If you don’t have strong soil structure, excess rainfall and irrigation can leach nutrients and fertilizers out of your garden beds. But there are many ways to prevent leaching, ensuring that vital plant minerals stay in the root zone where your plants can use them. In this article, soil expert Logan Hailey explains how to prevent leaching in your garden.
Compost piles are excellent for backyard gardeners who want to save money on soil amendments or upcycle excess waste. Turning piles speeds up decomposition, lets microbes breathe, and keeps rotting smells at bay. Join longtime composter Jerad Bryant and discover seven easy ways to turn your compost piles.
Is your hot compost pile feeling cold? Or does it feel too hot? No matter which end of the spectrum your pile is on, there are easy ways to correct its temperature. Join backyard gardener Jerad Bryant in learning exactly how hot our piles should be.
Mycorrhizal fungi seem like a complicated group of organisms. The truth is they’re one of the smartest! They’re also incredibly beneficial for your soil. Learn what they are and what they can do for your garden with native plant gardener Jerad Bryant.
Compost typically decomposes from a month to a year, but you can make your own in as little as a week! How fast it decomposes depends on your garden conditions. Let’s break down your dirt with native plant gardener Jerad Bryant.
If you’re always on the lookout for a more sustainable soil amendment or mulch, then you need to know more about rice hulls. They’re a food-safe byproduct that comes from processing rice, and they offer numerous benefits as both an amendment and as mulch. While other materials like perlite and peat are non-renewable or potentially harmful, this option is an environmentally-friendly choice. Plant biologist Emily Estep will explain the basics to get you started.
Understanding soil drainage terms helps you select the right plants for the right locations. Many species prefer well-drained soil, but what is it exactly? We’ll cover how to assess your garden soil’s drainage so you can confidently garden, worry-free. Explore how to know your soil better alongside native plant gardener Jerad Bryant.
Interested in reaping all the benefits of compost but not sure how to make your own? In this article, biologist and long-time compost enthusiast Lindsay Miller shares several different ways gardeners can build beautiful compost at home.
While healthy compost and mulch can boost your soil’s health and limit your workload, adding contaminated materials can cause serious harm. Join farmer Briana Yablonski to learn what to do if you’re dealing with herbicide-laden materials.
If you have highly acidic soils, some plants will suffer due to a lack of accessible nutrients. Fortunately, amending with garden lime is an easy way to adjust pH levels. Most plants prefer slightly acidic to neutral pH levels. Tackle this common issue with garden expert Katherine Rowe to learn how to raise your pH with garden lime.
Nitrogen fixers are the superheroes of the garden world, adding available nitrogen to the soil for whatever you plant next, saving you money on fertilizer, and often acting as stellar cover crops that further suppress weeds and improve soil structure. Gardening enthusiast Emily Estep walks you through 11 nitrogen-fixing plants that will improve your garden soil with minimal effort.
The biggest confusion beginners face with compost is balancing nitrogen-rich inputs (greens) and carbon-heavy inputs (browns). In this article, garden expert and organic farmer Logan Hailey explains everything you need to know about balancing the carbon-nitrogen ratio for odor-free, quality home compost.