Amending & Prepping Beds for Planting 🌱

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I did a lot of planting this past weekend and thought I’d share how I prep my beds before adding new plants!

Once a year, I top off all my beds with fresh compost. I usually do this in the fall as summer crops are coming out and cool-season crops are going in, but you can do this whenever it makes the most sense for you.

Why compost?

Compost does a little bit of everything. It improves soil structure, helps sandy soil retain moisture, improves drainage in heavy clay, adds organic matter, and feeds the microbial life that keeps your soil functioning well over time.

Then anytime I’m planting a new round of veggies, I add my secret little blend of nutrients. I usually keep this under lock & key, buuuuut since y’all are awesome, I’ll tell you what it is 😉

Worm castings:

These are gentle but powerful. They add beneficial microbes, improve nutrient availability, and improve soil structure, which helps roots establish. Think of it like a biological boost, similar to compost.

All-purpose granular organic fertilizer:

Granular fertilizers contain a range of nutrients and release them slowly, so they feed over time rather than all at once. This is good for steady, long-term growth.

Granulated molasses:

This one surprises people! Molasses helps feed soil microbes because it provides a carbon source, which gives energy to fungi and beneficial bacteria, boosting microbial activity. It also acts as a natural pest repellent by increasing plants' Brix level (aka, sugar content), which makes leaves less tasty to our fave pests like aphids and caterpillars.

And as a bonus, molasses smells really good 🧁😂

I sprinkle all this on top of the soil, then mix everything into the top couple of inches and plant!

What do you think?

Let me know if you want me to expand on any of this or have any questions!

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Amending & Prepping Beds for Planting 🌱