Soil Preparation for the Vegetable Garden

To grow the best vegetables you want the soil to be good and rich. Maybe your soil is lacking for optimal plant growth. The most important thing to do is amend the soil with with organic matter like compost.

Compost is important for adding nutrients to the soil as well as improving the soil texture. Compost acts like a sponge to absorb and hold onto water so that it can be used by the plants. It also lowers the pH of the soil, making it more acidic, which helps to make soil nutrients more available to the plants. You can make compost yourself or buy high quality compost in bags or bulk from a garden center.

Using an organic fertilizer will ensure your soil contains adequate nutrients and supports crops from year to year. Good organic fertilizers we recommend are Dr. Earth Tomato, Vegetable, and Herb fertilizer or Down To Earth All Purpose Fertilizer.

To amend your soil, lay up to 6 inches of compost onto the existing soil. Sprinkle the fertilizer over the compost referring to the manufacturer's instructions for amounts. Turn the compost and fertilizer into the soil thoroughly so that it is about a ½ and ½ mixture. Do this in early spring and again in late summer for fall and winter harvests.