I've had a perennial garden for about 6 years, but lately I've been struggling with my soil. Over the last two years, it has become really compacted, and I can't even access the soil without uprooting my plants. I'm considering removing about a third of the plants to get in and amend the soil, hoping it improves the situation for the remaining perennials. Does anyone have suggestions on how to tackle this?
1 Answer
I usually add a layer of compost around my plants in the spring, right on top of my natural mulch. Then I use a hand fork to gently scratch it into the surface. This little disturbance helps the plants develop deeper roots that are less affected by drought. Over time, the compost just gets absorbed into the mulch as it rains. Occasionally, I sprinkle some organic fertilizer on top of the compost for the heavy feeders. Plus, using a soil conditioner, like composed pine bark, really helps improve the soil structure.
That sounds like a solid plan! It must help to get those nutrients down to the roots.