Organic Gardening Essentials

Make Your Own Organic Soil

Building healthy soil is a foundation of organic gardening, Suzanne says. Adding organic matter, such as compost, improves both soil drainage and water-holding capacity and also feeds soil microbes. "These microbes, in turn, break down the organic matter into nutrients plants can use," she says. That's the premise behind the gardener's adage: "Feed the soil, and the soil will feed the plants." Suzanne says it's also important to adjust soil pH (acidity/alkalinity); most garden plants prefer a neutral to slightly acidic soil.