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You could say building soil is the defining act of organic gardening. By regularly replenishing the nutrients your plants use, you keep the soil productive. By mixing organic matter (preferably compost) into the soil whenever possible, you mimic Nature's cycles of birth, decay, and rebirth. Ideal garden soil is dark-colored, smells kind of sweet, compresses into a loose lump in your hand when moist, and is full of earthworms.
Certain soils may need even more of a boost than a regular, liberal dose of compost can provide, but before you add anything else to your soil we urge you to get a soil test—you'll find a lab in your area where you can get a low cost test on our state-by-state (and province by province) listing of soil test laboratories. The results of your test will tell you the soil's pH and what nutrients are out of balance. With that information, you can choose amendments to bolster the soil. You can choose from many organic soil amendments, like bonemeal, greensand or rock phosphates, all derived from natural sources and each suited to particular need.
