A garden is only as healthy as the soil it is planted in, and it is never too early to begin preparing your organic vegetable garden soil for the next harvest. In fact, some green thumbs work all year long to ensure their soil is filled with nutrients for the next growing season. Whether you choose the DIY approach to preparing your organic vegetable garden soil or go for the commercial products that are certified organic, you will need to take some time to get that garden ready for the next planting season ahead. These tips will get you on the road to healthy soil, which will translate into healthy plants once the season is in full swing.

The Basics of Compost

Compost is an essential to healthy organic vegetable garden soil for two reasons. First, good compost will be rich in nutrients that can feed your garden all season long. This eliminates the need for regular feeding of your plants, saving you time and money in the long run. Second, compost will loosen the soil, allowing for better drainage so that air and water can get in easily to feed the roots. This process will make for healthier plants that are resistant to pests and disease. A good compost is an important factor in rich organic vegetable garden soil and healthy plants, and gardeners have more than one option in obtaining this important substance.

In some cases, gardeners will choose to make their own compost to add to their organic vegetable garden soil. This is generally done through a compost bin that is placed just outside the home and filled with table scraps, grass clippings and shredded paper. Most people who opt for this method find that some ingredients work better than others in ensuring the most nutrient rich organic vegetable garden soil possible. For example, many gardeners swear by the addition of scraps like coffee grounds and eggs shells due their high nutrient content. By the same token, many compost creators choose to avoid adding meat products to their heap because of the smell and the fact that it might attract unwanted critters to the yard like raccoons and fox. In most cases, the compost heap is simply added to and left to ferment, with the occasional stir of a shovel to ensure a proper mixture.

If your own compost bin is not an appealing thought, you can also choose to add commercial compost to your organic vegetable garden soil. However, you will want to make sure that the product you choose is certified organic so you don't compromise the nature of your home vegetable garden. The right compost is the key component to nutrient rich organic vegetable garden soil that will provide healthy plants and a bumper crop.