- 1). Cover the land with organic compost. This can be purchased or, if you have time, made from household waste. Discarded fruit and vegetables as well as vegetable peelings are ideal. Do not, however, use cooked vegetables. Home Composting provides some useful information on producing your own compost from household waste.
- 2). Introduce earthworms to the land if it is particularly dry and lifeless. Earthworms break down the compost, aerate the land and produce extra nutrients.
- 3). Water the land regularly during dry spells, but do not flood it as this will make the ground harden; this will result in a solid surface that air and water will not be able to permeate. In particularly dry climates, consider installing a drip irrigation system, which will keep the land moist without the risk of overwatering.
- 4). Sprinkle the land with rock dust. Rock dust is available from garden stores but can also be obtained from quarries if you happen to live near one. It is rich in minerals, and the earthworms will use these to transform the soil.
- 5). Sow green manure seeds. Green manure seeds are sometimes marketed as such but simply refer to plants that are grown to provide nutrients to soil. Phacelia, clover, mustard and Italian rye grass are such crops and sowing a variety of these will provide a range of benefits including adding nitrogen to soil, smothering weeds and attracting hover-flies which will kill aphids. In addition, when the plants dieback, they add vegetation which will improve the soil's moisture retaining quality.
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