Planting the Plains: Soil Testing

By Anthony Reardon

Published August 8, 2024 at 9:52 AM CDT

You can put in all the effort you want, but no garden can thrive to its fullest potential unless it has good soil. This week, we'll talk about the importance of soil testing, and how to get your soil into optimum shape for growing!

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Planting the Plains Planting the Plains

Anthony Reardon

Anthony Reardon is the Horticulture – Small Farms Extension Agent for Johnson County, Kansas.

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Planting the Plains: New Garden Soil Prep

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Getting the soil in your garden into proper condition for growing can also mean killing any weeds or weed seeds properly and effectively, so that nothing competes for nutrients once you've done your planting in the spring. This week, we'll talk about ways to use the winter months to get your soil into shape!
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Once you've harvested your garden in the fall, there are still some ways you can work to improve next year's crop over the winter season. This week, we'll talk about how to solarize your soil, and the usefulness of soil testing, which is easier than you think!
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Planting the Plains: Blossom End Rot

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From keeping an eye on the humidity levels in your various micro-climates, to learning how to spot the signs of insects feeding on your plants, your plants could definitely benefit from some extra scrutiny. This week, we'll talk about how to learn to keep an eye out for various types of disease in your garden!