Why soil is the most important part of your garden

When we look at planting within our garden its a sensible move to make sure all conditions are right for want to achieve before we start with our plants. Every plant has a purpose, every plant has a need and to be healthy and give us the best display they need to be in the right place and comfortable.

This is where the soil becomes the vital part in starting any garden ( the same could be said for pots, troughs and container gardening as well ).

So where do we start ?

The area you are going to plant in needs to be weed free, dug over and raked out to a decent even level. Next add some organic matter onto the soil, and either leave for a couple of days on top ( perfect if its a weekend project ) then lightly fork it in or rake in to the top couple of inches. This will invigorate the microbes within the soil which in turn will create a soil medium where roots can freely find the nutrients they need to flourish and be shown at there best.

You are creating life in your soil, its a life you will feed alongside your plants when you top dress, mulch, fork over to keep the air flowing through the soil, it improves drainage so water settles lower which is perfect for dry periods in the year, the roots will be established and taking in moisture below the top couple of inches.

What benefits from these actions - Plant roots move more freely through the soil, worms are encouraged and help aerate the soil, birds will scuffle around the border searching for small flies and insects for there young, its a new bio diverse area where much of the life benefits the plants but we rarely see it.

Organic matter comes in many forms - Your own compost, Strulch ( fibred straw ), mushroom compost, chicken pellets, leaf mould, farmyard manure, bracken down ( composted bracken ). But, before you add it to your soil check the NPK rating, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potash. Basically Nitrogen is for leaf growth, Phosphorous for fruit and flowers and root development, and Potash for plant vitality, water regulation and disease resistance.

Plan it carefully, your plants life depends on it and you.