The Secrets in the Soil

Many gardeners hold off planting up over summer, worried about hot weather damaging plants. With autumn here – it’s full on planting ahead!

If you’re looking for the secret to a beautiful healthy garden then just look down That’s right, the Secret’s In the Soil. That’s why planting out in autumn months, like April, is ideal. The daytime temperatures are falling but the soil temperature is still warm which means new plants can quickly develop and establish a healthy root system before winter sets in. However, before we pop any plants in, we need to give them a great foundation to grow and flourish and the best way to do that is by giving the soil an organic lift!

Organic matter is essential in creating nutrient-rich, healthy soil.

You’d all be familiar with Yates Dynamic Lifter soil improver and plant fertiliser. You’ll find it at all hardware stores, supermarkets and garden centres.. This stuff has so many uses from soil preparation to fertilising fruit trees, vegies and lawns, I reckon every garden needs a bag.

This is totally approved for organic gardening and ideal for building healthy soils. The important point about Yates Dynamic Lifter is it has a chicken manure base. Chicken manure contains a higher concentration of nutrients than many other animal manures. Along with chicken manure, other natural ingredients have been added – Blood and Bone, fishmeal and seaweed which all go through a special composting process and are pelletized, like this, to make it easy to apply.

Yates Dynamic Lifter’s rich organic blend helps improve soil health and its ability to hold water and nutrients. It’s important to work this into the ground so vital soil microbes can begin feeding and multiplying.

A great reason to add organic matter in autumn is that soil microbes just love the warm ground, actively turning all this wonderful organic matter into slow release plant ready food. Plus, when you have lovely enriched soil, you’ll also see loads of these visitors that always put a smile on a gardeners face.
Earthworms play a vital role in improving soil structure – burrowing through soil, creating tunnels for water and air to penetrate, loosening up the ground and allowing plant roots to easily expand and take up valuable nutrients. We love earthworms don’t we!

Once you get the soil right, the rest is, well, relatively easy.

Dig a hole twice as large as the pot. This makes it easier for new roots to expand into the loosened soil.
Add some Yates Dynamic Lifter to the hole, mix with soil and plant out.

April is Yates Planting month, and Yates is encouraging everyone to get out into the garden and get planting. What better time to get new plants started? And remember the secret’s in the soil!
Head to the Yates website to find out how you can get involved.