| I'm considering starting a vegetable garden this season and my soil is very dry and sandy. I do not have a compost pile and would like to know of some other alternatives for ammending the soil, preferably something that is readily available. |
| You can mix leaves, grass clipping, and other organic materials into the soil. Then give them a few weeks to decompose and plant the garden. By repeating this process and using leaf mulches, which are also mixed in at the end of each season, you will build your soil over time. It may be necessary to add some extra nitrogen if there is lots of undecomposed organic matter in the soil. I would also suggest you consider purchasing compost from a local soil yard. These are usually reasonably priced and really get your soil off to a good start. Growing cover crops in areas to be planted next season is another effective approach. Thanks for the question! |
