Gotta Have Air

Remember your elementary science? Plants have to breathe. You have to breathe. Even soil has to breathe. Giving air to your clay or sand-based soil, or soil aeration, is vital to organic bardening. It helps the soil:

• Be more moist but not too wet.
• Hold water whatever the soil texture--grainy or sandy soils may not hold water as easily..
• Stay temperate, not too hot or too cold.
• Promote healthy bacteria growth--that's right, some bacteria assist plants.
• Have a low bulk density, which means the soil has better physical condition.
• Absorb organic gardening compost--just mix the compost with the soil.

One of the advantages of raised bed gardening is that you can aerate the soil more easily with raised beds or mounded soil. Raised garden beds limit the gardening area and make it easier to work with the soil. In addition, the height allows more air to permeate the garden. Congratulations--you still remember elementary science. Now if you could only reemember algebra.