Healthy Soil Checkup

The key to vibrant plants and lush grass is healthy soil. Want to see how your soil measures up? Look for the following signs that your yard or garden is performing well, and check out our tips for improvement!

Vegetation Color

Look for plants that display the vibrant greens that you would expect from a healthy garden. Leaves that are paler than expected may not be getting enough of what they need; applying Rachio Thrive natural treatments or other soil amendments can help.

Earthworms

These little guys naturally improve your soil by aerating it with their constant tunneling activities. Their droppings (called castings) also leave behind nutrients in a form that’s directly useful for plants. Every 6-inch sample of healthy soil should contain, on average, three or more earthworms.

Want to attract even more worms to help aerate your soil? Consider applying compost, or leaving more organic matter like mulched leaves or grass clippings on the surface to give earthworms a natural food source.

Other Insects

While spiders and other creepy crawlies may not be something you want to see in your home, they make excellent guests in your lawn or garden!

Look for: ground beetles (which feast on aphids, slugs, and other harmful pests), spiders (which can help control flies, wasps, and more), and centipedes (which feed on soil mites and help break down organic matter for your plants to use).

Loose, Light Soil

Compact soil can make it difficult for plant roots to grow and access the water and nutrients they need.

Test your soil compaction by sticking a piece of wire into the ground and noting the depth at which the wire bends (indicating compaction). Ideal soil will have at least a foot of loose, penetrable soil.