Soil and Compost Archives - Grow a Good Life

A multi-layered worm composting bin on a patio.

How to Start a Worm Composting Bin

Fresh and earthy compost for the garden.

How to Make Compost for Your Vegetable Garden

Close up of cover crop growing in the garden including field peas, oat grass, and vetch.

Tips for Planting Cover Crops in Home Gardens

gloved hand pulling out a weed from the soil

Natural Weed Control in the Vegetable Garden

Crop rotation is a great way to maintain healthy soil and reduce pests and diseases in the organic vegetable garden. Discover the benefits of crop rotation and how to apply it to your backyard vegetable garden.

Benefits of Crop Rotation for Your Vegetable Garden

How to Build Healthy Garden Soil

7 Simple Techniques to Improve Garden Soil

Mulching is one of the best things you can do for your garden. A generous layer of mulch over the soil surface will suppress weeds, retain moisture, and provide and soil enrichment as it decomposes. Mulch also helps protect the soil from erosion, moderates the soil temperature, and makes the garden look neat and tidy. Mulching has some disadvantages as well. It can smother your plants, tie up nutrients, add unwanted chemicals, grow fungus, and slow water penetration.

20 Garden Mulching Tips from Seasoned Growers

Mulch is any type of material that layered on the surface of the soil. Mulching your garden beds not only helps suppress weeds, it also prevents soil erosion and moderates soil-temperature fluctuations.

5 Ways Organic Mulch Helps Your Vegetable Garden