Don't run down to the nursery and start buying every colorful bedding plant in sight or already-started vegetable seedling. I know it's tough. Already-blooming impatiens, pretty petunias, tiny tomato seedlings barely poking their heads above the soil.
But you have to think deeper than visions of colorful flowers and mouth-watering vegetables. Think deeper - all the way to the soil that is needed to support a plant's growth. For just as a well-constructed house depends on a solid foundation, a successful garden relies on fertile, well-prepared soil. One of the biggest mistakes beginning home garderns make is rushing things and throwing newly-bought plants into rock-hard, unimproved soil.
As most veteran home gardeners will attest, our soil tends to be adobe clay-like. When wet, it's gummy and unworkable; when dry, it cracks apart. Because clay is composed of so many tightly-packed particles, it holds water and nutrients well. But there's also little room for air in the soil and drainage is poor.
Unknown to many, one of the most important factors determining plant growth is how much air is in the soil. Roots breathe, just as we do, taking in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide. If roots are deprived of air, they will die of suffocation.
An easy way to check your soil's drainage is to dig a test planting hole 10 inches deep. Of course, if you can't even dig a hole that deep because it's too hard, you know you have a problem. If you do manage a test hole, pour in a gallon of water and time how long it takes the water to drain away. If it takes significantly more than 10 or 15 minutes, you should improve your soil structure by incorporating amendments.
Soil amendments range greatly, but among the most popular are things like compost, peat moss, redwood sawdust or a variety of manures. The latter can include steer and chicken manure, as well as mushroom compost.
Generally, the more amendments you add to your existing soil, the more you improve your soil. In some areas of the United States, there's a slight chance of adding so much organic matter that you'll drive the soil into the acid range, but don't worry about that happening in California. Go for it.
Desired results can usually be obtained by spreading a minimum of a three-inch layer of matter over the surface of your garden, and then working it in to a depth of six inches. Rototilling is the easiest way to work in the amendments if you're dealing with a large open space, such as a future vegetable garden. There's not much point in just adding a bag or two of anything. Miniscule amounts won't change the soil structure, but will only benefit an individual plant or two.
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