CORVALLIS, Ore. – Adding organic matter is the best way to improve nearly all kinds of soils. If you're unsure if your soil needs amendments, take note if it dries and cracks in summer, drains slowly or is difficult to dig whether wet or dry.
Adding organic materials improves the ability of sandy soils to hold nutrients and water, according to Weston Miller, Oregon State University Extension Service horticulturist. For clay soil, organic additions improve drainage and aeration and help the soil dry out and warm up more quickly in the spring.
The best soil amendment is partially broken-down organic material, better known as compost, Miller said. You can make compost at home or buy compost. Finished compost is available in bags at plant nurseries and home improvement centers. You can also buy compost in bulk from landscape supply companies.
Weston Miller’s Keys to Success
Follow these guidelines to add the right amount of compost to your site for growing vegetables.
Follow these guidelines for adding compost to improves growing conditions for lawns:
Find more information about how to use compost in gardens and landscapes in How to Use Compost in Gardens and Landscapes.
Compost and soil mix products sometimes contain herbicide residue. This residue can damage certain vegetable, fruit and flower crops.
Before you purchase a bulk load of compost or soil mix, contact the vendor. Ask how they handle herbicide contamination risk.
Find more information about this important topic: Herbicide-Contaminated Compost and Soil Mix: What You Should Know — and What You Can Do About It.
More information on improving vegetable garden soils is available in Growing Your Own, a practical guide to gardening for first-time gardeners.
If you have questions about improving the soil in your garden or landscape or other gardening topics, use OSU’s Ask Extension to enter your question and upload photos of the situation.
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About OSU Extension: The Oregon State University Extension Service shares research-based knowledge with people and communities in Oregon’s 36 counties and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. OSU Extension addresses issues that matter to urban and rural Oregonians. OSU Extension’s partnerships and programs contribute to a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future for Oregon.
About the OSU Extension Service: The Oregon State University Extension Service shares research-based knowledge with people and communities in Oregon’s 36 counties. OSU Extension addresses issues that matter to urban and rural Oregonians. OSU Extension’s partnerships and programs contribute to a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future for Oregon.
Kym Pokorny, 541-737-3380, [email protected]
Weston Miller, 503-650-3124, [email protected]
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