During her time as a board member with New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), Marjorie G. Rosen has traveled to locations throughout Europe, Asia, and South America. Marjorie G. Rosen formerly hosted a radio show titled “The Weekend Gardener,” where she provided gardening advice to gardeners in eastern Long Island and the Hamptons.
When it comes to building soil for planters and raised garden beds, there is no guarantee that store-bought soil will contain the organic matter necessary to sustain plant growth. Always ask sellers about where the soil came from and prepare to build up the soil with the necessary nutrients no matter what. Even if you find soil rich in organic matter, you will need to revitalize it on a yearly basis if you use it in planters. A common soil revitalization strategy involves planting a “green manure” cover crop, which can infuse organic matter and fix nitrogen when chopped up and placed in the soil.
When preparing soil for a planter, it is important to leave the soil light and fluffy, instead of densely packed. Fluffy soil enables plant roots to penetrate through the soil and absorb more nutrients. If you poke a finger into the soil, it should go all the way down to the third knuckle without much resistance. If it does not, you may need to redistribute the soil in your planter.
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