Good morning everyone. hope the weather is good in your area and you have a wonderful day.

Spring Soil Prep 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Success If you want a high-yield garden, you have to start with the dirt. Preparing your soil in the spring is the most important step for any new gardener. Follow this simple guide to get your beds ready for planting. 1. Test Your Soil pH Don't guess—test. Most vegetables prefer a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. You can grab a DIY test kit at any garden center. If your soil is too acidic or alkaline, your plants won't be able to absorb nutrients. 2. Check the Texture (The Squeeze Test) Grab a handful of moist soil and squeeze it: - Falls apart: Your soil is too sandy. - Hard, sticky ball: You have heavy clay. - Crumbles like cake: You have perfect loam. 3. Add Organic Matter The "secret sauce" for any garden is compost. Whether you have clay or sand, adding 2–3 inches of well-rotted compost or manure will: - Improve drainage. - Feed beneficial soil microbes. - Provide slow-release nutrients. 4. Avoid "Working" Wet Soil One big mistake new gardeners make is digging while the ground is muddy. This packs the soil down and destroys the air pockets roots need to breathe. Wait until the soil is dry enough to crumble. 5. To Till or Not to Till? Consider No-Till gardening. Instead of churning the soil (which kills helpful worms and fungi), just lay your compost on top and let the rain and worms pull the nutrients down. Keywords for SEO: Spring soil preparation, garden soil for beginners, organic compost, soil pH testing, how to improve garden soil.

Hey everyone the compost tea lab! Is live in the free gardening course!! if you ever use compost tea in your garden its a super useful tool. if you have never used compost tea thats ok it also teaches you!!!

​Hey Unbound Nest family! I want to share a foundational gardening concept today that has completely changed the way I grow over the last 25+ years. ​If you want your garden to truly thrive, you have to talk about nitrogen. Plants absolutely need it to build the proteins, enzymes, and DNA required for carbon-based life to flourish. The problem? Most soils are naturally low in nitrogen, or it gets depleted season after season. ​Nitrogen exists all around us in the air, but plants can’t use it directly. This is where a little bit of nature’s magic comes in: Nitrogen-Fixing Plants. ​These specific plants form special nodules on their roots—they look like little grape-like clusters. Inside these nodules live beneficial microbes that pull atmospheric nitrogen straight out of the air and convert it into a form your plants can use immediately. At the same time, they boost the diversity and density of your soil life. ​Sure, adding leaves and mulch is great, and rain can deposit some nitrogen, but those sources can be inconsistent and often don't provide enough of a boost early in the season. Nitrogen-fixers actively feed your soil and your plants simultaneously, creating a reliable, natural fertility loop that lasts long-term. ​The best part? You don't have to sacrifice garden space for them. Here are 5 nitrogen-fixing plants you can grow that will feed your soil while also putting food on your table: ​Peas (Snap, Snow, or Shelling): A fantastic cool-weather crop to start your spring season off right. ​Beans (Bush or Pole): Incredibly easy to grow, prolific producers, and fantastic at enriching the soil around them. ​Fava Beans (Broad Beans): Often used as a cover crop, but their large beans are delicious and highly nutritious. ​Edamame (Soybeans): A great summer crop that yields an awesome, protein-packed snack while doing heavy lifting underground. ​Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans): A heat-loving, drought-tolerant legume that improves your soil health. ​I’m always here to help you get the most out of your growing spaces. Are you planning on adding any of these to your garden layout this year? Let me know in the comments below! 👇

Have been working hard on making you guys some GODD USEFUL free gardening resources. In the Classroom section you will now find a area dedicated to free gardening resources. As with all courses in our community it will continue to grow. The soil builder app we put a lot of thought and detail into please check it out its fun to play with.