Rich fertile well drained soil is every gardener’s dream. How does your soil compare and what can you do about it?

Soil structure and composition; pH; organic content all have an impact on fertility. Spring is the best time to amend the soil. The gardener’s tool kit for soil fertility includes compost; organic fertilizers; soil probiotics, mineral supplements, mulch, crop rotation, and cultivation practices for moisture retention and weed control.

A garden that feeds us year around must be fed. Improving the soil, increasing and maintaining fertility, and supporting soil life is the gardener’s most important tasks. Healthy soil means healthy plants that produce more delicious food.

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** Bursaries are available. Email LTCMSCoordinator@sd71.bc.ca

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Facilitator and Lake Trail Community Garden Coordinator, Elaine Codling, is a Permaculture Design Consultant and teacher. Her expertise is in designing productive food systems that have the abundance, diversity, and resilience of natural ecosystems. Her goal is to create gardens that start producing as early as possible in the spring and continue to produce all summer and into the late fall.