The success of any garden ultimately depends on the quality of the soil being used. Even the most well-intentioned gardener can fail if the soil is of poor quality. Fortunately, there are ways even a beginning gardener can increase the quality of their gardening dirt in Austin, TX. Here are some easy ways to do so.
* Adding manure to the soil has the benefit of providing excellent nutrient levels for the soil organisms and plants to consume. In fact, many experts say manure makes an even better addition to the soil than compost simply because animal manures are so high in nitrogen. When adding manure, it should be done with great care as there is always the possibility of overuse resulting in excess phosphorus. Several months should be allowed between application and harvesting of the crops to avoid possible contamination.
* Composting is another fine way to develop quality gardening dirt in Austin, TX. There are several methods of composting. The traditional method is to add a quarter layer of compost per season. The compost will be layered in bins alternating between high-nitrogen items such as lawn clippings and high-carbon items such as dry leaves. This greatly enhances the water retention of the soil and also helps to suppress any diseases that could infect the crops. Another way of composting is to keep the high-nitrogen and high-carbon items in separate bins and layer them in stages on the soil. A third way of composting is gaining traction in the gardening world. This third way consists of using earthworms and their castings to enrich the earth. By consuming the discarded organic materials, the earthworms leave behind their castings, which are very nutrient dense and beneficial to all manner of soil microbes.
* If one lives in a more rural area, they may also consider using chickens. The chickens will peck and scratch through the discarded organic waste, which shreds the material and combines it with the very top layers of the soil. After eating the food they find, their droppings will also work to bring nutrients to the soil.
If all of this seems like too much work or simply not something one would care to delve into, there are many fine providers of garden soil such as Loftin Material. Contact them for more info on the quality gardening soil they can provide to the budding gardener.
