Pedro of Hyde Park Landscaping putting in garden compost before planting
Last week, we replenished the soil at some of the kitchen gardens I plant for my clients with cow manure compost from Lake Street Landscaping Supply. (I’ve also used the Resource Center for rich compost.) As I’ve written about before, soil becomes depleted growing fruits and vegetables because the vitamins and minerals in the soil are absorbed into the foods we eat out of the garden. Depleted soil becomes sick with bacteria harmful to food-bearing plants and depleted so yields diminish greatly. In my experience, soil needs to be replenished every 3-4 years and/or when special events such as residential construction contaminate the backyard. (See my earlier rants about soil.) And keeping soil strong and healthy is how we show gratitude for the bounty we’ve received from the garden.