Once winter leaves and signs of warmer weather return, it’s tough to resist the urge to get back to business in the garden. Although it’s great to feel this way, it’s prudent to make sure you get started at the right time to begin preparing vegetable garden soil. You’ll want to make absolutely sure that you are past the last frost date. A cold front could quickly ruin your early season crop. If snow is on the ground, you’ll want to make sure it’s all melted and dried, so that you don’t rot out the roots.
To do a quick test of your soil moisture level, grab a handful of the soil and squeeze it into your fist. When you open your hand back up, does it crumble or turn to powder? If it doesn’t crumble at all, then it’s still too wet. If it turns to powder, then it’s too dry. You’ll want a happy medium where it crumbles a bit, but isn’t so dry.
This is also a great time to bring your soil in for analysis. Some community greenhouses or agricultural government departments can do this for you for a reasonable fee. They’ll be able to tell you what your soil lacks, so you can plan to add the right amendments to get your nutrient levels right.
Once you know what your soil is going to require this season, you can start laying down a layer of general fertilizer, such as a common 10-10-10 NPK blend. Organic is best, if you can find it. Make sure to till the soil to mix it in evenly and let roots grow more easily. You should also make a round through the garden to pull out any weeds that have cropped up.
Consider drainage next. If you spot any areas that water is likely to pool, make a note. You can even test water the area and see if you have any non-obvious spots where water pools. Through these areas, consider running a drainage ditch, so that your roots don’t rot and kill your crop.
Although it may seem like a bit of work, you know it’s completely worth the effort. I’m sure you’re aware of how important a good soil preparation is to your growing season. Get it wrong or be too lazy, and you’ll have a mediocre crop. Get it right and put in the effort, and you’ll be richly rewarded.
Posted under Miscellaneous Content
This post was written by admin on August 2, 2011
