Living soil!… Because mother earth made it… and that makes living soil the best soil in the world… Many think all you need is a bag of organic garden soil and “bam” you got a garden. Yes this is true you have a start but unfortunately, if you read the bag closely it says 6 months to a year of fertilizer (plant food) for your plants then you will need to buy more. Another detail to this is the soil has been heat-treated, which means everything alive in the soil was killed off so it can sit on the retail shelf, and no biology is present in the soil. The foundation of the plant’s health is in the dirt with all the earthworms and microorganisms. When that living soil is dead the plant has no support system to thrive. Now you have an uphill battle with plant disease, low production, and unwanted pests.
What is living soil?
The Wikipedia definition of soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. I call it living soil to differentiate it from store-bought bags of soil. Living also refers to having the soil food web present in the soil. Mother earth knows what she is doing and when you take away her support system you will have problems. I like describing living soil like the forest floor. Year after year of fallen branches, leaves, mushrooms, animal poop, worm poop, and plant matter. Rain and snow come down and keep that forest floor decomposing and if you look closely you will find life. The forest floor also retains that water for long periods preventing evaporation. The forest knows the benefits of mulch. Leaving mother nature’s creations to decompose is the key to a healthy forest.
What to plan for
Fail to plan plan to fail. My first garden was when I was 12 years old. I cleared an area about 5′ x 8′ in my backyard. I turned the soil and removed the rocks as much as I could. I watered it well. I worked on it all day and into the night. I planted corn. I was so excited. After 2 weeks I started to see sprouts then a while later it was getting taller and taller. It was fall season and I started to get baby ears of corn. Next thing you know the frost came and killed the whole crop. I planted the corn at the wrong time of year. I was heartbroken. All that work and patience and now death due to planting at the wrong time of year. I learned that day that planning is a vital step in building gardens and skipping important details is what can kill your plants.
Plan to start a compost pile. Build a compost bin out of pallets or you can purchase a composter. I recommend a tumbler style composter espeachialy if you live in a residential area. I find this to be most effective in keeping critters out.
To achieve living soil you will need to work from the ground up for the most important step. Plan to have your raised garden box without a bottom so you can connect to the ground or if you choose you can build your garden with out a raised box. Make sure you remove any weed-cloth. Don’t worry, you will have plenty of natural weed suppression.
Another important note; Water. A drip system set up for deep watering with sprayers to cover the entire garden is best. You are building living soil that requires the ingredients to compost and composting needs water. The Living soil recipe provides good water retention so you are deep watering once or twice a week.
I live in Southern California. I can garden all year round but I still work with the seasons. In fall and winter, I focus more on composting. Gathering leaves and other brown and green organic materials for my future gardens in the spring. I do grow in the fall and winter and usually, it’s greens, lettuce, and some herbs. Plants that can handle a little frost! unlike corn which is a sun-loving plant. I do break the rules but if you want to break the rules be open to the consequences.
How do I get living soil for my garden?
You will have to build it. A little different approach than using bagged soil. You will start from the ground and build your way up using organic materials (bio-degradable) found in your yard and your house. You can also gather material found in nature, you can go to the parks, and can ask your friends and neighbors.
Materials needed to make living soil:
You will need to gather leaves, grasses, cardboard, newspaper, fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, 100% cotton clothing, wool clothing, wood, chicken poop, worm poop, peat moss, coco core, yard waste, and anything you think of that come from nature and you know is compostable (bio-degradable). You may want to consider getting a composter to save your materials from your kitchen and your brown leaves and grasses from your yard.
Sounds fun right! and a little mind-bending…… I was feeling the same way when I built my first raised garden. Remember, it is not rocket science and you will have the best garden and you can’t mess it up or do it wrong as long as you follow the plan.
Getting all the materials is 80% of the work and will take time and the approach you take is up to you. Through instant gratification out the window. The good news is once you got all your materials you are ready to assemble the living garden soil recipe. I call it lasagna gardening because it’s a layering process like making a lasagna. We also call this sheet composting because you are composting while you grow.
Why is living soil the best for your garden?
The foundation for a successful garden is in the earth. Earth that is alive and thriving will make a healthy immune system for the plant to be disease resistant, and abundant, and will have greater amounts of plant food and water retention to grow in. So you can plant closer than your usual spacing. No weeds!! you are building brand new dirt with no weed seeds and if you get an air-born weed seed it’s easy to just pull it out and compost it.