Good soil is a little exciting but important thing you can do for your garden. Good quality soil means your garden will grow pretty much on its own. Gardens with good soil require less water, less herbicides and pesticides, less fertilizer, and much less time and labor.
You can’t buy good soil. If you want to, you have to do it – and it takes years to do – but there are ways to speed things up.
While some people expect soil improvement to be an exact science, common sense can work too. First of all, know your soil. A soil test is always a good idea, especially if your soil has been used for a commercial or farming business before. Otherwise, Yakima soils are usually clay based with everything you need except nitrogen and organic matter. Fortunately, when you add organic matter, the decomposition process produces stable nitrogen that is easily usable by plants. The key is to remember that lots of organic matter is all you need to turn native Yakima soil into dark, crumbly, loose, and fertile soil, and in just a few years. That’s all we can say about it.
If that sounds like a lot of work, fear not. This is not a “man against nature†contest involving backbreaking work. Nature is powerful and will do most of the work for you.
Deep mulch should consist of mixed organic material, but not too much wood or bark. Wood takes many years to decompose and retains nitrogen, making it unavailable to plants. Deep mulch works best when added in the fall. In existing ornamental beds, apply a 6 to 12 inch layer to the soil. Don’t turn it into dirt. If there are woody trees and shrubs, do not let the mulch touch the trunks or stems. Leave 2 to 3 inches between the mulch and the base of the plant to prevent rotting. In the spring, annuals can be planted by simply moving the mulch aside to dig a hole for the new plant. In a year or two, the mulch will be eaten by soil microbes and decomposers. What remains will be several inches of beautiful, dark, crumbly soil. You will need to add about 4 inches of mulch each year thereafter.
For vegetable gardens, start in the fall by adding 12 to 16 inches of mulch to the entire garden. This deep layer of mulch is a unique addition. The following spring, simply move the mulch aside enough to dig a hole for the seedling. Do not let the mulch touch the stems of young plants. Most crops that grow from seed do not do well when sown directly into deep mulch. Exceptions are squash, zucchini, pumpkins and melons. To sow seeds, depending on your garden layout, rake the mulch back, exposing the soil to make either a row or a wide bed. Cover the exposed soil with a few inches of finished compost. Do not mix compost with the soil. Plant the seeds directly in the compost. In the following years, deep mulching is not necessary. Just do regular maintenance by adding about 4 inches of mulch to the entire garden, usually in the fall. Do not plow the mulch into the ground. In fact, dig and plow as little as possible. This maintains a better ecosystem for microbes and soil decomposers, which will do the plowing for you.
Where do you get so much mulch and what type of mulch should you use? A simple solution is to trim dead leaves and grass clippings by passing them several times as you mow your lawn. Cutting the leaves into smaller pieces is attractive and reduces their wind effect. If you don’t have leaves, ask a neighbor for his. They will probably be happy to deliver them to you. Chopped straw is good in vegetable gardens, but will take a little longer to decompose. It can be found at any ranch supply store and reasonably priced. Skip the hay. It’s full of seeds. Another option is the free shredded yard waste available at the Terrace Heights landfill. Any of these mulches will turn dark and crumbly in a year or two.
Spreading all this mulch is labor intensive, but only takes a day or two a year. In addition to creating a very rich and fertile soil, mulch also prevents the germination of weed seeds; protects against soil erosion; moderates soil temperature; retains water; reduces evaporation; and feeds soil microbes which in turn nourish your garden plants. This means you’ll spend less time weeding and watering, spend a lot less money on chemicals, and still have a healthier garden. It’s a big return on your work. Ultimately, you’ll have more time to actually enjoy your garden.