Improving your soil one native plant at a time
Dirt stains on your garden clothes? It’s more interesting than you may think! The soil in your yard isn’t just dirt — it’s a hidden ecosystem with a carefully crafted composition.
Planting native wildflowers, shrubs and trees is an effective way to revitalize and support that soil’s health within your home landscape. These native plants can co-exist with natural fungal networks that together create a water, carbon and nitrogen highway system right beneath our feet. This microscopic exchange is crucial to getting nutrients to the plants that need it most without using storebought chemicals.
It’s best to leave out pesticides too; this “living” soil ecosystem needs small insects and other invertebrates to break down organic material, such as fallen leaves, and cycle nutrients back into your garden’s roots. If your soil still needs an extra boost, consider adding homemade compost as a simple way to introduce nutrients while lowering your carbon footprint and reducing waste.
For more stories like this, check out Green Islands magazine, a bi-monthly publication from Summit Metro Parks. Summit County residents can sign up to receive the publication at home free of charge.