9 Proven Ways to Boost Your Soil Health
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Date: 2026-03-07
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Comments and reviews: 20
lunaredelvour2972
I'm not allowed to compost in my neighborhood, if I have any sort of bin outside other than the trash can, I get in trouble. so I discovered that I can just. compost directly in-ground LMAO
when I prune my plants, unless it's infested with pests or has some kind of disease spreading through it, I'll literally just drop those leaves and stems and even deadheaded flower heads directly back in my garden and mix it around the mulch (basically chop-and-drop. My flower beds all have sheets of cardboard on top of the soil, and then a layer of mulch on top of the cardboard too (or else I get in trouble for having a messy yard but it works out for the garden anyways, and to plant, I just cut out a hole in the cardboard (half the time it's so soft I can tear it with my hands) and pop the plant into the soil underneath and cover it back up with mulch again. so many damn tomato leaves everywhere but hey, my plants seem quite happy with this fact. finally started to see worms this winter (I live in FL, this property is like 90% sand and 10% ants so we really didn't have much in the way of worms when I set out on my little journey, since my first garden patch had mulch then cardboard and then more mulch on top, so the first layer broke down with all the heat and humidity of summer and the cardboard also seems to have made the worms very happy. the soil is actually soil and it's so satisfying to see my plants thriving, finally
It's not a compost bin, but I think it's more or less doing the same thing and skipping the bin part that gets me in trouble so I'm happy to do it
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I'm not allowed to compost in my neighborhood, if I have any sort of bin outside other than the trash can, I get in trouble. so I discovered that I can just. compost directly in-ground LMAO
when I prune my plants, unless it's infested with pests or has some kind of disease spreading through it, I'll literally just drop those leaves and stems and even deadheaded flower heads directly back in my garden and mix it around the mulch (basically chop-and-drop. My flower beds all have sheets of cardboard on top of the soil, and then a layer of mulch on top of the cardboard too (or else I get in trouble for having a messy yard but it works out for the garden anyways, and to plant, I just cut out a hole in the cardboard (half the time it's so soft I can tear it with my hands) and pop the plant into the soil underneath and cover it back up with mulch again. so many damn tomato leaves everywhere but hey, my plants seem quite happy with this fact. finally started to see worms this winter (I live in FL, this property is like 90% sand and 10% ants so we really didn't have much in the way of worms when I set out on my little journey, since my first garden patch had mulch then cardboard and then more mulch on top, so the first layer broke down with all the heat and humidity of summer and the cardboard also seems to have made the worms very happy. the soil is actually soil and it's so satisfying to see my plants thriving, finally
It's not a compost bin, but I think it's more or less doing the same thing and skipping the bin part that gets me in trouble so I'm happy to do it
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LIVINGINIOWA
Soil works llc refutes a couple of your points based on brix testing leaves. Not a fan of your compost idea as it is going to be very high in potassium and will likely get your soil way too high in potassium which hurts max on brix. Also not tilling vs tilling the results have been higher brix on tilling. Tilling is not going to kill all the microbiome and that is based on real testing of the leaves of plants and using brix to see where you are. Also worms all over does not necessarily mean your soil is good in fact the best soil doesn’t have tons of worms. Typically it means your soil is average to above average but not the best. Not a terrible video but I believe based off testing of brix you are off on your technique. Also if your plants have disease it means your soil is off and based off your compost it’s likely potassium way out of whack. Soil test are not Willy nilly either you need to use the best soil test like the Morgan extract test. Your state testing likely is worthless.
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Soil works llc refutes a couple of your points based on brix testing leaves. Not a fan of your compost idea as it is going to be very high in potassium and will likely get your soil way too high in potassium which hurts max on brix. Also not tilling vs tilling the results have been higher brix on tilling. Tilling is not going to kill all the microbiome and that is based on real testing of the leaves of plants and using brix to see where you are. Also worms all over does not necessarily mean your soil is good in fact the best soil doesn’t have tons of worms. Typically it means your soil is average to above average but not the best. Not a terrible video but I believe based off testing of brix you are off on your technique. Also if your plants have disease it means your soil is off and based off your compost it’s likely potassium way out of whack. Soil test are not Willy nilly either you need to use the best soil test like the Morgan extract test. Your state testing likely is worthless.
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gardengatesopen
Texas here
Can NOT grow
ANYTHING
without
MULCH
over here.
I prefer two layers of woodchips.
The 1st layer I soak in water for a day.
Then spread the wet chips over the ground.
The 2nd layer are the dry woodchips.
That's because anything on the top will automatically dry out pretty fast from the hot sun.
I also make leaf mould. From all my huge live oak trees.
It takes several
YEARS
for those to break down!
And I even chop them into tiny pieces 1st.
AND add liquid sea weed at the beginning.
(They NEED nitrogen)
But, that's all bcuz they are super thick leaves.
However,
After they are broken down into true leaf mould, THAT material is like Black Gold!
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Texas here
Can NOT grow
ANYTHING
without
MULCH
over here.
I prefer two layers of woodchips.
The 1st layer I soak in water for a day.
Then spread the wet chips over the ground.
The 2nd layer are the dry woodchips.
That's because anything on the top will automatically dry out pretty fast from the hot sun.
I also make leaf mould. From all my huge live oak trees.
It takes several
YEARS
for those to break down!
And I even chop them into tiny pieces 1st.
AND add liquid sea weed at the beginning.
(They NEED nitrogen)
But, that's all bcuz they are super thick leaves.
However,
After they are broken down into true leaf mould, THAT material is like Black Gold!
reply
MeanOldLady
I generally use the Biblical principle of letting the land rest every 7 years. I rotate my crops so that every 7 years, one section lies fallow & protected by mulch while the other sections are in rotation. I'll rototill my small plot in 3 sections so that every third year, one section doesn't get tilled, so it's even more rest & less compaction for the land. I haven't had issues with compaction yet, but if I do, I'll treat it like a virgin spot & dig down 2-3' & burn a bunch of logs, terra cotta pot shards & kitchen scraps & meat products & turn it into terra preta to be rested & used the next year.
ETA: the 1/3 rested plot gets a winter cover crop sown in or covered with mulch depending on how large my chip piles are.
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I generally use the Biblical principle of letting the land rest every 7 years. I rotate my crops so that every 7 years, one section lies fallow & protected by mulch while the other sections are in rotation. I'll rototill my small plot in 3 sections so that every third year, one section doesn't get tilled, so it's even more rest & less compaction for the land. I haven't had issues with compaction yet, but if I do, I'll treat it like a virgin spot & dig down 2-3' & burn a bunch of logs, terra cotta pot shards & kitchen scraps & meat products & turn it into terra preta to be rested & used the next year.
ETA: the 1/3 rested plot gets a winter cover crop sown in or covered with mulch depending on how large my chip piles are.
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Patssight
I've been using your chicken wire circle for compost for decades. Just rotate it to another one once or twice a season and water now and then. It allows for more oxygen to get in and lasts nearly forever. My first two are easily 25 years old. I would recommend a minimum 10 feet circumference, my 15 foot is best and 3 feet tall, any higher is hard to work. Any smaller diameter the outside drying out becomes an issue. Also works best on concrete, I use the cheap patio blocks. This keeps the critters from tunneling in, roots from growing in, and much easier to gather last bits when finished, pitch fork and scoop shovel are the best tools. Also with plastic catchment you can collect the tea.
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I've been using your chicken wire circle for compost for decades. Just rotate it to another one once or twice a season and water now and then. It allows for more oxygen to get in and lasts nearly forever. My first two are easily 25 years old. I would recommend a minimum 10 feet circumference, my 15 foot is best and 3 feet tall, any higher is hard to work. Any smaller diameter the outside drying out becomes an issue. Also works best on concrete, I use the cheap patio blocks. This keeps the critters from tunneling in, roots from growing in, and much easier to gather last bits when finished, pitch fork and scoop shovel are the best tools. Also with plastic catchment you can collect the tea.
reply
fuzzypumpkin7743
I gather any leaves that land in my yard and use them to cover my raised beds over the winter. They break down a bit, and then once it gets workable, I mix them into the soil. I also chop and drop my spent crops in and I try to specifically move which bed I plant peas in the spring and the fall. This year I'll also be buying some perlite or similar and adding in my first batch of compost. I'm thinking about buying some worms, too, and putting them in my beds. I've seen a few that have made their way in there, but I could probably use more.
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I gather any leaves that land in my yard and use them to cover my raised beds over the winter. They break down a bit, and then once it gets workable, I mix them into the soil. I also chop and drop my spent crops in and I try to specifically move which bed I plant peas in the spring and the fall. This year I'll also be buying some perlite or similar and adding in my first batch of compost. I'm thinking about buying some worms, too, and putting them in my beds. I've seen a few that have made their way in there, but I could probably use more.
reply
kieronmckay4276
Epic Gardening, have you ever thought about using wicking beds, that chinampas style of root watering especially since you guys live in essentially a desert and as a way of making those high raised beds a little more drought resistant and cheaper to fill I live on a very sloped property in Tennessee and thinking that could really ease up the summer watering needs for my property, which struggles to have any real water retention, but the rain we get also erodes the hillside. Just curious
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Epic Gardening, have you ever thought about using wicking beds, that chinampas style of root watering especially since you guys live in essentially a desert and as a way of making those high raised beds a little more drought resistant and cheaper to fill I live on a very sloped property in Tennessee and thinking that could really ease up the summer watering needs for my property, which struggles to have any real water retention, but the rain we get also erodes the hillside. Just curious
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leslierowell392
My annual leaf mulch routine. In the FallI run my mower over the leaves in my yard. Then I add the bag to my mower and collect the chopped leaves. This is the put in large black garbage bags along with some water to begin decomposing over the winter. In the Spring this material is used to mulch my veggies. And in the Fall the mulch in turned into the soil before planting my Fall crops. Rinse and repeat Along with organic fertilizer this keeps my soil alive and healthy
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My annual leaf mulch routine. In the FallI run my mower over the leaves in my yard. Then I add the bag to my mower and collect the chopped leaves. This is the put in large black garbage bags along with some water to begin decomposing over the winter. In the Spring this material is used to mulch my veggies. And in the Fall the mulch in turned into the soil before planting my Fall crops. Rinse and repeat Along with organic fertilizer this keeps my soil alive and healthy
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Powerfamilygarden
Making your own compost is 100% with it for a few reasons. One obviously being a great soil amendment. Another big one for me is the fact that food scraps don’t decompose in a good way in a landfill. By removing your food waste from your landfill, you decrease your contribution to the harm being done to the environment. Take it a step further and get a paper shredder. Compost those bills and junk mail. Compost those cardboard boxes. Obviously remove tape and plastic.
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Making your own compost is 100% with it for a few reasons. One obviously being a great soil amendment. Another big one for me is the fact that food scraps don’t decompose in a good way in a landfill. By removing your food waste from your landfill, you decrease your contribution to the harm being done to the environment. Take it a step further and get a paper shredder. Compost those bills and junk mail. Compost those cardboard boxes. Obviously remove tape and plastic.
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epic_gardening
Here in VT we have crazy snake worms. They change the game for the worst! They eat up ALL the goodness from the soil and replace it with coffee ground Our manure and mulch piles are contaminated. These demons have changed our large, gorgeous 50 year old garden into one that is struggling. We have tried 3 every recommendation out there. We have not given up yet. This year we are removing much of our soil ect and bringing in stuff that is not infested. Wish us luck.
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Here in VT we have crazy snake worms. They change the game for the worst! They eat up ALL the goodness from the soil and replace it with coffee ground Our manure and mulch piles are contaminated. These demons have changed our large, gorgeous 50 year old garden into one that is struggling. We have tried 3 every recommendation out there. We have not given up yet. This year we are removing much of our soil ect and bringing in stuff that is not infested. Wish us luck.
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tigtalk
I love Fox Farm but I am a bad cook/gardener. I need to be told WHY. Why use a specific fertilizer over another Why can’t I just get the most generic soil so I can use it for the widest number of seeds I am that person who pays no attention to whether a recipe with sugar requires white, brown, or powdered (and so I am NOT the family chef. I love your comparison videos and I LOVED the soil series. More like that!
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I love Fox Farm but I am a bad cook/gardener. I need to be told WHY. Why use a specific fertilizer over another Why can’t I just get the most generic soil so I can use it for the widest number of seeds I am that person who pays no attention to whether a recipe with sugar requires white, brown, or powdered (and so I am NOT the family chef. I love your comparison videos and I LOVED the soil series. More like that!
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deanwinchester6654
Glad my town sells cheap compost. Filled up all my gardens with it. Gotta get some more this year to add more. Have horrible clay soil that and some other fill that was added when the finished the house build. Tilling too much can also cause compaction of the soil. Top layer will be nice and soft. But underneath there it will be hard and water will struggle to go through.
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Glad my town sells cheap compost. Filled up all my gardens with it. Gotta get some more this year to add more. Have horrible clay soil that and some other fill that was added when the finished the house build. Tilling too much can also cause compaction of the soil. Top layer will be nice and soft. But underneath there it will be hard and water will struggle to go through.
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Squatchapopalus
I started making liquid plant food from food scraps. NEVER use animal fat because they add oils to the liquid that can choke out roots. ALWAYS dilute it with water. If you give plants undiluted liquid plant food, it's basically giving plants more than they know what to do with at the time and basically adds unnecessary stress to the roots
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I started making liquid plant food from food scraps. NEVER use animal fat because they add oils to the liquid that can choke out roots. ALWAYS dilute it with water. If you give plants undiluted liquid plant food, it's basically giving plants more than they know what to do with at the time and basically adds unnecessary stress to the roots
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juliadonaldson6943
Last year I dug up an area of grass in my yard. I stacked this with the grass side down (with a little soil still clinging to the roots) in a shady, damp area of my yard. This wasn't hard to find since I live in the Pacific Northwest. A year latter I had a great dark compost that I was able to add to the raised beds I was creating.
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Last year I dug up an area of grass in my yard. I stacked this with the grass side down (with a little soil still clinging to the roots) in a shady, damp area of my yard. This wasn't hard to find since I live in the Pacific Northwest. A year latter I had a great dark compost that I was able to add to the raised beds I was creating.
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TheGarratc
I built a chicken coop with composting in mind, it has about a 2' tall skirt around it. I basically fill it with leaves, weeds, scraps, etc. throughout the year. The chickens shred and mix everything for several months, add their own manure, then i shovel it out and add to the garden in early spring. Works excellent and fairly low effort
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I built a chicken coop with composting in mind, it has about a 2' tall skirt around it. I basically fill it with leaves, weeds, scraps, etc. throughout the year. The chickens shred and mix everything for several months, add their own manure, then i shovel it out and add to the garden in early spring. Works excellent and fairly low effort
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char8a291
I purchased straw which was labeled certified organic and after placing it on most of my raised beds and containers, I noticed in a few weeks, I was growing some beautiful green grass! I was upset since it was labeled certified O. How do I know whether it’s carrying grass seed or not Thank you for helping this beginning gardener.
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I purchased straw which was labeled certified organic and after placing it on most of my raised beds and containers, I noticed in a few weeks, I was growing some beautiful green grass! I was upset since it was labeled certified O. How do I know whether it’s carrying grass seed or not Thank you for helping this beginning gardener.
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jesusisking1-o4k
I got questions what type of browns can you use too make compost because I'm trying grow my gardening but I'm very new when it comes too compost and any other plants soil like I'm just now getting it but still confuse so i would like a little bit off help and advice for new beginners and I'm excited too grow my first plant
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I got questions what type of browns can you use too make compost because I'm trying grow my gardening but I'm very new when it comes too compost and any other plants soil like I'm just now getting it but still confuse so i would like a little bit off help and advice for new beginners and I'm excited too grow my first plant
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terryeckmeier7027
I used straw one year and liked the results BUT I had a really hard time it staying in my beds. The wind in my back just pushed it all over my yard. Anything else people use that is light in colour but a little heavier. I've used cedar to deter bugs but it also doesn't break down quickly and I have to add extra nitrogen.
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I used straw one year and liked the results BUT I had a really hard time it staying in my beds. The wind in my back just pushed it all over my yard. Anything else people use that is light in colour but a little heavier. I've used cedar to deter bugs but it also doesn't break down quickly and I have to add extra nitrogen.
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andrewgeorge7459
I used Ocean Forest by FoxFarm until I looked closely at the contents. It is definitely not organic because I've found laminated construction debris -- and every bag contains half a bucket of gravel.
Does Ocean Forest work for growing plants Sure, but you can do better for less money if you shop around.
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I used Ocean Forest by FoxFarm until I looked closely at the contents. It is definitely not organic because I've found laminated construction debris -- and every bag contains half a bucket of gravel.
Does Ocean Forest work for growing plants Sure, but you can do better for less money if you shop around.
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zurinsel1336
Really great video! Just be aware with the leaf mold method to not use leaves from trees with lots of tannins like oaks and Buckeye. These take ages to break down due to the tannins and my mother and I found out the hard way that strawberries don't like the Buckeye mold mulch we had zero strawberries last year.
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Really great video! Just be aware with the leaf mold method to not use leaves from trees with lots of tannins like oaks and Buckeye. These take ages to break down due to the tannins and my mother and I found out the hard way that strawberries don't like the Buckeye mold mulch we had zero strawberries last year.
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