soil and light blog6

How to Refresh Garden Soil

Your soil is the most important living system in your garden — and just like any living thing, it needs care. In Saudi Arabia, refreshing your soil between seasons helps combat compaction, nutrient depletion, and dryness. Here's how to bring it back to life — organically.

What’s in Good Soil?

Healthy soil contains:

• Mineral particles: sand, silt, and clay
• Organic matter: compost, decomposed plants, aged manure
• Air pockets (pore space) for root growth and water movement
• A thriving soil food web of bacteria, fungi, and earthworms

In the right balance, this living mix gives plants everything they need to grow strong, resist pests, and yield abundantly.

 

Why Soil Becomes Tired

Over time, soil can lose its vitality due to:

• Repeated planting in the same spot
• Topsoil removal during construction
• Compaction from foot traffic and irrigation
• Imbalanced pH or salt buildup from fertilizers
• Low organic matter

 

Step 1: Test the Soil

Use a home test kit or digital meter to check:

• pH — Most plants thrive between 6.2–7.0
• Drainage — Dig a hole, fill with water, and measure how fast it drains (1–3 in/hr is ideal)
• Structure — Squeeze damp soil: too hard = clay; too loose = sandy

For deeper insight, send a soil sample to a lab. Make sure to test multiple locations and blend your samples.

 

Step 2: Amend with Organic Materials

The best thing you can add? **Organic compost.** It improves water retention in sandy soil and loosens clay-heavy areas. It also supports microbial life that feeds your plants naturally.

Also consider:

• Bone meal for phosphorus (root growth & flowering)
• Blood meal for nitrogen (leaf and stem growth)
• Biochar for water retention and microbial activity
• Garden lime or sulfur to adjust pH as needed

Step 3: Try the Ruth Stout Method

This no-till gardening technique involves piling organic matter (straw, leaves, chopped plants) directly on the soil. It:

• Feeds the soil food web as it decomposes
• Suppresses weeds naturally
• Eliminates the need for turning, tilling, or fertilizing

It’s especially effective in raised beds or vegetable patches.

 

Step 4: Compost Consistently

Add a layer of compost (1–2 cm thick) to your soil each season. Compost holds nutrients, retains water, balances pH, and invites beneficial fungi and worms to move in. You can even compost in place or use a bin like the Aerobin 400 for faster results.

Final Tip: Rest Between Seasons

If you're not planting immediately, grow a cover crop like clover or buckwheat, or simply mulch with organic matter. This gives your soil a chance to recover, recharge, and come back stronger for the next growing season.

Healthy plants come from healthy roots — and healthy roots come from refreshed, living soil.

Green Starts Here.™