The old adage “feed the soil, not the plant” is a good one, because adding organic matter to soil improves it in so many different ways. Light soils are given much-needed fibrous bulk and body. They will hold more water and hold onto nutrients better, while heavy soils are broken up and become less sticky. [...]
The soils found in established gardens are usually good because they’ve been cultivated over a long period. I have a fairly large plot and up by the house, where the land is more or less level and previous owners have done their best to keep flower beds and raise a few crops, the ground is [...]
Good soil preparation is essential with herbaceous borders, and for areas to be devoted in mixed borders to hardy perennial plants, as it is likely to be several years before the plants are lifted and divided. Therefore the opportunity should be taken to incorporate as much organic matter into the soil as possible during the [...]
There are two common types of soil; light and heavy. Light soil is light in weight, not light in colour and of a rather coarse texture with large particles – of sand chiefly – containing large air spaces which prevent them from packing tightly. Large air spaces assist with the free passage of water which [...]