Plant Nutrient Deficiency Chart: What Leaf Symptoms Are Telling You
Which leaves are affected tells you more than the color alone. Use this chart to narrow the suspects, then confirm with a soil test before buying fertilizer.
Category: Soil & Compost
Soil tests, pH, compost, mulch and fertilizer in plain English.
How to Read a Soil Test Report, Line by Line
A soil report looks like a wall of numbers, but only a few lines drive your decisions. Here is what each one means and how to act on it.
How to Mulch Around Trees and Fix a Mulch Volcano
Mulch helps trees until it's piled against the trunk. Here's how wide and deep to go, and how to safely undo a volcano that's already there.
Iron Chlorosis: Why Leaves Turn Yellow With Green Veins
The soil often has plenty of iron, but the plant can't take it up. That's why a soil test comes before any product, and why some fixes barely last a season.
Why Does My Compost Smell Bad? What Each Smell Means and How to Fix It
Healthy compost smells like a forest floor. If yours doesn't, the type of smell tells you exactly what went wrong and what to add.
How to Improve Clay Soil: What Works and What Backfires
Clay will always be clay, but it can become far easier to garden. The fix is steady organic matter and good timing, not a truckload of sand.
Does My Lawn Need Lime? Test First, Then Decide
Lime only helps when soil is truly too acidic, and too much does harm. A lab test tells you whether to apply it and how much.
How to Fix Compacted Soil: The Screwdriver Check and What to Do Next
If a screwdriver won't go in and water won't soak in, your soil is probably compacted. Here is how to confirm it, loosen it and keep it that way.
Topsoil vs Garden Soil vs Compost: What to Buy for Each Job
The bags look alike, but they do very different jobs. Here is what each product is, what to buy for your project and how to judge quality.
Lime vs Sulfur: How to Raise or Lower Soil pH the Right Way
Lime and sulfur do opposite jobs, and neither works quickly. A soil test tells you whether you need either one, and how much.