Free Garden Soil Amendments | Watermelon Experiment | (More Info In Description)

STOP TILLING YOUR GARDEN! When you first start a garden it is likely absolutely necessary to till your soil and also mix in certain amendments. After the season is over, you can till in whatever you used to top dress for the season and continue to repeat that cycle for the first 2-3 seasons until you have established a good base. But do not pulverize the soil. Breaking it down to a powder ruins the soil structure and microbe colonies making it less fertile and compact easier. After the first 2-3 seasons you no longer need to till it up. After placing compost on the surface season after season, the soil structure will take on a more natural cycle similar to how nature does it. Nature does not have machines. Fertile soil is created by nature with layer upon layer of decaying matter over thousands of years. So if you use enough compost each year, you are essentially speeding up that process. Fungal growth within the soil will create a structured network that forms a symbiotic relationship with roots. Over tilling the soil base with break apart that structure. A raised bed is a great way to go. It allows for drainage which is very important in preventing root rot and suffocating your plants. It also aids in the prevention of soil compaction under certain circumstances.