Those with acid soils are not always content, especially when they are vegetable growers. Most crops grow best in neutral soils and brassicas (the cabbage family) prefer a slightly alkaline soil. Once you have carried out a test to determine pH, an acid soil can be gradually neutralized by adding crushed limestone, but not quicklime, as this is too caustic and could scorch plants. Liming can be done at any time,...

When faced with a new or neglected piece of ground, there is a strong temptation to go at it as fast as one can to get it planted and in production. This can spell disaster since the ground is bound to be full of weeds. Time spent during the first season cleaning and thoroughly preparing the soil will certainly bear dividends in the long term. Although this is true for both vegetable and flower borders, it is...

Of all garden tasks, soil preparation is probably the most important. This includes adding vital nutrients and humus, in the form of compost and manures, to the soil to replace that used up the previous year. Well rotted compost adds nutrients and texture to the soil. It can be incorporated as the soil is being dug. Dig out one spade full of earth and place some compost in the trench that has been formed. Dig...

Soil can be enriched and conditioned in a number of ways. In the garden, doing it organically, with the use of live material (green manuring) and dead material (compost, manure), is safer to human health and in many cases less expensive than using inorganic, or chemical, fertilizers. Using certain crops as green manure has been practiced for generations. It involves growing a crop on idle land and then digging...