So much of gardening seems to depend on the soil and I’m not convinced the soil in my garden is great. What are some things I can do to make it better? HK

It’s true, you can have the perfect plants, the perfect set-up, the perfect watering system, and the perfect weather etc. but if you soil isn’t great, you are not going to have great results. So, let’s talk about some things you can do to improve your soil before we enter prime growing season.

First of all, you need to know the nutrient levels in your soil. Without knowing the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and pH, you are already at a disadvantage. Yes, you can add these nutrients to your soil, but without knowing your current levels, it’s impossible to know how much you need to add and in some cases what you shouldn’t be adding.

In our area, soil almost always needs nitrogen since it gets consumed by growing plants, but phosphorus, potassium, and pH are a different story. The best way to know for sure is to get a soil test. The process is simple and it only costs $10. With the price of fertilizer, this will be $10 well spent. We have instructions on our website under the Lawn and Garden Help section/Soil (www.tulsamastergardeners.org.) A soil test will give you specific instructions on how to adjust your nutrient levels, but here’s some things everyone can do to improve their garden soil quality.

The first thing is to increase the organic content of your soil. Organic matter is basically anything that used to be alive…particularly decaying plant matter like compost, sawdust, roots, leaves and grass clipping, or animal debris like manure. Soil in our area typically has about 1% organic matter content. We want to aim for around 5 or 6 percent organic content in our soil. If you’ve ever driven in Illinois through mile after mile of corn fields, part of the reason they can do that is they have a higher organic content in their soil.

Organic matter will help enrich and loosen your soil, improve drainage, help retain water and nutrients, reduce erosion, and provide a great place for earthworms and beneficial microorganisms to grow. Plus, as organic matter decays, it will release essential nutrients your crops need to grow.

Compost is a great additive for your garden and an awesome source of organic matter. You can purchase pre-made compost, but it’s pretty easy to make at home. With so much of our “green waste” going to the trash, this is just like throwing away the perfect garden additives.

In a nutshell, you can compost just about anywhere. Compost structures don’t have to be fancy and can simply be constructed out of cinder blocks stacked in a U-shape a couple of feet high or you can purchase one of the many composting devices available. The key to composting is selecting the correct ingredients for your compost pile.

The things that go in your compost pile can be separated into greens and browns. Greens would be things such as grass clipping or plant-based food scraps. Browns would include fallen leaves or paper products. Composting is almost part art and part science but not that hard to master.

In the not-too-distant future we’ll be opening enrollment in our Master Composter class where you’ll learn not only how best to compost, but also how to teach others about composting. Check our website in the next few weeks for information and to sign up.

Next, consider adding mulch to your garden if you haven’t already. I know we talk about mulch a lot here, but there are so many benefits. Not only does mulch help maintain healthy soil temperatures, retain moisture, reduce disease spread, and reduce weed invasion, it also decomposes over the growing season so you can till it back into the soil, once again adding organic matter to the soil.

Cover crops are also a good way to improve your soil. That ship has sailed for a winter crop this year but there’s always next winter. Cover crops do a variety of things: protect the soil from erosion, maintain soil moisture, reduce weeds, recycle soil nutrients, and of course, increase organic matter in the soil. They increase organic matter in the soil because before the prime garden season, you till them into the soil. Cover crops such as legumes also have the ability to pull nitrogen from the air and move that to the soil. So, you’ve got that going for you. Just be sure to use a string trimmer to take down your cover crop before it goes to seed.

Hairy vetch, Austrian winter peas, crimson clover, or winter rye make good cover crops. However, there’s a lot more to cover crops than we can cover here so once again check our Lawn and Garden Help/Vegetables section on our website.

Improving soil quality is typically a process, meaning that it isn’t a one and done exercise. It is something that you will likely be working on your entire time as a gardener. But, if you take care of the soil, it will take care of you. See you in the garden.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo: Oklahoma State University Agricultural Communications Services