All too often, soil composition is neglected. Every season, our plants and
gardens rob the soil of it nutrients. All gardeners are to be custodians of
the soil, taking the time to replace food and other elements as they are
used. Since our soil is so important, we need to treat it, as we want to be
treated, not like dirt.

Soil is a composition of weather-beaten rock, minerals, decayed plant
materials and other organic ingredients. All this takes a long time to
develop, but can be damaged by our action or neglect in a single season.

For soil to be healthy, it should contain a balanced mix of air, water,
nutrients, and organic matter. There are a couple things we can do to
protect this mixture.

Adding organic matter on a regular basis is probably one of the most
important things we can do. Adding compost and animal manure can do
many things, for instance:

Increases the soil's capability to hold nutrients.
Makes food available to plants over a longer period of time.
Lessens the amount of nutrients lost by erosion or leaching.
Provides micronutrients that are needed by plants in small amounts.
Releases nutrients already in the soil by increasing the action of beneficial
microorganisms.
Increases the water-holding capacity for sandy soils.
Increases the drainage of clay soils.
Saves money.

Do not apply fertilizer to lawns until we get a good soaking rain, and for
best, safest, long-lasting results use organic fertilizers. The wet soil puts
the nutrients into a solution and helps distribute the nutrients to the plant
roots to be absorbed.

The ability of soil to drain water is important. However, when you read
phrases like "plant in a well-drained soil" or "does not like wet feet", they
are talking about the plant's need for air. The roots of plants require
oxygen and any soil that is waterlogged will be lacking oxygen.

Many plants will put up with high moisture-conditions during the growing
season, but when the plants are dormant, the same conditions may kill
them. By improving the drainage, the plant will have a better growing
environment.

Another problem is soil becoming compacted by tractors and other
equipment or just by tilling it year after year. You will find soil compaction
in most soils, from gardens to farm fields.

Tilling the soil when it is too wet will clump and ruin the composition of the
soil. This condition takes a long period of time to bring it back to health. To
tell if the soil is too wet take a handful and squeeze it, if it crumbles in your
hand then it is ready to till but if it clumps then it is too wet. Some people
now believe that tilling at all is not good for the structure of the soil. It
exposes the helpful microorganisms to the environment and they are
destroyed.

However, gardeners may wonder if it is best to till the garden in the fall or
spring. Tilling the soil in the fall has advantages over springtime. When
spring arrives, it allows for earlier planting since the basic soil preparation
is done. Tilling in the fall allows a large amount of organic matter to be
turned into the soil and start decomposing because the microbes are active
currently.

An excellent source of organic matter is the fall leaves. Try tilling a thick
layer of leaves into the soil this fall and by spring, it will have decomposed.

Sowing a cover crop, like winter rye, is very beneficial by adding valuable
nutrients and organic matter when tilled into the soil the following spring.
Fall tilling will disrupt the bad insects, diseases, and weeds, reducing their
population.

Fall is a good time to test your soil and should be done every couple of
years. In conclusion, doing all the previous steps should be done the
organic gardening way. It is back to basics when it comes to gardening.