After waiting all of December and half of January, the rain finally fell on the North State.  But while it is still a long time before the last frost date, one of the most important acts of an effective garden needs to happen now.   That is the act of preparing the soil to create the great garden you envision. Because I work with nature to build the soil and encourage beneficial microorganisms, my garden is better than yours.  The soil is the home that your plants will live in.  Just like your home, your plants use the soil to eat, to sleep, and to grow. Good soil makes plants grow strong and healthy, makes them withstand pests and diseases and helps them use less water.

The soils of the north state have two distinctive characteristics. In lowland areas like Chico, Sacramento, and the farms that like Hwy 5 from Woodland to Red Bluff, the soils are deep alluvial clay loams laid down from centuries of flooding from valley rivers.  But above the level of the Sacramento River flood plain, the soil is a rough conglomerate of iron rich clay and rough gravel above a heavy layer of thick red clay and hardpan[1].

Cobbles, gravel and red clay bake hard in summer.

My garden falls into the latter with cobbles as large as softballs mixed with smaller rocks to form a shovel busting hard pack.  So deep digging, which is usually the method for preparing a new garden bed, does not work as well with our heavy soils.  Instead, I suggest a different technique that has become popular and based on new soil science.  New research[2] suggests that the soil layers and microorganisms that inhabit each layer dislike disturbance and work best to feed and nurture your garden when allowed to stay in situ.  That means that too much disturbance can actually set back your gardening goals and that back-breaking deep digging is not longer necessary!

Layers ofOrganic Matter are laid down like "lasagna" to build soil the easy way

Instead an effective plan to build the soil involves breaking the hard packed dry surface of the soil to allow water to penetrate, then adding layers of organic material to the surface.  This creates a rich, water-retentive layer that, as you add more and more compost and manure each season, which builds and builds to create the sort of garden that is a success. So why is this method effective?  When digging is not an option, the layering of organic matter, often called “lasagna gardening” works with the natural processes to build the soil[3].  As more and more organic matter is added through the season, the microorganisms and earthworms process the material and help draw it down to the layers below where plant roots can access the nutrients.

What this means in practical terms is adding a thick layer of new organic material each spring just as growth begins and another layer in early fall as you shift from your summer flowers and veggies into winter.  All summer, an additional layer of mulch is added that functions in two ways.  First, the mulch is used decoratively, as in the case of shredded bark to give the garden a “finished” appearance, and functionally to conserve soil moisture and keep the soil cooler in the hot summer weather.

A decorative mulch also retains moisture and keeps soil cool in summer, warm in winter

It is amazing how much a simple layer of organic material can do for your garden, building and enriching your soil, encouraging beneficial microorganisms, while saving you hours of work!  That is what I like: simply ideas that give big results!  Because I work with nature to build the soil and encourage beneficial microorganisms, my garden is better than yours.

A Minifarm Box is one way to build a veggie bed quick using compost mulches.

Ever notice there are things you do around the garden that come so naturally to you that it is hard to remember that others might not have the same effective habits that make you such a good gardener?  Or conversely, do you wonder why some gardeners seem to have such Green Thumbs while yours seems brown?

Here are some of my effective garden habits:

New plants: I always water a new plant as soon as I get it home.  You would be surprised how dry a plant from the nursery or store can be.

Planting in summer: Before planting a new specimen out, I soak the rootball in a bucket of water.  I submerge the pot completely into a bucket, until it drops to the bottom and the air bubbles stop.  This makes sure that the rootball is thoroughly wet and forces out any pockets of air in the soil.  I also will fill the hole with water and allow it to soak in.

Set up a drip irrigation system before you plant.

Water first, then plant:  I never set out new plantings until I have a way to irrigate them.  The road to dead gardens is paved with good intentions to drag a hose out to the new plants.  But I can assure you it never happens. You end up too tired at the end of the day or forget before you rush off to work.  Take the time to install the drippers or sprinklers with a timer FIRST and then the new plants will take off instead of languish, thirsty in the heat.

Calendar gardening: Remembering to water or feed is as easy as reading the calendar.  Most liquid or organic plants foods should be applied on a regular basis such as weekly or monthly, so why not just choose a day and stick to it?  In my own garden, I use a liquid fertilizer on the pots and bedding once a week, ever Wednesday.  Since it happens on the same day each week, it is easy to remember and I end up with beautiful strong plants bursting with color. For trees and shrubs, set a timer to run every other day in summer.  And mark your calendar to remind you to turn on the system in spring and off for winter.

Pest Watch:  pests can sneak up on the most diligent gardener.  But you can start looking for them in the most relaxing way.  I always start my day with a stroll through the garden in the morning before work.  if you take the same route through the beds, you will often spot problems developing, such as aphids on roses or gophers in the lawn, before they get out of hand.

Don’t impulse buy:  A trip to the garden center can be overwhelming.  But if you go in with a plan fro what you are looking for you will make better choices.  If you are looking for a shrub for under the front window, you will want to look for shrubs that grow less than 3ft tall and wide, instead of getting distracted by some flashy flowers on the sale table.

Further, I try to avoid short lived bloomers that will not last in the garden. These are specimens that are in full bloom w Plants put up in front in the garden center to attract you eye and wallet are often not the best choices.  I tend to go for young specimens not yet in bud, that will develop in the garden, not just bloom and fade in a week or two.

Buy Small:  as I mentioned above, I choose smaller plants that have not been forced into bloom.  Smaller plants will have more time to adapt to your garden because they have smaller foliage to root ratios. A full grown specimen is probably used to being coddled at the garden center and will need extra attention to keep it growing at home.  Plus smaller plants will have strong actively growing roots that have not been damaged by spending months in nursery containers. They tend to take off in the garden quicker and cost less.  You can get 6 seedling perennials for the same price as one specimen in bloom.  Stretch your dollar and grow strong plants at the same time.

Young seedlings ready to be set out in the garden.

Grow your soil: if you want a good garden, build your soil.  The soil is a living organism that processes and returns nutrients to your plants using microorganisms and beneficial insects like earthworms.  You can key into the soil food web if you use organic mulches.  I apply a thick layer of organic mulch around all of my plants.  The mulch, which can be manure, compost, chopped leaves, or any other organic material, should be laid on thickly to about 3 to 6 inches deep.  The mulch will help regulate soil temperature and conserve moisture all while slowly feeding the soil web.  Renew mulches with new material in spring and fall at least.

Tomatoes:  When planting tomatoes,  set them deeper in the soil than in the nursery pot.  The covered stem will sprout new roots, increasing the strength of the root system.  I also make sure to remove any blooms on the new plants for the first few weeks to encourage the plants to devote their energy to growing strong roots and stems instead of coming into fruit too early.

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Epigram is the new series with quotes by Milton Glaser with proceeds benefitting the International Rescue Commitee