irregularly or wilt, we question the irrigation, light, and feeding. However, sometimes the questions we need to ask are: is it receiving enough oxygen? Should I aerate the soil? Learn more about soil aeration in the garden here.

By Darcy Larum

Organic plant fertilizer methods have been around since cultivation first began and modern know-how has increased the number of herb-based fertilizers and natural plant feeding practices. A healthy garden starts with natural fertilizers from herbs. Get more info here.

By Bonnie L. Grant