The thought of harvesting your own homegrown fresh vegetables and fruits is so exciting; to start your garden we need the most important things a good recharged garden soil. Good soil is very essential and the most important requisite for getting a good produce however good soil can be very costly. Here we will share some cost effective ways to make good soil.

The perfect soil for your plants should be moisture retaining and balanced in nutrients. The fluffier your soil, more the moisture it can retain without getting soggy, this will help seeds to thrive without rotting. Soil should also be balanced in nutrients as high nutrients can be harmful to your seedlings. Any soil you prepare should basically be fluffy and light so that it may help plants grow strong and yield better.

Lets start, take a part of compost and get rid of all clumps making it very fine, compost is easily available else it can be easily made. The use of compost is essential as it boosts plant growth and increases the yield. Add two parts coconut coir or leaf mold as both of them retain ample moisture and are naturally fluffy hence aide aeration to the roots. Also add a part of any naturally occurring plant growth media like Perlite. Perlite is an amorphous glass that can be obtained naturally and it has a relatively high water content. This will lighten the soil, hydrate it better and improve its aeration. Incase Perlite is not available, sand can be added to the mix. Sand is heavier but it can be procured easily and has same impact as that of perlite.

Once all ingredients are poured, use any tool or simply mix it with your hands thoroughly. The mixing should be perfect as it will help in distributing the ingredients properly. Once the ingredients are mixed and ready you should store it in a tight container or sack preferably in a cool dry place. Whenever you intend to use the soil mix, simply pour it in the container, pot or plastic bag and water it such that it becomes damp. While filling the container make sure to exert some force gently so that the soil settles in all corners as you fill it completely. The soil mix we have just prepared is very fluffy, its very difficult to be compacted so make sure to firm it well while filling the container.

Plug trays would be best for sowing your seeds in an organized manner, as soon as the seeds are sowed water them gently. Watering with unnecessary pressure will drain away the soil hence it is recommended to use a fine water rose. An easy way to make a gentle watering rose out of scrap is to take a plastic bottle, make small pin holes in its cap, fill water in it and use it. The seeds will germinate and seedlings will appear, now the watering should be done from below. Take a tray, fill it shallow with water then keep the container or plug tray in it; the soil will absorb water from the drain holes. Once the soil surface becomes moist, take out the container or plug tray from the water and let excess water drain. The plants will gradually grow, once they appear strong you may plant them on garden beds or bigger containers as desired. The soil mix we prepared can be also be used in garden beds or big containers however some plants need extra nutrition hence we recommend using some vermicompost thereupon.

Container plants need better soil as the plants grown therein require more nutrition to grow and produce a good yield in the limited space. Hence it is better to get the soil right, in the most cost effective way as stated above. Many of us have prepared their own soil mix which are tested and effective, if you know any such soil mix do share with us below.