Article Written By: Greg Eedes
Store Manager @ GardenShop Parktown North
Improving the soil in your garden will improve the health of your plants; enabling them to grow stronger, flower more prolifically, and be less prone to disease. Soil with good texture can hold adequate water, oxygen, and nutrients for plants, helping with stronger growth.
For sandy soil which does not retain moisture you will need to fork in generous amounts of compost and well-rotted manure each season before planting.
Clay soils don’t drain well due to their fine particle make-up. They need breaking up with compost or clay buster allowing air, water and roots to penetrate.
To prepare your soil for new planting compost your garden and use superphosphate or bone meal to condition the soil which will enable the soil to better absorb water, thereby reducing the need to water.
It is important to use an organic fertiliser such Atlantic All Purpose in your soil for the first month alternating with a chemical fertiliser such as Wonder 3:1:5, 7:1:3 or 3:2:1 in the second month as a nutrient booster. Apply a thick layer of mulch once the bed is planted to assist with reducing evaporation.
