Plants have various tolerances when it comes to soil pH.  While some plants prefer acidic conditions, others are better off in an alkaline environment. However, knowing what you’re working with is essential. So if you have clay in your garden, it’s useful to know whether clay soil is acidic or alkaline? Let’s find out… Is the pH…

After moving into my new home, I quickly learned that not all gardeners are blessed with a yard filled with rich, well-draining, loamy soil! My new garden had thick, sticky, compact, waterlogged clay soil, which meant re-planning my entire garden layout.  Choosing plants that thrive in clay soil may need some discretion, but creating a…

Struggling with clay soil?  Well, you’re in luck! – Or maybe not if your garden beds are full of clay. :-/ Below, I’ll explain some of the best tips for quickly breaking up clay-like soil to improve its structure and fertility. And lessen your gardening woes!  How To Identify Clay Soil? You probably know, the…

Improving your soil fertility is essential to producing healthy and productive plants.  And green manure is seen as an organic alternative to compost and commercial fertilizer.  But how does green manure increase soil fertility, and why should you use this method? How Green Manure Improves Soil Fertility Green manure is living plant material dug into…

Jumping into a massive pile of dead leaves was something I looked forward to every fall when I was a kid 🙂  But as an adult, I started dreading that leaf mountain. What once invited me to play became a slog.  That was until I discovered how good leaves are for my garden. Then I…

Muddy soil looks terrible. But it can also impact how well plants will grow in the ground.  If you have this problem in your garden, you’re probably wondering if there’s a way to amend this soggy situation! So how do you firm up swampy ground and improve its growth potential?  In the article below, I…

I was at a garden brunch recently. As I was about to bite into a smoked salmon blini, my host suddenly apologized for a bare patch of soil close to where we were sitting. He lamented that he couldn’t get anything to grow there, no matter how many plants he tried.  Perhaps you have a…

Your garden is filled with critters, large and small.  Some are beneficial to the soil and the plants.  Others cause problems for gardeners trying to grow certain things.  But where do Springtails fit into this equation? Are they good or bad to have in your soil?  Here’s the low-down of what you can expect if…

Plants live and grow in topsoil, so their health depends on this soil layer.  The problem is that not all topsoil is the same, and some types don’t give plants what they need to thrive.  No matter the condition of your topsoil, you can create a foundation for a lush garden and lawn.  In this…

I always end up with too much potting soil! I guess I like to have more of the stuff on hand, so I don’t need to return to the nursery and buy more… But this leads to the thorny question of how to store potting mix properly. Can you just leave it and forget it?…