You don’t need a green thumb to be able to grow vegetables or other plants. A very successful garden always starts with a rich fertile soil A well-prepared soil is the foundation for a bountiful garden. An ideal soil lets in air and water, retains moisture, drains well, and holds nutrients. Here are some easy steps that I do to prepare soil for planting…..
To Prepare Soil
- Clean up the area. You can use a rake to get rid of debris like leaves, small twigs, or trash. If you have weeds, or unwanted grass and plants in the area, pull them out.
- Till the soil. This means digging and turning the soil. You can use a spade or shovel to do this. You can also use a powered tool if you prefer. Using a shovel or spade, start digging up and turning the soil. Repeat this all over the area. If you see old roots, pick them out and discard them or put them in the compost pile. Digging and turning the soil is good to loosen it. If you dig up any unwanted roots, pull them out.
- Add soil amendments. Adding organic matter to the soil allows air and water to penetrate the soil. It also provides nutrients and improves the texture of the soil. Examples of soil amendments are manure and compost. I prefer using compost because it’s less stinky and cheap. Add 3-4 inches of compost to the area and mix it in with a shovel, spade or garden fork.
- Add organic or granular slow-release fertilizer. Bone meal and blood meal are examples of organic fertilizer. Miracle Gro Shake-n-Feed is a granular slow-release fertilizer. Make sure you follow the rates specified on the label. I prefer using Miracle Gro granular fertilizer because it’s cheaper and it contains bone meal, feather meal, earthworm castings, and kelp. It’s an all-purpose fertilizer that is good for edible or ornamental plants. It also feeds the soil for three months. Whatever you choose, mix it in the soil with the spade or fork.
- Rake and level the soil. Using a rake, level the soil.
- Soil is ready to be planted! Remember, it’s equally important to water plants well and make sure they are getting enough sun. Happy planting!
