When you’re considering putting in a garden at home, it’s pretty common to wonder just why gardeners tend to stress over soil nutrition. If you’ve already got plants growing there, the soil must be okay, right? Not necessarily. There are a number of reasons why good soil nutrition helps to ensure that you have a successful gardening season. Here are some of the most important reasons why keeping an eye on your garden’s soil nutrition helps keep your garden blooming and productive.
Different Plants Need Different Nutrition.
Blueberries need sulfur to keep the soil acidic. Corn goes through a ton of nitrogen. Sulfur is what makes Vidalia onions so sweet. Cole crops like cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts come up early in the spring, so a little extra nutrition gives them a boost. Though grass may grow where you’re planning your garden, that doesn’t mean other plants will do well in the same soil nutrition.
Nutritional Depletion Can Happen Relatively Quickly.
Have you ever raised tomatoes and had a successful season going, when suddenly your tomatoes develop brown or black spots on the blossom end of the fruit? Blossom-end rot is actually a calcium deficiency. Because tomatoes go through a lot of calcium during their lifecycle, being able to quickly add calcium to the soil through a soil amendment allows the plant to quickly recover. You may not save the blighted tomatoes, but it will help save the rest of your crop.
Good Soil Nutrition = Good Food Nutrition = Fewer Pests.
Soils that have good nutrition transfer that nutrition to your food, and plants that are healthy have fewer problems with pests. Instead of fighting insects and diseases all season, start with proper soil nutrition. Pests target weak plants and have a much harder time against plants that have proper nutrition, so starting with good soil nutrition actually lowers your overall workload for the gardening season.
Adding the Right Nutrients is Vital to Success.
Though there’s a lot of focus on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, the three macronutrients that plants need from the soil, it’s easy to forget about the many micronutrients that plants need. Studies have shown that as little chlorine as is on your fingers after washing your hands can meet plants’ need for this oft-ignored micronutrient. Adding too much of particular nutrients, such as magnesium, can give you amazing tops to your plants, but the plants will quickly wither and die due to an insufficient root system. Having the right nutrition makes a huge difference in your garden outcomes.
By keeping on top of your soil nutrition, you can ensure that your upcoming garden season will be successful, making less work for better results. At Redbud Soil Company, we want to help you have a successful gardening season by providing you with the right soil amendments to make your garden thrive. Please contact us today to find out more about our products and ensure gardening success this year!
