Healthy garden soil secrets

Spring garden bed and pots

Monday, September 29, 2025

Soil is a living thing.  It has millions of microbes, worms, and insects making their home in the dirt we call garden soil.  Plants need nutrition, water, and living soil to bring the nutrients to the plants and keep the soil structure optimal.  Like people who need more than just carbs, fats and protein for good health, plants need more than just NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium) to grow with optimal nutrition and yields. 

There are 5 major things to look at for support of plant health and growth in your garden:

pH-significant effect on what nutrients are available in the soil for the plant to access

NPK-the major three for soil fertility on a macro scale

Minerals-plants need a variety of minerals just like people do for optimal health

Soil tilth-everyone talks about loamy soil, one that is light with lots of organic matter

Soil microbes and worms-healthy, living soil support

pH

The "ideal" pH for most garden vegetables is 6.5, slightly acidic.  A pH test is always good to do.  Most vegetables grow well in a pH of 6.5, which is slightly acidic.  Anything below 6 is so acidic that it binds the minerals like phosphorous, potassium and calcium.  Much higher than 6.5, the soil ties up iron and zinc.  Most extension offices will recommend that you do bring down your pH when you get above 7.5.  You can get a pH tester at any big box store or local nursery.  They are super simple to do.

There are a few plants that require a more acidic soil to really flourish like blueberries (4.5-5.5) and blackberries (5.5-6.5).  Crop pH tolerances

In general, gardens in rainy climates have acidic soil as the minerals get washed out of the soil and those in arid are alkaline.  To raise pH, lime is used.  To lower pH, sulfur is used.  It takes months for soil pH to change after lime or sulfur are added.  Fall is a great time to test soil pH so you can add amendments now to get your soil in the optimal range by spring.  Compost acts as a buffer to help balance soil pH but that depends on what is in the compost.

I grow my edibles in my mulched flower beds.  Over time the hardwood mulch I used raises the pH in my garden beds.  I use sulfur to lower the pH to get back in the 6.5-7.5 range. 

NPK

The major nutrients that we are all most familiar with when it comes to fertilizing is NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium).  These three elements are foundational to plant growth.  They are the numbers you see in any bag of fertilizer, ie, 10-5-8 will be 10% nitrogen, 5% phosphorous, and 8% potassium.  

Nitrogen supports green, leafy growth.  Potassium supports strong stems, root development and seed and fruit development.  Phosphorous encourages flower blooms and movement of water in the plant.  Different plants require different amounts of each of these nutrients depending on if they are mainly grown for their foliage (like lettuce) or fruits (like tomatoes).   Greens will use more nitrogen while fruiting vegetables need more phosphorous and potassium.  Giving fruiting vegetables high amounts of nitrogen will give you big, beautiful green plants with few fruits.  More is not always better......

Make your own fertilizer, it's all natural and inexpensive

You can get an easy tester at any garden center or big box store to test your pH.  You can also take a soil sample in to your local extension office and they'll test it for you.  Some provide the testing for free; others may charge a minimal fee.  They will also provide recommendations on what to add if needed to bring your soil into the optimal range.

County agriculture extension office locator

Minerals

Just like protein, carbs and fat are not the whole story of nutrition for us, NPK is not the whole story for plant health.  Plants need a variety of minerals for optimal growth and resiliency against pests and drought conditions.  I either use kelp meal when fertilizing or Azomite to get minerals in the soil.  I make sure I am adding minerals in the spring.  When the soil has more minerals, so do the plants, and then so do our harvests and what we eat.  

For more details on analysis of your garden soil and links to sites to help you get your garden in balance, see this blog:

The next step in garden production and your nutrition-soil minerals      

Soil tilth/type

The "ideal" soil is one that is light and fluffy, but not sandy.  You want soil that water doesn't just run through (like sand) or so dense that roots can't grow easily and water can't escape (like clay).  If plant roots stay in water logged soils, they can't breathe and will rot.  The way to get the optimal soil density is to add organic matter through mulch and compost.  I do both.  

I add mulch to keep the weeds down, keep the soil temperature steady, keep the soil moist in summer, and to add organic matter.  Over the course of a 2-3 years, you will have a nice thick black layer of organic material plants love.  Mulch also encourages earthworms which both till the soil making it loose for plant roots and add nitrogen

Weed free, self fertilizing, till free garden beds

I also add compost.  Before I was composting myself, I would buy compost and add a layer in the spring, then put down fertilizer and top with mulch to keep all the nutrients in the soil.  We also save our leaves in the fall and use the composted leaves in the garden beds along with our chicken bedding.

Composting is possible in small spaces or even indoors

Soil microbes and worms

You want a soil that is teeming with microbes and worms.  Microbial diversity helps bring the nutrition to the plant, similar to the microbes in our digestive system.  Good microbial population is helped by using compost and staying away from chemical fertilizers.

Worms are great for burrowing in the soil to make it nice and loose as well as fertilizing.  One way to attract earth worms is to lay cardboard on the soil, then top with compost, fertilizer and mulch.  Earthworms love cardboard! 

Getting good harvests depends on first having healthy, living, nutrient rich soils to support robust plants.  The healthier the plants, the healthier the food we get from them.  It is a win-win all the way around.

You really are what you eat! 

Great time to harvest and preserve basil

Cardinal basil

Sunday, September 20, 2025

Basil is a native of Africa and other tropical areas of Asia where it has been cultivated for over 5,000 years.  It is a culinary herb that sends cooks into poetic rapture.  It is probably the favorite of the “sweet” herbs and well known from its use in Mediterranean cuisine.  It has a spicy bite when eaten fresh.  Because it hails from the tropics, it melts with the first frost so make sure you are harvesting while you can.

Basil turns black when temps get close to freezing.  Be sure to harvest all leaves when it looks like you are getting a frost.  You can also take the the tips and place in water to grow roots and pot indoors for winter harvests.  You can dig up the plant and repot to bring indoors.  Be sure to put in a sunny window.  Basil won’t thrive indoors, but you will get enough to use as seasoning in your favorite dishes and return to the garden in the spring. 

Basil in the foreground

Harvesting Basil

You get multiple harvests from each plant in a season.  I can get three harvests in our Zone 7 garden.  I take my last harvest right before the first frost.  I wait until the last minute as the pollinators love basil flowers so I leave them growing for as long as possible.  You can harvest the stems that don't have flowers or have finished flowering now and not take away the pollinators food source.

Basil plant after harvested

Basil before harvesting

Preserving Basil

You can freeze, dry, make basil into pesto, basil butter, basil vinegar, or basil oil.  

For freezing, you can freeze chopped leaves into ice cubes to be able to pop into sauces. You can also blanch and freeze.  If you don’t blanch, the frozen herb does not keep its color or flavor.  Blanching is simply throwing the herb leaves in a pot of boiling water for about 30 seconds and then quickly plunge them into a bowl or sink of ice water.  Dry the leaves then put the leaves on a cookie sheet, place in the freezer and when frozen, remove and put in quart freezer bags.  Now you can have fresh basil flavor anytime you need it!

Harvested basil stems

For drying, I place the cut stems into a paper bag that I put in a dry, warm place.  You can also tie in bunches and hang upside down to dry.  Be sure to leave lots of open space between stems to discourage any mold.  When completely dry, I remove the leaves and place in canning jars.

I will take all of my dried herbs for the season and make it into my own blend of "Herbes de Provence" that I use on and in everything!  Make your own "Herbes de Provence"

My favorite way to preserve basil is to make pesto.  Pesto is a mixture of fresh basil, traditionally pine nuts (but I use any kind of nut I have on hand-walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, cashews), parmesan cheese, a few cloves of garlic, and olive oil.  You can add spinach or parsley.  Just throw them all together in a food processor and ta-da pesto!

I use about 8 cups of packed leaves (be sure to exclude any tough stems), 1/2 cup nuts, 1 cup of olive oil, 1 and 3/4 cup of Parmesan, 8 cloves of fresh garlic and a teas of salt.  After processing, I put half in a quart freezer bag, lay flat in the freezer until ready to use.  Just thaw and toss with your favorite pasta or add to pizza, bruschetta, sandwiches or sauce for a quick and tasty meal.  

Pesto ready to freeze

For basil butter, chop the basil and mix 1 Tbl, or to taste, into softened butter.

For basil vinegar, choose a white vinegar so that the taste of the basil shines through.  Place fresh basil leaves into an empty bottle and cover with vinegar.  Place in cool, dark area for a month.  Shake daily.  Strain out leaves and use!  You can accelerate the infusion process by covering the leaves with boiling vinegar.  Your creation will be ready in a week.

For basil flavored oil, chop 1 cup of leaves.  Heat 1 cup of oil on low, add herbs, stirring for 3-4 minutes.  Strain out leaves and keep oil refrigerated.  

Lots of options!

Quick tip-sowing lettuce seeds when it is still hot

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Lettuce is a cool season leafy green.  Until temperatures cool off in summer, you may think your lettuce seeds are no good because you are not getting them to sprout outdoors.  If it is still hot outdoors, the culprit is likely just the heat.  The seeds will not germinate well in ground temps above 70 degrees F.  

There are a couple of options for late summer time seeding of lettuce.  You can grow in shade, cover with a shade cloth or start your seedlings indoors and transplant outdoors.

I like to start mine in long pots in the shade, close to the watering can on the northeast side of the house.  The seedlings will be up in 7 days if kept well watered.  I let them grow until they have the first set of true leaves, are about 2” tall, and temperatures are no longer in the 80's for highs.  If transplanted before it cools down, they can bolt.  I transplant them into their permanent home, fertilize and keep them well watered for another couple of weeks or until the fall rains start.

I put all my greens in self watering Earthboxes that I cover with a portable greenhouse when it starts getting below freezing.  This method keeps us in salads all winter long.  

Homegrown, organic salads in a Midwest winter

How to extend the garden season

If you want to direct seed in your flower bed, dig a shallow trench about a half inch deep, fill with potting soil, seed, pat down, then cover lightly with more potting soil.  Lettuce seed requires some light to germinate so don't bury too deep.

Water well with a gentle stream of water so you don’t wash the seed away.  I use a rain head on my watering can.  Until the average temperature gets below 70F, germination may be erratic planting directly in the garden bed, but they should eventually sprout when it cools off. 

What's happening in the mid-September edible garden

Edible and decorative front garden bed

Sunday, September 14, 2025

We are having a very dry September again this year and way above average temperatures.  In the past, we could depend on the rains starting by mid-September and supplemental watering being pretty well over until next summer.  Not this year.  I am still watering the beds weekly and the potted edibles every 2-3 days with temps in the mid 90's this coming week.  

Peppers, beans, eggplant, okra and squash do well in this type of weather if you make sure they have enough to drink.  I have many peppers just waiting to ripen, my okra continues to flower and produce fruits, my Yard Long beans are producing very well, there are a few tomatoes on my tomato plants, and flowers and fruits on my eggplant.  When the heat gets in the 90's and stays there, tomatoes will drop their flowers so you don't get as many fruits during heat waves.  

Herbs are doing well.  The basil and oregano is in full bloom.  The bees are loving both of these plants along with the zinnias, celosias, marigolds and lavender.  Now is a great time to harvest all your herbs.  I do need to harvest sage as I am out of it.

Time to harvest and preserve your herbs

Cardinal basil in forefront and Genovese basil in background

Many of the winter lettuce seed I planted a couple weeks ago has sprouted.  They're not growing much yet.  When they get their second set of leaves, I will start transplanting them into their winter pots which I will cover with a portable greenhouse cover.  All will do great under cover all winter. 

I dug all my shallots and garlic last month.  I will divide and replant them next month.  They can be planted as late as November in our zone.

Time to plant perennial onions, garlic and shallots

If you are a garlic lover, October is prime time to plant your garlic for next summer's harvest.  I save the biggest cloves from my summer harvest to plant in the fall.  If you haven't ordered yours yet, some varieties may be sold out, but that is always a good reason to try something new.  

How to choose garlic to grow

My volunteer zinnias, cock's comb, and flame celosias did really well again this year.  I had a bonanza of different colors of zinnias and my cock's comb flower heads were huge.  I'm sure I will have many volunteers come up again next year.  The California Giant orange zinnias just glowed in my front yard pot.

Fuschia pin cushion zinnia

Hummingbird vine, Heavenly morning glory, and Red Malabar spinach volunteer vines went a little crazy this summer.  I did a better job this year of pulling most of them.  

I do like growing Egyptian Walking Onions, eggplant and peppers in pots so will continue to do so.  Tomatoes, pole beans, squash, okra, cucumbers, corn, garlic and melons all are more productive in the ground.  You can still do well in pots using compact varieties, but smaller plants do mean smaller yields.

Pretty soon, it will time to reflect back on this year's garden, see how much I was able to can, pickle, dry and put away in the freezer to develop next year's garden plan.  It is best to do at the end of the season when all is still fresh in your mind.  It is also a great time to write up the list of things you'd like to learn more about over the winter to try in next year's edible garden.

Reflections on the 2024 edible garden and the 2025 plan

Time to harvest and preserve your herbs

Multicolor sage

September 13, 2025

End of summer is a great time to tidy garden beds and harvest herbs.  Herbs have a tendency to take a walk on the wild side.  As the days get shorter, growth slows and before long the sun cannot support all the greenery from summer.

Rosemary

Fall is the perfect time to harvest your herbs.  You can cut them back so they remain lush, improving the tidiness of your garden, and providing herbs for the winter ahead.  Herbs are expensive in the store and you get a huge amount from just trimming back your herb plants.  Enough for you and Christmas gifts!

For soft herbs like chives and garlic chives, I cut around the outside.  You can either then dry or freeze your cuttings.  Soft herbs don't retain as much of their flavor when dried.

For basil, I keep a pot indoors over the winter to have fresh basil whenever I need it.  I do harvest basil during the summer and fall to make pesto.  It just doesn't retain much flavor when dried.  Pesto is a great way to preserve your basil.  I freeze in freezer bags and have a quick meal ready to go anytime.  Basil also will not survive even a frost.  So when they call for frost, I harvest all that is left on the plant.

Time to harvest basil 

For rosemary, you can trim the bush into a more pleasing shape or just take the outer third of growth.  I have not been successful in finding a rosemary that survives outside in my Zone 7 region.  My rosemary plants survive the winter but when we have our normal warm up in January or February followed by another deep freeze, it kills the plant.  So in late fall/early winter, I will harvest all the limbs so I don't waste any of that great flavor.  Rosemary is perfect with lamb, on potatoes, or on cheese bread.

For sage, savory, and thyme, I simply trim them into a healthy shape.  For basil, oregano and marjoram, I remove about a third of the top growth.  

Thyme

I dry my herbs to preserve them.  I put loosely in a paper bag in a dry, warm area out of the sun and let dry naturally.  Loose is the key here so they get good air circulation and do not mold.  They should be completely dry in about 3-4 weeks.  I like putting them in clothes closets to dry as they release such great fragrance.  

Once dried, remove the leaves from woody herbs and store in an airtight container out of direct sunlight.  If a soft herb like chives, you can just crumble into the airtight container.  I use wide mouth canning jars or freezer bags for herb storage.

I also keep a gallon freezer bag of a mix of all the herbs in my garden to use in sauces, on meats, in soup, stews, just about anything I cook.  It's a favorite request of family and friends for their own pantry.

Make your own "Herbes de Provence"

If the winter is not a bad one, most perennial herbs like chives, oregano, sage, winter savory, and thyme can be harvested year round straight from the garden.

What to start in the edible September garden

Fall seedlings in an Italian garden

Sunday, September 7, 2025

September is a great time to continue planting for fall and winter harvests.  Get the most out of your edible garden by using all the seasons for fresh, homegrown goodness.  With fall gardening, you don't have to worry about pest and disease pressures plus the temperatures are enjoyable for outdoor activity.

What is a four season garden?
You can garden year round in small space
Planning for a four season garden

A fall edible garden

This month plant more greens and root vegetables and transplant cold crops.  September is my favorite month for getting winter lettuce and greens going.  I keep pots just for year round greens.  The spring/summer greens have already bolted and gone to seed.  I cleared them out when the seeds are dispersed and the stalks turn brown.  I have volunteer celery, amaranth greens, and sweet mustard greens that has sprouted in some of them.  Plus the Red Malabar spinach, New Zealand spinach and Giant Blue Feather lettuce is still going strong.  I need to start my lettuce seeds this week.  After sprouting, I'll transplant them together in self watering pots so that I can cover them with a portable greenhouse to keep the harvest going all fall and winter.

Time to plant lettuce seed for fall, winter salads

 Root for fall!  

September is also a great month for starting perennial veggies, fruits, and herbs as well as flowers, trees, shrubs and spring blooming bulbs.  There are 2 great things about perennials.  1) You only have to plant them once and they come back year after year.  2)  Perennial greens are the first things up in late winter, early spring.   Midwest Perennial Vegetable Garden

The hardest part is finding a spot to start the cool season crops with so many summer veggies going strong.  I like to start them in smaller self-watering, rectangular pots that are about 6" tall by 12" or so long in the shade and then transplant them out when it gets cooler and more room is opened up.  

Here are the crops you can start in the September Midwest edible garden:

September Sowing
Austrian winter peas
Arugula
Beets

Broccoli transplants
Brussel sprouts transplants

Cabbage transplants

Carrots
Cauliflower transplants
Corn salad
Escarole

Fava beans
Frisee
Italian dandelion

Kale

Kohlrabi
Lettuce
Mache
Mustard and Mustard Greens

Winter and Perennial Onions

Peas

Radish

Scallions

Snow peas
Sorrel
Spinach

Turnips

September Transplants

Cold hardy lettuces, spinach, collards, broccoli, all perennials, trees, shrubs, greens, spinach

November edible garden

Look for cold hardy varieties when planting for fall and winter harvests.  You will be surprised to harvest all through the winter months things like greens, onions, Austrian peas, carrots, and cabbage without any cover.  You can also extend the harvest by looking for the same crop with different days to harvest timing so that they mature at different times.  

Finally, you can use cover to extend the harvest all the way to next spring.

  Extend the season with protection for plants
Winter edible garden

When planting seeds when temperatures can get hot, be sure to keep the soil moist and in a cool spot until the plants are well established.  Summer and fall planted crops take longer to come to harvest than they do in the spring.  Rule of thumb is to add 2 weeks.  It's because the days are getting shorter in fall rather than longer like in spring.  

A great and easy way to start your fall garden is to sow the seeds in a pot on a covered deck or patio.  This makes it easy to keep an eye on the seedlings and protects them from the harsh hot summer sun.  After they have a couple of sets of their true leaves, you can transplant into the garden bed.  Harden them off first by moving the pot to full sun before transplanting.  "Hardening off" seedlings  After transplanting into the garden, keep them watered regularly during hot, dry weather until well established.

For more summer seed starting tips Outdoor seed starting tips

Peppers love fall

Jalapeño

Saturday, September 6, 2025

My peppers kick into high gear come September and keep right on producing through October.  They seem to love the lower humidity and cooler nights.  

This time of year, I back off fertilizer.  Nitrogen promotes new greenery which can make the plant more susceptible to a hard frost.  Typically, peppers do fine up until a hard freeze.  I have had good success with bringing cayenne, Jigsaw and my Chiltepin pepper plants indoors for the winter.  They keep producing into January and then start flowering as soon as I take them outside in the spring.

Right now, I have Poblano Anaheim peppers, California bell peppers, burgundy sweet peppers from seed I have saved, a Chiltepin wild hot pepper native to the Southwest, Habanada sweet pepper, Jigsaw purple hot pepper and Tunisian Baklouti hot pepper plants.  They are all happy in their pots.

The Poblano I am drying for chili powder.  The sweet peppers I eat fresh and rough slice and freeze for salsa and tomato sauce.  The larger hot peppers I freeze whole and use for salsa and homemade hot sauce.  At the end of summer, I will take all the hot peppers frozen from last year and make hot sauce.  It is super easy.  Make your own hot sauce!  A I use the hot sauce to make wings for football games.  Homemade hot sauce wings with homegrown celery

Sweet pepper 

Poblano

Yum!  Yum!

Here's my easy recipe for fresh salsa.  Quick and fresh homemade salsa

In my garden, my peppers seem to do the best in pots.  It's a great space saver too if you are growing all your edibles in the garden bed.  You can put your potted peppers interplanted with petunias along your side walk or patio for decoration as well as food. 

The veggies I grow every year that seem to favor or do at least as well in pots are peppers, eggplant, bay laurel, bush cucumbers, Egyptian walking onion and all greens.  I try to find room in the garden bed for tomatoes, okra, garlic and pole beans.  I only need one trellis of pole beans to grow everything we need.  

It doesn't take much garden space to grow lots for your family to eat year round.  You can garden year round in small space  If you have limited space for storing extras, focus on veggies that are easy to keep without a freezer.  21 no tech storage crops