# How to Prepare Soil for Organic Gardening

- Link: https://rd2.co.nz/how-to-prepare-soil-for-organic-gardening/
- Published: 2020-05-18T05:00:50+00:00
- Author: RSF Admin

The success of your garden depends on the quality of your soil. Soil is the home
to all of the important nutrients for your plants, and by preparing the soil you
can increase its water and nutrient-holding capacity. Any time is great to start,
we are currently in Autumn – which is a great time to begin the process, so that
by the time Winter – and in turn, Spring and Summer comes around, plants may withstand
more extreme weather conditions. For your organic garden, prepare the soil by doing
the following:

## Increase Organic Matter

Organic matter improves the overall structure of the soil. It assists with moisture
retention, draining excess water and increasing the aeration of your garden beds.
Organic matter can be classified as anything derived from something living. In the
case of an organic garden, you want to add matter that encourages the presence of
soil life (for example, earthworms and other organisms) they, in turn, make nutrients
available, that are beneficial to your plants. Developing this practice will ensure
the upkeep of the condition of your soil for many years.

### Not All Organic Matter is Equal

Increasing organic matter within your soil is one thing. But _how_ you do that is
more important.  Organic matter can be anything from mulch to compost to manure.
These things can provide benefits to your garden, but as they decompose, they actually
fight your plants for the nutrients in the soil that are required for decomposition.
Humates, however, is a type of organic matter elixir. Humates are potent substances
that naturally occur in soils that are millions of years old, and are found in the
sedimentary layers of the Earth’s surface before it becomes coal. 

### Adding Humic Acid into your soil

As mentioned above, [Humic Acid](https://www.rd2.co.nz/product/humax/) is one of
the best organic matters that can be added to your soil. It can help reduce erosion,
lower the amount of water, pesticide and fertiliser used and help to transport nutrients
to the root zone, where your plants can easily access it. The quality of the [Humic Acid](https://www.rd2.co.nz/product/humax/)
product that you use in your garden will affect the benefits you see in your crops.
[Humic acid](https://www.rd2.co.nz/product/humax/) products with a higher percentage
of oxygen in them provide far superior results for your garden, allowing crops to
hold more oxygen which encourages root growth and in turn mineral-dense produce.

### Add Some Organisms

The thing about adding organic matter is that you’re ensuring the soil is ideal 
for the presence of soil life. Organisms such as bacteria, fungi, earthworms, protozoa
and many more are essential to the health of your soil. They assist in converting
organic matter and other minerals within your soil into vitamins and nutrients needed
to help your plants grow. They work to increase plant growth and strength, increasing
yields, produce quality, seed germination, plant survival rates and the overall 
soil structure. For example, we offer [Superzyme](https://rd2.co.nz/product/superzyme-2/),
which is a combination of vital organisms that aid plant growth and health.

## Start from Scratch

If you have difficult soil, or soil that isn’t ideal for growing your chosen crops,
start from scratch! For instance, you could invest in a raised-bed garden system.
Here, you are creating a garden bed above the soil, and can fill it with soil purchased
from your local gardening centre. That soil may still need preparing as outlined
above, but the process can be very beneficial if your property is located in an 
area with ‘difficult’ soil.

Ensuring you prepare your soil means that you are giving your crops the best chance
at reaching their maximum yield and keeping them at optimum health, including all
vital minerals and nutrients. Organic gardening takes time, but the final results
are well worth the effort!