The Content Of Your Soil

Cow Manure (from www.ehso.com)

Do you do anything special to your soil to make your plants happier? Gardeners have lots of options and many tactics when it comes to keeping their plants in good hands... the best way to ensure healthy growth is by maximizing the nutritional value of the soil!

When my husband first built my raised bed he filled it with manure and compost from my grandma's farm. Manure is a great addition to a garden as it keeps the soil moist and full of nutrients. For more information on using manure in your garden, check out this Wikipedia article, or read this page on the Echochem website. I also have been known to throw my coffee grounds into the garden bed instead of putting them down the garbage disposal or in the trash. Our soil seems to work pretty well for most of our plants and I'm pleased with how my garden grows. What do you use? Do you simply use the soil in your yard as it is, or do you add something to it?

Composting (from www.ehso.com)

Growing up my family kept a huge compost bin and I can still remember running out to the bin to add things to it when we would clean out the refrigerator. My parents helped us kids to differentiate what could and could not go into the compost bin. Howtocompost.org includes a lot of easy information about how to successfully compost. For example, did you know you should avoid putting meat into your compost pile? In my neighborhood compost bins or piles are unfortunately not allowed, though I would love to keep one. Do you keep a compost pile? What do you put into your compost pile or container, and how long do you let it settle before you use it?


Do you find that working with your soil makes your garden more bountiful? What is the best thing you think you do for your garden's soil? Do any of your soil-enriching decisions make other 'green' impacts on the earth?