7 Essential Tips For the Best Soil to Grow Great Flowers and Vegetables
What 50 years of gardening taught me about dirt.
I love gardening. In fact, of all the hobbies, activities, or jobs I’ve had — growing plants is my favorite.
As a kid, I began learning about raising vegetables growing up on a homestead in Alaska. Then I was a home gardener for many years and was fortunate enough to be a full-time organic vegetable grower for ten years. I never get tired of growing plants.
Seeing gardeners struggle is so sad. And it doesn’t have to be that hard.
Last week, while visiting my sister, we walked through her neighborhood north of Seattle. We both love gardening, and it’s fun to see what’s growing. Lots of folks had a small vegetable garden growing in their side yards, usually in a raised bed or one marked off with lumber.
Sadly, all the plants looked pale and stunted.
I told my sis, “I know what’s the matter with all those plants! I wish I could tell them before they lose their enthusiasm for gardening. And it’s not their fault!”
Though I am not a soil scientist, I’ve learned a lot about soil growing in the limestone rock and sugar sand of Central Texas, the arid…
