Does Your Dirt Have What It Takes?

By: Benji Nagel | March 07 2011
Posted in Rogue Valley - Grow It - Rogue Valley

Photo: iStock

It might sound like a no-brainer, but many people forget that the secret to a great veggie garden starts with great soil. The first step is checking the quality of your soil. For a quick and easy test, start by picking up a handful of your garden's dirt. Squeeze it into a tight ball between your palms and notice how well the ball holds its shape. If it crumbles easily, the soil is sandy. If the ball is hard and compact, it is on the clay side. An ideal soil (generally speaking) is right in the middle - it will maintain its shape, expand slightly when you open your hands, and will break up a bit when poked.

The second step is to check for worms and other visible signs of life. In general, life in your soil is a very good sign. If your soil is less than ideal, don't worry! While it takes at least a couple of years to build deep and complex topsoil, it's easy to create useable, workable soil ready for this season. There are a number of steps you can take. The easiest one is to spread a layer of compost over the planting area. You probably want it up to six inches deep, based on how much compost is available. Depending on the consistency of the soil and the depth of your compost layer, you can gently turn the compost into the soil or let it be.

It can also be very beneficial to mulch the plot with leaves, straw, or spoiled hay. If you don't have your own compost, try asking your neighbors for some with an offer of fresh vegetables to come. Otherwise, you can pick up a bag at your favorite plant nursery. For a healthy beginning, you might consider testing your soil for its pH (balance of acid vs. alkaline), mineral content, and nutritional composition, and adding amendments as necessary.

Now that you have good soil, it's time to get planting! Visit your local nursery for compost, seeds, starter plants, and helpful advice.

Maximize your harvest with more planting advice from The Local Dish: 

Gardening Together - Growing More Than Just Veggies
Culinary Flavor - How Does Your Garden Grow? 
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