Soil & Compost
Clay vs. Sandy Soil: How to Identify Your Soil Type at Home
Tell clay soil from sandy soil with a quick ribbon test, a 48-hour jar test and a drainage hole test, then match watering and compost to what you find.
July 12, 2026
Topic
Soil & Compost
Page 2 of 2 · 21 guides
Soil & Compost
Hot Composting vs. Cold Composting: Which Fits You
Hot composting finishes in weeks and kills weed seeds above 140°F. Cold composting takes about a year with almost no work. Compare both and pick one.
July 12, 2026
Soil & Compost
How to Build Healthy Garden Soil From Scratch
Build soil for a new garden bed in five steps: test, clear, loosen, add 2 to 4 inches of compost, and fill raised beds with the right compost to topsoil ratio.
July 12, 2026
Buying guide Soil & Compost
How to Choose the Right Mulch for Your Garden Beds
Compare wood chips, bark, straw, leaves and compost: which mulch suits vegetables, perennials, trees and shrubs, how deep to spread each one, and how much to buy.
July 12, 2026
Soil & Compost
How to Fix Compacted Soil Without Tilling
Fix compacted soil without tilling: probe to confirm it, crack it with a broadfork, top-dress compost, sow deep-rooted cover crops and keep feet off the beds.
July 12, 2026
Soil & Compost
How to Make Compost Tea That Actually Helps Your Plants
A safe bucket method for aerated compost tea, what university research says it can and cannot do, and why extension services say to leave out the molasses.
July 12, 2026
Soil & Compost
How to Read a Soil Test Report (And What to Do Next)
What each line of a soil test report means: pH, buffer pH, phosphorus, potassium, organic matter and CEC, with the ranges to compare against and what to do.
July 12, 2026
Soil & Compost
Why Your Compost Pile Smells Bad and How to Fix It
An ammonia smell means too much nitrogen. Rotten eggs means too little air. Match the smell of your compost pile to its cause and the fix from extension guides.
July 12, 2026
Soil & Compost
How to Start Composting Indoors When You Have No Yard
Start composting indoors in an apartment with a worm bin, a bokashi bucket or a drop-off program. Setup steps, what to feed, temperatures and timing.
July 3, 2026