Soil & Composting
Healthy soil is the foundation of a productive garden. Learn about soil types, how to test and amend your soil, and how to make nutrient-rich compost.
Feed the Soil, Not Just the Plants
Great gardens start with great soil. While it's tempting to focus on fertilizers and plant varieties, the most successful gardeners know that building healthy soil is the key to growing healthy plants year after year.
Healthy soil is alive—teeming with bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and countless other organisms that break down organic matter, cycle nutrients, and create the structure plants need to thrive. Your job is to feed and protect this living system.
Understanding Your Soil Type
Grab a handful of moist soil and squeeze it. Sandy soil falls apart, clay holds its shape and feels sticky, and loam holds together but crumbles when poked.
Soil pH: The Key to Nutrient Availability
Soil pH affects how well plants can absorb nutrients. Most vegetables prefer slightly acidic soil (pH 6.0-6.8). Test your soil with a home kit or send a sample to your local extension service.
| pH Range | Level | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5-5.5 | Strongly Acidic | Blueberries, potatoes |
| 5.5-6.0 | Moderately Acidic | Peppers, sweet potatoes |
| 6.0-6.5 | Slightly Acidic | Most vegetables (ideal range) |
| 6.5-7.0 | Neutral | Brassicas, beans, beets |
| 7.0-7.5 | Slightly Alkaline | Asparagus, spinach |
To Raise pH (more alkaline):
- • Add garden lime (calcium carbite)
- • Apply wood ash sparingly
- • Use dolomitic limestone
To Lower pH (more acidic):
- • Add elemental sulfur
- • Use acidic mulches (pine needles)
- • Apply coffee grounds
Making Compost: Black Gold for Your Garden
Compost is decomposed organic matter that improves soil structure, adds nutrients, and feeds beneficial soil organisms. It's the single best thing you can add to your garden.
- Grass clippings
- Vegetable scraps
- Coffee grounds
- Fresh plant trimmings
- Fruit waste
- Manure (herbivore only)
- Dry leaves
- Straw or hay
- Cardboard (shredded)
- Wood chips
- Paper (non-glossy)
- Dried plant stalks
- ✕Meat and bones
- ✕Dairy products
- ✕Diseased plants
- ✕Weeds with seeds
- ✕Pet waste
- ✕Treated wood
- ✕Coal ash
Find a convenient spot with good drainage.
- Partial shade is ideal (prevents drying)
- Easy access for adding materials
- Near a water source for moistening
- On bare soil or use a compost bin
- At least 3'x3'x3' for hot composting
Layer browns and greens for optimal decomposition.
- Start with a 4-6" layer of browns (carbon)
- Add 2-3" layer of greens (nitrogen)
- Repeat layers until pile is 3' high
- Aim for 3:1 browns to greens ratio by volume
- Add water - pile should feel like wrung sponge
Regular attention speeds decomposition.
- Turn pile every 1-2 weeks for hot composting
- Or leave alone for 6-12 months (cold composting)
- Keep moist but not soggy
- Add new materials in center of pile
- Hot piles should reach 130-160°F
Finished compost is dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling.
- Ready in 2-3 months (hot) or 6-12 months (cold)
- Should not resemble original materials
- Screen out unfinished pieces
- Use immediately or store in covered bin
- Apply 1-3" to garden beds annually
Soil Amendments
Improves structure, adds nutrients, feeds soil life
Application: 1-3 inches annually, work into top 6 inches
High in nitrogen, improves soil structure
Application: Apply in fall, never use fresh on edibles
Excellent water retention, improves structure
Application: 2-3 inches as mulch or worked into soil
Concentrated nutrients, beneficial microbes
Application: Handful per plant or brew into compost tea
Adds organic matter, fixes nitrogen (legumes), prevents erosion
Application: Plant in fall, cut and incorporate in spring
Raises pH, adds potassium and calcium
Application: Light dusting, never on acid-loving plants