Good soil fertility improves plant growth and now is a great time to start. 

It is important to improve your soil on a regular basis to maintain nutrient levels.  This could be through regular applications of organic matter, fertiliser and/or green manures.

Before the first frosts is a great time to add organic matter.  Unlike other fertilisers, which only improve your nutrient levels, organic matter improves your soil structure too by improving drainage, aeration and promoting soil organisms (including worms which are essential for fertile soil).

The easiest way to do this is to add a 5cm (2”) layer of well-rotted farmyard manure, leaf mould (from last years collected leaves) or home-made compost.  This can be left on the bed surface and over the winter the frost will break it down and the worms start to incorporate it into the soil.  By leaving it on the surface over winter it will act as a mulch and suppress any weed growth.  In the spring it can then be dug in.  Alternatively, if you are feeling energetic it can be dug straight in.

Shop bought fertilisers can also be used to improve fertility and again can be applied during the winter or spring months; choose a good general-purpose fertilizer; remember though that this will not improve your soil structure and if your soil structure is poor then the extra nutrients may not reach your plants.  A combination of organic matter and fertiliser will give your garden a fantastic boost!

Green manures can also be used on open ground or empty beds.  These are sown by scattering the seed over the soil and then raked in.  These are then incorporated into the soil before they reach maturity.  Once dug into the soil they will improve fertility and boost soil organism activity.