Down and Dirty in the Garden, and Flower Fest Facts

What is good soil, and how do you get it? It seems like an elementary issue when it comes to gardening, and yet it’s not quite as simple as it might appear.

Many people don’t think about the quality of their soil when they’re choosing plants for the garden, but it’s actually the first thing to consider before anything goes in the ground.

Now that the weather has improved and you’re out in the garden, it’s time to get down and dirty.

Pick up a handful of your garden soil and have a look at it. Is it dark with some moisture? That means it’s probably got some good organic matter in it, like decomposed leaves or other bits of plants.

Does it look sandy or whitish? That’s a clue that you might need to work in more organic matter in the way of compost.

Clay-like soil— you know, the kind you could make pots out of—would also be improved greatly by adding compost.

What you want is to have, ideally, is a crumbly, rich-looking soil, because it’s the easiest for plants to grow in. Sandy soil won’t retain water that the plants need; clay soils keep too much water in, which will damage root systems.

That nice, crumbly soil is also kinder to things like earthworms and beneficial bacteria, which will help your plants thrive. And it’s much easier to dig into, saving your back.

So what can you do to have that great soil? Each spring, dig some compost into your garden before you put in plants. Make it a yearly habit, and it will pay off. You also will want to sprinkle some compost around your existing plants.

You might say, “Well, but I fertilize regularly, so why do I need compost?” That’s because fertilizer doesn’t do anything to improve the structure of the soil. Having a good soil structure helps your plants absorb nutrients more efficiently. You can pour all the fertilizer you want on your azaleas, but if they can’t use it, it goes to waste.

You can obtain compost in several different ways. You can make your own from yard waste and kitchen scraps, which is pretty much free. You can buy it in bagged form at nurseries and garden centers. Or you can get it delivered in bulk from landscape supply companies.

Any way you do it, it’s a worthwhile investment.

And you’ll need to get your soil ready if you want to take advantage of the upcoming Gilroy Rotary Club Flower Fest, the annual fundraiser that gives gardeners the chance to buy some beautiful new plants developed by Syngenta/Goldsmith Seeds.

Of course, you’ll find flowers in abundance—zinnias and petunias and geraniums and snapdragons, just to name a very few—but also some vegetables and other things.

Syngenta/Goldsmith donates everything that was viewed at its recent , where garden professionals got a first peek at the company's latest and greatest plant varieties. Many of these flowers are truly unique—few people have even seen them yet.

Syngenta/Goldsmith opens its doors to the public for this once-a-year sale, and it’s the perfect opportunity to get your garden growing.

The plants are sold right out of the Syngenta/Goldsmith greenhouses west of Gilroy, with new and improved varieties not yet on the market. Normally, the hybrid giant does not sell directly to the public.

The money raised through Flower Fest goes directly to Gilroy Rotary programs for youth, seniors and the community.

Flower Fest 2011 will take place Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Syngenta/Goldsmith, 2280 Hecker Pass Highway.