Soil building encompasses many different things, as the soil is its own living and changing ecosystem. While it’s possible to grow plants without soil, the vast majority of gardeners use it — soil is everywhere in all of its myriad forms.
Here, we explain all things soil-based as well as the things that are used to improve that soil. Our writing team provides insight into not just soil types and textures, but also composting, cover cropping for soil improvement, mulching for the myriad of benefits it offers, and so many more things.
We’ll explore different organic fertilizers and how they work, techniques like the Back To Eden or no-till methods of gardening, and even delve into the many forms of mulch that can be used to reduce erosion and maintain soil moisture.
Organic gardeners know full well the value of having good soil, and the interplay between organic matter and mineral inputs is key to guaranteeing that you have a living, beneficial, and healthy soil food web. To many, the soil is an entirely new frontier waiting to be explored… and so we’ll explore it along with you, step by step.
With a little know-how, you too can improve your existing soil in the yard, learn which amendments are necessary or unnecessary in your situation, and optimize for the best outcome for your specific plant types.
We have broken this heading down into multiple subcategories, and you can find and look through each of those here:
If you’re growing in containers, chances are good you’re using some kind of potting soil for your precious plants. But what if I told you that the “soil” in your pot isn’t technically “soil” at all? What if I told you that it’s a mix made of composted tree materials, peat moss, and a myriad … Read more
Ready for a test? With paper and pencil, make a list of ALL nutrients that plants need to grow properly. We’ll wait…no cheating! Here’s the list to check yourself against: Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Sulfur Chlorine Copper Manganese Iron Boron Molybdenum Zinc Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen There are more elements here than you listed, I … Read more
The difference between vermiculite vs. perlite can be a little confusing and has caused debate among gardeners. We explain it in depth here!
Let’s face it — purchasing mulch at a garden store can get expensive, especially if you have a large area to cover. Whenever possible, I like to keep my gardening activities as low-cost as possible. When there are SO many great cheap mulch sources, there’s no reason to buy it at the garden center. Check … Read more
Coco coir is an increasingly popular type of hydroponic growing medium — and for a good reason. There are a whole host of benefits to growing with coconut coir that you can and should take advantage of if you’re new to hydroponics. There isn’t a good, comprehensive guide to coconut coir out there… until now. … Read more
Compost or fertilizer — which one is best for your garden? If you are new to gardening, you may not realize that there are some significant differences between the two when it comes to creating a healthy environment for your plants. Both have applications in the garden, and while those applications often occur at separate … Read more
One of the most effective and controversial materials to garden with is peat moss. Effective because it works well in tons of situations, and controversial because of how it is sourced. Many gardeners buy it on the regular without even knowing what it is or what it’s doing in their practice. Peat moss is sometimes … Read more
Everyone knows what kelp is, but for us gardeners kelp holds a special place in our green hearts…or it should! Kelp fertilizer is one of the best supplements you can use in your garden for a variety of reasons. What is Kelp Fertilizer? Liquid kelp fertilizer is a natural alternative to artificial fertilizers used for growing … Read more
When you’ve run a gardening blog for a few years, you start to receive a lot of questions from your readers. Not surprisingly, one of the questions that I have received the most often is about whether or not Miracle-Gro is an organic or a synthetic fertilizer. Because of this, I decided it was time to directly address … Read more
We have one less reason to feel guilty about your coffee addiction! Two of my passions in life are drinking coffee (and lots of it) and being environmentally aware. A question I often get asked is, “How can I compost with coffee grounds?” You’ll be glad to hear that there are lots of ways you … Read more
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