Add Organic Matter for Garden Soil Improvement

Last Updated on January 3, 2022 by Real Men Sow

The soil is king, and its health and fertility are vital for good crops. The squashes went mad because the soil has been amazingly fertile. The other crops that did fight their way through the mess have also been brilliant. The mangetout, beets, sweetcorn, and carrots that were in that bed were the best I’ve ever grown.

adding organic matter to your allotment

In the other main bed, things haven’t been as huge and the plants have not looked anywhere near as healthy. Although both were new beds, the soil was different, and it was clear there wasn’t as much good organic matter present as there was in the squash bed. Here are some pointers that will help my second bed be as good as my first, and hopefully help improve your soil too.

What is Organic Matter?

Organic matter is the partially decomposed remains of soil organisms, vegetation, and plant life, such as grass and leaves. To grow healthy, bountiful fruit and veg, we are reliant on the soil. Feeding the soil to create a rich base for our plants is arguably the most important thing a veg grower does all year. We need to be adding organic matter to improve the long-term fertility and structure of the soil.

Why should we add Organic Matter?

We need to be adding organic matter to improve the long-term fertility and structure of the soil. Although organic matter will typically only account for a small part of the soil makeup, it plays a vital role in holding everything together and retaining moisture, as well as storing and providing nutrients and food for all forms of life within your soil. Adding organic matter to your soil is an ongoing job, as the plants you grow will eventually use up all the nutrients and that goodness will need replenishing.

Types of Soil Improvers

Often, the type of organic matter that you add to your soil will depend on individual factors, such as space, cost, and what is available locally.

Horse and cow manure

Animal manure is a popular organic matter amongst generations of gardeners. The very best muck is the jet black, well-rotted stuff that has been left for a year and is often delivered to allotment plots on the back of trucks.

Homemade Compost

Well-rotted, homemade compost is an exceptional form of organic matter, but making enough can be tricky if you have a large allotment. However, it’s easy to make and cheap.

Read the Real Men Sow Guide to Choose The Best Multi-Purpose Composts for better seed sowing.

Seaweed

When I lived by the coast, I used seaweed. The black, bladderwrack type contains all the nutrients plants require for good growth, and can be dug straight in without washing the salt off.

Hops

Spent hops are another freebie manure, and are often left outside local breweries for gardeners to take away. Again, these can simply be dug straight into the soil.

Green Manure

Green manure involves growing a cover of specific plants right across a bed, and digging in later on. A good crop of green manures offers protection to the soil during bad weather, suppresses weeds, and stops nutrients from escaping.

How to Add Organic Matter

The organised allotmenteerist will add their organic matter of choice during the Autumn. Most of the beds will have been cleared ready for Winter, and doing this job early will give any organic matter the maximum time to rot down into the soil. Don’t panic if you miss this deadline though – any time through Winter will still be okay.

Spread a layer of the organic matter all over your beds. Approximately 2 – 4 inches in depth is perfect. If there are any veg still left in the bed, don’t go too close to them as the richness in the manure can sometimes burn the plants.

Some gardeners choose to leave the manure on the top to allow the worms and other microorganisms to incorporate it into the soil as they go about their daily business. This is called the No Dig Method.

Traditionally, manure is dug in, either at the point of spreading or at a later date once the organic matter has had a chance to work into the soil. Dig the soil into the depth of your spade, and break up any clumps before sowing or planting.

Recent posts on Real Men Sow have featured a theme of end-of-season reflection. I’ve looked at the good and bad of 2018, whether my massive squash plants were actually a hindrance and even pondering the reason for growing my own vegetables.

Real Men Sow
Real Men Sow

Hello, I’m Pete and I’m currently based in the west of Scotland, in a small place called Rosneath, where I’m exploring my garden adventures. I personally started gardening around 6 years ago and initially, I started out by growing my favorite fruits and berries, such as strawberries, Raspberries & Gooseberries. Since then I’ve added a lot of vegetables and working closely with my neighbor, it’s been a lot of fun.

5 thoughts on “Add Organic Matter for Garden Soil Improvement”

  1. I couldn’t agree more! After all, soil is the foundation of every garden so it only makes sense to keep it fertile using organic methods (of course) only.

  2. Hello, I really enjoyed reading your article about soil fertility, I found it very helpful. Thank you, Richard

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