Learning how to make organic garden soil can be an important first step in becoming more self-sufficient. Many people assume that gardeners know all there is to know about gardening soil and what it can do, but in truth, many of the most valuable tips regarding how to make organic garden soil are actually simple, common-sense tips that can help everyone. By taking the time to learn how to make organic garden soil, you will find that you are more productive in your gardening efforts, that you are able to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor more fully, and that you are working less in and of itself than you are working.
So what exactly is it that makes up the ingredients that comprise this type of garden soil? There are three primary components that make up garden soil – plant nutrients, trace elements, and microorganisms. The plant nutrients are what you are putting into the soil when you are preparing the soil for growing plants and seeds, the trace elements are what they are like in the soil and the microorganisms are what makes it healthy and varied. The three components play an important role in how the soil reacts to the activities that take place beneath it.
The first component of how to make organic garden soil is the plant nutrients. There are two basic types of nutrients found in plant food – animal (manmade) and plant (natural). Plants use these two nutrients to process plant food and to build their tissues, but they also need a little bit of additional nutrition just to make their lives easier. Fortunately, it is easy to add these nutrients back into the garden soil through the mediums used to mix the compost, whether it is a simple mixture of kitchen scraps or a commercial product.
You may also choose to mix your own compost. The best way to do this is to purchase a commercial compost that has already been tested to find out its contents. Look for high-quality ingredients, since they will be easier to maintain and make the soil even more rich and fertile. If you are new to gardening, then it may be better to start off with a small-quantity batch of compost, so that you can get a feel for what you are doing and adjust your soil management technique accordingly. You will not need to add any other type of nutrients at all to the compost before you are ready for the main gardening jobs.
The second factor is the plant litter, which consists of dead leaves, stems and small pieces of wood or other material. The plant litter serves the purpose of holding the organic matter together. The amount of material that you will need to include depends on how much waste you generate in your household, but at least a cubic yard of it should be added to the compost. Because it is a natural product, vermiculite makes the perfect addition to the compost heap.
The third consideration is the size of your garden plot or the area over which you want to grow your plants. In order to determine this, you can use a garden soil calculator. A cubic yard is the unit that is used. Then multiply this by the number of square feet in your plot. This gives you the square footage that your plot is divided up into. After you have determined the amount of soil that you will need, then you are ready to add the plant material.
You can learn more about how to make organic garden soil by consulting books or taking a gardening class. In fact, learning how to create a natural and healthy environment within your own home is really not that difficult, provided that you pay attention to the details. Most gardening books will show you how to use basic gardening tools like a garden rake and spade, among other things. However, aside from these, you will also need to learn about the three components of natural soil – sand, silt and compost. Knowing how to combine these three components in the correct amounts will allow your plants to thrive.
When it comes to learning how to make compost using a cubic yd of soil, there are two ways that you can go about it. You may either buy pre-composted material at your local gardening store or you may create your own. If you decide to make your own pre-compost, then you should know that it will take at least two years before you can expect it to produce quality compost. Meanwhile, purchasing pre-composted compost may cost only a few dollars per cubic ft but it will take a lot longer to mature.