Growing a Healthier Garden

How much time and hard work have you invested in your garden this spring? As we approach the summer season, don’t let poor soil conditions undo your earlier efforts. Soil health has a direct link to plant health. Plants thrive and fail based on what is available in garden soil.

The Key to a Healthy Garden is Healthy Soil

The first step to ensure optimal growing conditions is assessing the makeup of your soil. You can do this with a simple soil test. Nearly every soil test provides Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium (NPK) levels. NPK elements are essential components to plant growth. If a test reveals an insufficient amount of any of the elements, then it is a warning sign for problematic soil.

Plants rely on NPK elements for protein development and photosynthesis. These elements are commonly found in the minerals of the soil, as well as the atmosphere. However, availability of NPK elements in natural sources is limited.

A soil test also indicates the soil’s acidity or pH, using a scale from zero to fourteen. Most plants prefer soils with a neutral pH level (a seven), but some plants thrive in soil with more or less acidity. Highly acidic soils can be toxic to plants, limiting the availability of nutrients and destroying root systems.