The texture and richness of your soil will determine how well your plants grow.
The process of enriching soil for container gardens is simple, but requires some basic knowledge of soil types in terms of both fertility and texture. Soil that is sandy and rough drains more quickly, but soil with clay will retain water. Soil with lots of organic matter is more fertile, and soil without it is less nutritious. In improving soil for grow boxes and raised beds, it is important to consider what plants you will be growing and the quality of your starting soil. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Research the soil requirements of the plants you will be growing. Some plants may require more well-drained soil, and others may require a lot of soil fertility. Inversely, some plants prefer water-retaining moist soil, or soil that is less rich in nutrients.
2. Examine the starting soil you wish to enrich. By rubbing it between your fingers and feeling for grit, you can determine whether it is sandy or not. Moisture content is an indication of how well it drains water. If the soil is sticky, this indicates the presence of clay. Organic matter can be identified by finding detritus of decayed plants, leaves and twigs.
3. Place the starting soil on a tarp or in a large broad container for mixing.
4. Add sand to the soil if your plants require good drainage and your existing soil is high in clay. Add up to 1 part sand for every 10 parts soil. If the soil is too well-drained, on the other hand, add peat moss to it. Significant proportions of peat moss can be added, but how much depends on how sandy the soil is already. Mix the sand or peat moss in well. This is referred to as texture enrichment.
5. Add organic matter to the soil if your plants require fertile soil (or, in other words, significant amounts of nutrition). The best types of organic matter for this purpose are aged compost and aged manure. Both can be obtained from any garden center. Incorporate up to 1 part organic matter for every 1 part soil to enrich its fertility.
6. Mix the soil well and add it to the raised bed or grow box.
Tags: organic matter, peat moss, plants require, starting soil, your plants, fertile soil