Test the Soil

• Begin any garden project with a soil test. The local county extension office will provide the information to have garden soil tested. For vegetables, work toward a pH between 5.8 and 6.3. Soils with a pH below 5.5 require the addition of lime to supply needed nutrients. Generally, 2 to 3 pounds of dolomitic lime spread evenly and tilled into 100 square feet of garden area corrects the acidity to acceptable levels within several weeks of application.
  
  

Till the Garden

• When soil is dry enough to work, till or hand dig the garden area approximately three to four weeks prior to planting. Some gardeners double dig the soil to produce a deeper, root-friendly soil base. To double dig, shovel out the first 12 inches of topsoil; till the soil that remains, turning it to an addition depth of 12 inches; replace the remaining topsoil. Follow with soil amendments.
  
  

Soil Composition

• How a gardener amends the soil depends on the soil's composition. Sandy soils lose nutrients and moisture before plants take advantage of them. Predominantly clay soils create the same problem in a different manner, with water and fertilizers running off the compacted soil, never reaching the plant roots or waterlogging plant roots. For maximum production results and good water retention, the ideal soil should contain equal parts of sand, silt and clay, and have a high volume of pore space.
  
  

Amending the Soil

• Achieve the optimum soil composition by adding organic matter to the garden area each year before turning the soil over for the first time. Add well-rotted compost and 30 to 40 lbs. of composted manure for every 100 square feet of garden place. Plant rye or oats in the fall and till the vegetation under in the spring for a source of green manure. Other acceptable sources of soil improvement matter include grass clippings, leaves and straw. Work these components into the soil in the fall so they have time to decompose before spring planting time. Gardeners may add commercially produced fertilizers to increase essential nutrients in the soil. Fertilizers such as 10-10-10 provide 10 percent useable nitrogen, the first number in the fertilizer formula; 10 percent phosphorus, the second number; and 10 percent potassium, the third number. Reaching the goal of a crumbly soil that consumes water and nutrients at an acceptable level may take a few seasons. The resulting soil product will provide increased yields of high-quality vegetables, making the work involved well worth the effort.