Getting the garden ready!

One of the best things to do to prepare the garden is to do a thorough soil test. You will need to test the levels of ph and the major nutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium). You can buy a cheap test kit at any garden center. This will give you an idea were you need to start. In addition to other properties, nitrogen helps plant foliage to grow strong. Phosphorous helps roots and flowers grow and develop. Potassium (Potash) is important for overall plant health. There are a number of ways to increase these nutrients. All the various ideas I will talk about are organic. I believe in the long run that it is healthier and safer to go organic. You can compost your kitchen scraps, outdoor grass clippings and leaves, manures from sources such as horses, cows, chickens, goats, sheep, and alpacas. Do not use manure from pets or animals that eat meat. One of the best sources that I found is green manures. They are extremely a good deal, especially if you do not have a readily available manure source. I will cover more about green manures in my next post.