Soil – Your Secret to Success!

Growing a vegetable garden is easy, fun, and rewarding. Once you know what you want to grow, and how you want to lay your garden out, you need to focus on the medium you will be using – the soil.

Soil, for the most part, is the most important element of your vegetable garden. The right soil will help increase your yield, protect from disease, and provide nutrients to your plants, which in the long run, increases the harvest you make.

Most vegetables need to be planted in a medium that drains well, and does not retain too much access water. That being said, soils that drain too quickly will have an adverse effect on your garden, making it constantly dry out, and will cause your vegetable plants to go to seed prematurely. To create the perfect mixture to begin your vegetable garden, mix one part compost, with one part potting soil.

Soil that is perfect for vegetables will allow water to drain through it well, while still retaining moisture within itself. If you find that the mix you have is too heavy still, and is not draining out, add more universal potting soil to the mix to help make the medium fluffier and lighter. If you are growing your vegetable garden in pots, the same medium can be used, but it is a good idea to line the bottom of the pot with a little of loose gravel to provide further drainage.

Soil that does not drain sufficiently will cause your plants roots to rot, and encourages mold growth and disease among your plants. Ensuring that the soil is light enough to drain properly will also ensure aeration to the soil. Aeration encourages root health and also helps to air out and maintain soil health. At the end of each season, it is a good idea to remove and check your soil to ensure that the soil is rotated and renewed before replacing it to the pots, or if your vegetable garden is in the ground, it is a good idea to turn over your garden completely.

Research about what PH level your chosen vegetables you will be planting prefer. It is important to have the PH level of the soil correct as it can make all the difference. You may need to add or reduce the amount of lime or sulphur in the soil. These little elements will make all the difference.

Happy Growing!