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The only time I lived in a place where the soil did not have to be improved was on an old dairy farm in Northern New York. The top soil on our place went down thirty inches before it hit any thing else. Everything grew without any amendments.
However, after that “forgetaboutit!”
One does not need an expensive power tiller if one does not mind some elbow grease with a good spading fork. Matter of fact it takes a lot of elbow grease or muscle to run a power tiller. Those commercials shown on TV are really suspect when one looks close and sees that they dirt they are running the tiller through is practically “saw dust” consistency.
At any rate, let’s get back to amending the soil. Stake out the area you want your organic garden and spread three to four inches of organic matter over the soil. Using your spading fork till it in prior to doing your planting and remember a spading fork will do a better job than a shovel when it comes to loosening and turning soil.
Your plants will need phosphorus for good root growth. That is why bone meal is added when one plants bulbs in the fall.
Your plants will also need nitrogen for healthy leaf and stem growth and remember that nitrogen does not stay in the soil for any length of time as your plants will be using it up as they grow, so you may have to add some as you go along, but not too much or you will have less fruit and flowers and more foliage.
Your plants will also need potassium for overall healthy plants as it stimulates growth and aids your plants immune systems. Keep in mind that both potassium and nitrogen are water soluble and need to be replenished from time to time.
A good soil testing kit is important to measure all of these elements and the pH of your soil as the pH measures the alkalinity and acidity of your soil.
Soil texture is important to know about for your organic garden. If you have too much clay in the ground do not try to add sand or you will get cement. If you shake off the roots of the plant and the dirt breaks apart easily then you have sandy soil. Adding animal manure or plant humus to your soil will help greatly.
“Tread the Earth Lightly” and in the meantime… May your day be filled with…Peace, Light and Love,
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Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/
To see Arlene’s Gardens and to read her gardening diaries and to take a walk through her pictorial garden or click on Arlene’s Books where you can download or buy her gardening & cook books, including her new book, “The ABC’s of Wine and Beer Making”. Many of her articles written for Greenthumbarticles have paintings she has created of the subject and they can be seen at her “How to Do It” site. Remember to check out her artwork, especially of her fruits and vegetables. Many of her paintings are sold internationally and many of her works of art have been reproduced on note cards, post cards and other functional items and you can get Giclee prints of her artwork starting as low as $11.89 Arlene says, “All my royalties from the sale of my books, art, etc. go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and I thank you for visiting my sites.”
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