Many gardeners feel that the soil is secondary to plant care and maintenance. The thinking is, as long as the plants are getting quality food, sufficient water and enough sun, they should do just fine. This is the same thinking as, “why buy organic when a mass produced vegetable will do the trick?”
The type of soil your plants grow from can make the difference between producing average plants and stunning plants. If you want an outstanding garden, you need to grow your plants in a quality medium. Once you know how to pick great soil, or produce your own, your garden plants will thrive and grow to twice their normal size.
Good garden soil is the right mixture of sand, silt and clay. Too much of one ingredient can compromise the quality of your plants. There should be an equal amount of sand and silt and smaller amount of clay. A Google search for “good garden soil” should produce more information about the exact methods for testing the quality of your soil. Composting is another excellent way to create a great foundation for your garden. A home composting bin is an effective, free method to make your own quality soil.