How to Prepare Soil for Growing Clean Vegetables to Promote

 The growth and development of plants rely heavily on the quality of the soil. If you want your vegetable garden to thrive, it’s essential to prepare the soil properly to ensure it is loose, aerated, and rich in nutrients.

Growing clean vegetables is no longer unfamiliar to families, especially those living in urban areas. However, not everyone knows how to prepare the soil, mix it, fertilize it, and add nutrients to achieve high yields in their home vegetable garden. The following article provides some helpful tips on preparing soil for growing clean vegetables for those who want to cultivate

1.Drying the Soil, Adding Lime, and Improving Soil Aeration

Instead of buying pre-mixed nutrient-rich soil from stores, you can collect soil yourself to grow clean vegetables. However, before planting, you need to improve the soil to make it loose and aerated while eliminating harmful fungi. Typically, soil exposed to environmental factors becomes compacted, eroded, or nutrient-depleted.

The first step is to transport the soil home and then dry it in the sun to increase oxygen levels in the soil.

Next, apply lime to the soil to eliminate harmful fungi. This process also supplies calcium to the soil and helps prevent soil degradation.

2. Enriching the Soil with Nutrients

To enhance the nutrient content of the soil, you should add biological or organic products, such as vermicompost. Vermicompost can be mixed into the soil during the drying process at a ratio of 1 kg for every 1.5 m² to 2 m² of soil.

This type of compost provides easily soluble nutrients that plants can readily absorb, promoting healthy growth. Additionally, vermicompost helps eliminate and prevent harmful fungi, increases the density of beneficial insects, and stimulates root growth and recovery in plants.

3.How to Mix Soil for Growing Clean Vegetables

Preparation:

• Plastic trays or foam boxes with smart mesh layers to ensure good drainage and prevent waterlogging.
• Soil that has been treated to remove pathogens.
• Growing mediums to enhance aeration and promote strong root development, such as decomposed straw, sawdust, or coconut coir.

If you’ve already mixed vermicompost into the soil, there’s no need to add more fertilizer. However, if vermicompost hasn’t been used, you should prepare additional organic fertilizers such as green manure, well-rotted cow manure, or bio-organic fertilizers.

Mixing Method:

Mix the components in the following ratio:

• 5 parts base soil
• 3 parts aerating medium
• 2 parts fertilizer

Combine them thoroughly, then sow the vegetable seeds.

Note: After each growth cycle, the nutrients in the soil gradually deplete. Therefore, after every harvest, it’s essential to rejuvenate the soil by adding nutrients to ensure the next crop grows healthily.