How can I improve my soil, naturally?

Boost your plot in an eco-friendly way with these simple solutions

Having the knowledge to improve your own soil is a powerful tool for any gardener. It allows you to amend your plot to suit your favourite vegetables, and also solve issues with consistency and nutritional content. The good news? You don’t need chemical fertilisers to do it. Here are five natural and sustainable ways to enhance your soil and support a thriving garden…

1. Compost
If you’ve been organised and set up your very own compost bin, then this crumbly medium can be dug into the earth in spring. Not only will it improve drainage, but it will also improve soil consistency, making it ideal for seed sowing and planting out by boosting the nutritional content of the ground.
Compost can also be spread over the top of vegetable beds in a layer that’s at least 8cm thick to act as a mulch. This will suppress weeds and reduce the need for constant watering.

2. Manure
If you can gain access to this helpful matter, it can be an invaluable addition to your plot. As long as it is well incorporated and left to settle in the ground for at least two weeks before you start sowing and planting into the space, your crops will gain many nutritional benefits.
It will also improve drainage, which will come in handy during times of heavy rainfall.

3. Wood chippings
Inexpensive and easy to come by, this medium not only adds a beautiful decorative element to borders and pots, but it also works well as a mulch. It will keep weeds at bay as well as locking moisture in.
It is unique in that being in larger pieces, this matter is much easier to spread and move around on the ground, so it’s easy to see where you’ve applied it. You can also plant out crops amongst it and increase layers as you go along.

4. Sand
Some crops, such as carrots, benefit from very light soils, so sand is an excellent solution. If well incorporated, it can dramatically improve the structure of heavy, clay ground.
If you notice that your plot is very prone to flooding, this could be an excellent solution to improve drainage.

5. Gravel
You may also wish to improve the soil for container-grown crops. Many different vegetables require well-drained soil, so why not add a layer of gravel to the bottom of your pots and containers?
This will allow rainfall and other water sources to flow freely while also avoiding saturation, which can lead to root rot.