Home > Science Fact Finder > The Plant World - When Is The Best Time To Work The Soil?

1. Printable Version
2. Download PDF
3. Cite this Page

When is the best time to work the soil?

Although it is possible to prepare gardening soil any time of year, it's best to dig in the fall and leave the ground rough over the winter. The freezing and thawing that occurs during the winter breaks up mounds and circulates air through the soil. This practice also reduces the chances that harmful insects in the garden will survive the winter.

If the soil is allowed to settle through the winter, there will be fewer air pockets in the soil at spring planting time. Fall preparation also allows time for soil additives, such as manure and compost, to break down before planting.

Sources: Fruits and Vegetables: 1001 Gardening Questions Answered, p. 63; Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening and Landscaping Techniques, p. 4.

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass

1. Terms, Classifications, And Functions
   1. Who is known as the founder of botany?
   2. Who is Melvin Calvin?
   3. How many chloroplasts are there in plant cells?
   4. What is tropism?
   5. What are the parts of a flower?
   6. What is the best type of pollination?
   7. What is the first wildflower to bloom in the spring in the Northern United Stated?
   8. How are carnivorous plants categorized?
   9. Which flowers should be planted in the garden to attract hummingbirds?
   10. How does a bulb differ from a corm, a tuber, and a rhizome?
   11. What is wormwood?
2. Gardening And Agriculture
   1. What were some of the accomplishments of George Washington Carver?
   2. What are living stones?
   3. How are seedlings hardened off before planting?
   4. When is the best time to work the soil?
   5. Why should lawn clippings be left on the grass after mowing?
   6. How can squirrels be kept away from vegetable and flower gardens?
   7. Which flowers should be planted in the garden to attract butterflies?
   8. What is meant by "xeriscaping"?
   9. What does the term hydroponics mean?
   10. How are seedless grapes grown?
3. Trees
   1. What are the longest-lived tree species in the United States?
   2. How did the navel orange originate?
   3. Why do tree leaves turn color in the fall?
   4. Why are fall leaves bright red in some years and dull colors in other years?
   5. What is the difference between poison ivy, oak, and sumac?
   6. What is the tallest tree ever measured?
   7. What is the secret of bonsai?
   8. Does ivy cause damage growing on a brick wall?
   9. How are free rings used to date historical events?
   10. What are the distinguishing characteristics of pine, spruce, and fir trees?
   11. How much of a tree that is cut down is sold as timber?
   12. What conifers in North America lose their leaves in fall?
   13. Who introduced the gypsy moth into the United States?
   14. How can fruit trees be protected from being eaten by field mice?