NEW Garden Soil Doesn't Mean BETTER!
March 7, 2024
Confused About Garden Soil Health?
You might be a plant and garden nerd if you get a case of the vapors when you get your hands into soil like this! (NO JUDGEMENT HERE!)
Soil structure, biology, and ecology - as well as nutrition in the context of plant growth - is fairly complex. But without it, and a descent basic understanding of soils, it’s tough to live out your gardening (and houseplant) dreams the way you may envision.
NEW Soil is Not Instantly Better
Did you know? “NEW soil”, be it in the form of bagged or bulk mixes and compost, aren’t “better” right out of the gate. I know, it’s a little counterintuitive. I can’t count the number of times I’ve een asked “why are my new vegetable transplants turning yellow when I just planted them in all new soil!” Well, it’s the microbes that are really doing all the heavy lifting for you and breaking down matter to relsease nutrients for your plants.
Until there are enough of them to do the job, which happens over time in the garden after you’ve added new soil or amendments, you’ll probably need to supplement your plant’s diet.
Want to learn more about soils, be it for native ecosystems, managed landscapes, or indoor plants and growing?
I cover soils and plant nutrition, in different depths and contexts, in each of my UCLA Extension courses: Botany for Gardeners, and Indoor Plants: Care and Maintenance. Both are open for spring registration now!
