Making Your Garden Look Fantastic

3 Ways to Improve the Quality Your Garden Soil

27 July 2021

Philip Newman

The quality of your garden's soil is one of the key factors in maintaining the health of your plants. As you may know, soil consists primarily of the decomposing remains (known as humus) and minerals left from previous plant and animal life. It also includes water, air, microbes and other natural organisms. If any of these are out of balance, your soil may not be doing as well as it could at helping your plants grow.

So, if your garden is looking a little worse for wear, it could be time to inspect and improve your soil. Read on for three great ways to improve the quality of soil in your garden.

1. Bring compost into the mix

Boosting the organic matter in your soil is one of the best ways to improve its quality and help your plants grow healthy. Organic matter is the decomposed remains of any plant or animal; these remains provide essential nutrients that boost plant growth. If your soil doesn't contain enough organic matter, your plants may grow slowly or poorly. There are several ways to boot organic matter, but the easiest is to apply organic compost to your land. After adding it to the soil, the natural nutrients will infuse into the ground and feed your plants.

2. Invest in mulch

Another type of organic matter that will greatly enrich your garden soil is mulch. Mulch is the layer of organic matter that you add on top of your soil to protect it. It can also help regulate the soil's moisture and reduce weed growth, all while enhancing the visual appeal of your garden and increasing its fertility. Usually, mulch comes in the form of wood chips or shredded leaves which are applied on top of a garden's soil to improve temperature and moisture levels. Pine straws or grass clippings are other common forms of mulch.

3. Add walkways to avoid heavy traffic

The third and final way to improve the quality of your soil is to minimise the amount of traffic on it. Footfall compacts the soil, reducing aeration and preventing moisture from soaking through. In turn, this affects fertility, reducing the good microbes that are essential for healthy soil. The best way to reduce the amount of traffic on your soil is to add walkways made from stone, paving, wood chips or any other material of your choosing. This ensures no one will step on your flowerbeds and other growth spots. To learn more, contact a company that provides soil supplies.

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