An established garden benefits from the inclusion of fresh dirt, particularly in the kind of compost, on a regular basis. Compost improves water retention in sandy soil and decreases soil compaction in clay soil, enhancing the garden. Simply adding topsoil does little to improve the dirt in a perennial garden, but it’s helpful for replacing dirt lost through erosion and to raise the soil level.
Benefits of Topdressing
The simplest way to add soil or compost into a perennial garden is by way of topdressing, which involves spreading a thin layer of the material throughout the garden bed surface. With that procedure, no need is to incorporate the new dirt or compost to the current soil, a process which can disturb plants’ roots. Rain and earthworms take the new material deeper into the garden throughout the course of the growing season. Regularly adding compost in this manner helps improve the garden total quality by stabilizing the soil’s pH level and helping the dirt maintain nutrients.
Topdressing Procedure
When topdressing your perennial garden with soil or compost, apply a 1- to 2-inch-thick layer of the material throughout the garden’s soil surface however involving the plants. The job requires 8 to 16 cubic feet of compost per 100 square feet of garden area, and also the number of cubic feet of topsoil needed may fluctuate. Compost supplies nutrients in addition to other natural material, and a annual application of it in spring can remove the need for supplementary fertilizers in a perennial garden. Perennial plants which require a lot of fertilizer may benefit from a summer feeding in addition to the spring compost application. It can be supplied with a fibrous, all-purpose plant food with an nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio of 24-8-16. Mix 1 tbsp fertilizer per 1 gallon of water for every 10 square foot of dirt surface at the perennial garden, and use the mix to water the dirt of just the perennials that need extra fertilizer.
Addition of a Larger Amount
If topdressing does not add enough fresh dirt to the perennial bed, even more extreme measures are required. Taking away the perennials before adding soil is imperative to avoid burying the plants. Fall is the best time for raising perennials out of the garden to add dirt, even though it can be carried out in spring if necessary. Work fast to add the desired amount of dirt prior to the plants’ roots dry. An option is to function in stages by lifting a few plants from the bed, then adding dirt, and then replanting those perennials prior to moving into a different part of the garden to repeat the process. Water perennials’ dirt well after replanting, and continue watering it as needed to keep it moist for the next few weeks.
Soil and Compost Selection
When adding soil or compost into your perennial garden, then the material you use is equally as important as how you apply it into the garden. Use only adult compost, which can be compost which has thoroughly decomposed. Partially decomposed compost which isn’t well-aged has a greater level of soluble salts than adult compost and may harm garden plants. Well-aged compost also includes fewer weed seeds. When selecting new dirt, choose a dirt mixture described as “topsoil” or “garden dirt.” Bagged mixes typically contain high levels of organic matter.