Step 3: What Are You Growing In?
Healthy Soil is one of our most scarce and under appreciated resources and it needs our love now more than ever. Learn here about soil (and soil-less) growing mediums.
Buy good soil
“Soilless potting mixes have long been used for greenhouse production of bedding plants, vegetable transplants and container-grown ornamentals. By avoiding the use of topsoil, the risk pathogenic microorganisms in this media may be reduced, avoiding problems with diseases like damping-off. In addition, topsoil is relatively heavy and dense so it can contribute to poor aeration and drainage in a potting mix. Soil-less mixes should be formulated to have optimal physical and chemical properties that promote germination and healthy seedling growth.” Find out more here.
Assess
Learn how to assess your soil’s physical and chemical properties.
Soil Test
How to get your soil tested for heavy metals (important in urban and suburban settings). How to guess if your soil is contaminated if you can’t test
Contamination
How to garden safely in areas with contamination.
Prepare a bed
How to prepare a bed for gardening: in containers or raised beds, in the ground through no-dig methods, or by tilling the soil.
