Sustained warm weather is on the horizon for most parts of the country. So, you might think it’s time to prepare your garden for a big spring planting with soil aeration. However, in an exclusive interview with Hunker, Amy Powers, garden coach Power plantsReaders are warned that this may actually be one of the biggest gardening mistakes you can make! “We shouldn’t disturb the soil in our beds for two big reasons,” says Powers. “Weed seeds lie dormant in the soil for decades. The more we disturb the soil, the more we expose the weed seeds to the sun, which germinate and cause a mess for us.” This may mean that you are looking for a season DIY solutions to prevent weeds from spreading in your flower bedInstead of just enjoying your garden.
Powers says there’s another reason spring aeration can actually hurt your garden. That could waste months of tunneling that existing plants are doing. This necessitates growth in the deepest parts of your landscaping beds. “Soil has structure, and we don’t want to destroy it,” she continues. “Plants, yes, even weeds, that previously grew in those beds push channels down into the soil with their roots, allowing air, water and organic matter to be drawn down.” By disturbing these networks, you are setting back the overall health of your garden.
What to do instead and when
Instead of aerating the soil or lightly tilling it using a garden fork, Amy Powers recommends fertilizing it with compost. However, spring is not the time to do that. “The preparation of the soil really starts in the fall,” she tells Hunkar exclusively. And, her strategy has the added bonus of cutting down on yard work Many people hate to tackle the fall maintenance job. Powers explains, “Leave all those leaves and needles in your bed as mulch for the winter and leave them there to continue decomposing well into the spring. That organic matter feeds your soil microbiome and improves your soil health; it’s free!”
Unless you just have Trees that do not shed their leaves in autumnYou will have access to this great natural fertilizer. However, remember that this trick works best in the soil of your flower bed. If the buildup on your grass gets too thick, it can begin to rot and cause fungal disease. This can suffocate and kill the grass in your lawn. To prevent this disaster, keep an eye on the amount of buildup, rake the extra leaves in the bed and remove any that don’t break down.
