According to the Environmental Protection Agency, a teaspoonful of healthy soil contains about 4 billion organisms. That community of beneficial soil creatures keeps our landscapes healthy by:
• Creating a loose soil structure that allows air, water and plant root growth into the soil.
• Recycling nutrients and making them available to plants.
• Storing water until plants need it.
• Protecting plants from some pests and diseases.
How can you tell what your soil needs? A test will tell you how much nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and lime your soil needs to grow healthy plants. Says the EPA: Depending on the condition of the soil, you may not even need to apply these nutrients. Contact your local Cooperative Extension office – (877) 398-4769 – or garden supply center for a soil test kit.
Feed your soil with compost: Says the EPA: Dig or rototill 1 to 3 inches of compost (more on compost later in this section) into 6 to 12 inches of topsoil when you’re making new beds or planting lawns.
Top-dress existing lawns with a quarter- to half-inch every spring or fall. Compost helps sandy soils hold nutrients and water, loosens clay soils and feeds the beneficial soil life so it can feed and protect your plants.
Compost reduces the need for fertilizers and water by supplying nutrients and helping the soil retain moisture. For established gardens, spread about 2 inches of compost over area annually and work into the soil.