Successful Gardening Tips: Better Garden Ideas For Soil, Seeds And Pesticides

From Earth911's Mary Mazzoni:

We’ve heard it a million times: “I want to garden, but the soil in my area isn’t that great.” While seemingly infertile soil can be a huge roadblock to successful gardening, consider the story of Ken Singh, owner and operator of Singh Farms in Scottsdale, Ariz. As you may imagine, soil in Arizona’s scorching deserts tends to be hard, dry and clay-like, and Singh’s farm was no exception when he first arrived on the plot in 2002.

“This is the worst dirt I’ve ever seen in my life in this field,” Singh says. “This calcium carbonate goes down about three feet…with chunks like concrete.”

Rather than give up on the farm, Singh set out to replenish the soil’s depleted nutrients and nurture the land back to health. Today, his farm sits like a lush oasis in the desert, with soil so soft and moist it literally squishes beneath your feet. So, how did he do it? Earth911 took a tour of Singh’s farm and got the dish on some of his most successful tricks of the trade. From our garden to yours, here are eight back-to-basics tips that you just have to try.

List and captions courtesy of Earth911