Improving or “building” soil is essential for every successful home garden. By adding the right nutrients, you can help your plants grow healthy and plentiful. Luckily, the process is fairly simple, and can save you money you’d otherwise spend on ready-made soil.
Here are some beginner tips for turning regular dirt into healthy garden soil:
Start with a soil test
Before you add anything to your soil, use a soil test kit to determine what it needs. This test can tell you about your soil pH level and the amount of essential plant nutrients it contains. Certain plants require a specific pH range to thrive, so be sure to research the individual soil needs for each plant.
The most important minerals for a happy garden are potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur and calcium. Soil deficient in a specific mineral can be improved with specific ingredients or “amendments.” If all the minerals are low, an all-purpose fertilizer is the best place to begin.
Create a compost pile
You can easily create your own all-purpose fertilizer by composting organic kitchen scraps and garden waste. Composting slowly breaks down the materials into their basic components, most of which are needed for plants to survive. Some examples of compostable materials you might have at home include dry leaves, vegetable scraps, lawn clippings and coffee grounds.
Not only will compost add valuable nutrients, it will also improve soil structure, maintain a neutral soil pH, and help the soil retain moisture for healthy plant roots. Compost will also feed the earthworms and other soil organisms, which promote aeration and further improve fertility.
Composting takes patience, but using your leftover organic matter to create healthy soil will benefit you and your garden over time.
About the Author
Kimberly Hering
Kimberly Hering's devotion to helping people achieve their real estate goals stems from her genuine enjoyment of the process. Whatever the task, Kimberly makes it her mission to get it done, however she can, without compromising her client's needs. Often, that means thinking outside the box. After working with Kimberly, clients describe her as being Trustworthy, Creative, Patient, Highly Skilled, Attentive to the Process and having a lot of Integrity.
After spending more than 15 successful years working on Wall Street, Kimberly transitioned into Real Estate, joining Alain Pinel Realtors, then moving to Zephyr, now Corcoran Global Living, in 2018. During her career on Wall Street, Kimberly was a Vice President working as an Institutional Equity Salesperson for Montgomery Securities for 10 years. She covered the top money managers throughout the US and Canada. She joined Jefferies & Co as a Senior Vice President managing the Western Region Institutional Sales group, while continuing to cover the top money managers.
Kimberly leverages her extensive experience selling equities to top money managers throughout the US and Canada, to successfully negotiating any Real Estate transaction seamlessly for her clients. Kimberly is well versed in Marin's neighborhoods, towns, cities, and education system.
Living in the Bay Area for 35 years, 25 years in Marin and having 2 sons in local Marin schools, Kimberly spends a lot of time volunteering in the community and serving on various local Boards. Kimberly has a collection of resources ranging from the best local breakfast spots to vetted contractors. With her reliable list of valuable resources, Real Estate experience and unsurpassed knowledge of Marin's many communities, Kimberly can guide her clients through every aspect of a Real Estate transaction seamlessly.
Relocating to Marin, downsizing, upsizing, first time home buying, final home purchase or sale, or a lot to build a dream home, no matter the undertaking, Kimberly works seamlessly until the job at hand is completed with 100% satisfaction.