While the growing season may soon be winding down as temperatures start to cool, this time of year is the perfect time to give some thought to improving the quality of the soil in your garden and planting beds. For individuals who take pride in growing vegetables, flowers and plants in the spring, summer and fall, it should come as no surprise that the quality of your topsoil (the top few inches of soil where your plants receive most of their nutrients) can go a long way in predicting the success of your growing attempts.
As plants die off in the coming weeks and months, don’t simply leave them there and forget about your soil until the ground once again thaws and thoughts turn to colorful or nutritious additions to your garden. Now is the time to prepare your beds so that when you’re ready to plant, the ground is ready to nourish what you want to grow.
One way to improve the quality of your soil is to incorporate some compost into the soil. This can be accomplished by buying bags of compost from your local garden supplier or big box store, ordering a few yards of the stuff if you have a lot of ground to cover, or even using your own homemade compost if you have been preparing for this time of year for awhile. The compost should be mixed in with the top few inches of loosened soil. It’s best to add compost while the temperatures are still relatively warm, since the warmer temperatures will stimulate the growth of microbes and other organisms, which will be beneficial to the quality of your soil.
In addition to compost, it’s also a good idea to incorporate some other organic matter into the top layer of soil in your garden. One of the easiest ways to do this is to shred some of the leaves that fall from your trees this fall by mowing over them a few times with your lawnmower. The shredded leaves are the perfect organic addition to your soil, although you should also add a source of nitrogen to the soil as well so the growth of microbes from the organic matter does not deplete the soil of nitrogen. This can be accomplished by adding in a bit of nitrogen-rich fertilizer.
If gardening isn’t your thing or you are not inclined to “work in the dirt”, you may want to just consider getting a bulk delivery of topsoil to add a new fresh layer to your garden and/or planting beds. If you are opting for this simple way to healthier soil, it doesn’t really matter if you add the new layer of soil in the fall or simply wait until right before you are ready to begin planting again in the spring. Since topsoil from a reputable supplier should be nutrient-dense, you don’t need the extra time it takes for compost and organic matter to break down in the soil and spur the growth of beneficial organisms. Everything your soil needs to create a nutrient-rich home for plants should already be included.
For more information about bulk delivery of topsoil in NJ and Staten Island, contact ATAK Trucking at 917-912-2900.
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