Tips to Improve the Soil in Your Landscaping

The star of your landscaping project or garden might be the flowers and plants that you grow. However, you need to keep in mind that without good soil – none of these things are going to grow easily on your property. Many landscaping experts will tell you that investing in quality soil is one of the most important parts of landscaping.

 

There are lots of ways to improve your soil quality to make your landscaping project more bountiful. Here are some vital tips you need to consider.

 

Plant Cover Crops

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Cover crops are basically plants that help protect your soil. These are also plants that are versatile which means they can grow during harsh weather conditions. If you want to protect your soil from heavy rain erosion, make sure to have your soil planted with cover crops first.

 

Once the heavy rains have passed, you can then trim these cover crops and use them as a natural fertilizer in your garden. It’s a sustainable way to keep your garden healthy and free from environmental hazards all at once.

 

Use Compost

Compost is organic decomposing matter. It’s the best product you can feed your soil. The last thing you’d want is to use inorganic fertilisers on your lawn as these could mess with the soil’s pH level. Moreover, it can also affect the growth and quality of your plants if you don’t use them properly.

 

Compost can help sustain your soil and garden for a long time. Not only does it balance pH levels, but it can also help improve the drainage of your soil. It is also healthy for earthworms which are a vital part of your landscaping project’s ecosystem.

 

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You can create your own compost by mixing leaves, shredded paper, straw, coffee grounds, vegetable trimmings, and fruit scraps in a wooden box. Once the materials begin to decompose and blend, you can then use them as a healthy and natural fertilizer.

Compost

Use Mulch

Mulch is a thin layer of decomposing matter that’s placed on top of your soil. It can be lawn trimmings, vegetable or fruit peels, or any organic matter.

 

It’s different from compost as instead of being placed within the soil, it’s placed on top so it’s easier to manage and add. By adding a layer of mulch regularly, you’re giving your soil a consistent source of nutrients that will eventually help the rest of your plants grow. Mulch can be purchased at many stores, but be sure to use a mulch delivery service because often times you need a lot of mulch even in small areas. 

 

Regularly Test Your Soil

Understanding your soil’s current pH level is important if you want to know how to take care of it. You can buy soil testing kits pretty easily online and in gardening stores.

 

A basic soil testing kit will allow you to test for potassium, sulphur, magnesium, phosphorus, and your soil’s pH level. What’s even better is that there are some soil test kits that will also tell you what you need to do to balance your soil’s acidity and minerals.

 

Aerate Your Soil

Like us, plants need to breathe too. To help oxygen flow easily through your garden, you’re going to need to aerate your soil. Aerating your soil means poking holes into it. Usually, aeration holes are around 3 inches deep.

 

You can do this task manually using a small pipe. However, you can make the job easier with a lawn aeration tool. It’s like a lawnmower but instead of cutting your grass, you’ll be poking consistent and evenly distributed holes within your lawn.

 

Avoid Using Chemicals

Pesticide and other chemical products promise you quick solutions to common garden and soil problems. What they don’t tell you though is that there are drawbacks to using these things.

 

If you want to keep your garden and soil healthy all year round, then it’s imperative that you avoid using harsh chemicals. Pesticides, insecticides, and inorganic fertilizers aren’t just expensive, they also put a heavy burden on the quality of your plants and soil. Going all-natural is still the way to go.

 

Get Quality Soil

There’s only so much you can do with the soil that you have. Even if you take all of these tips into consideration, your going to have a hard time growing your garden if the quality of your soil is poor, to begin with.

 

MLSWA says that it’s important that you buy your soil from trusted sources only. Garden soil needs to be soft and just at the right pH level so that plants grow well in it. Finding good quality garden soil and decorative stones to support your garden is a must for any great landscaping project.

 

Taking care of your garden is easy once you’ve improved the quality of your soil. With these tips, you’ll be able to have a bountiful garden in no time. Always remember that landscaping requires patience and a lot of work so be sure to stay consistent with how you care for your soil.

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