How to Balance Nitrogen in Soil

Take a sample of the soil in your garden or field, and have it tested. Contact your local university extension service, as they often have testing facilities and can supply with you with a kit and instructions on how to take a soil sample for their testing procedure.

Check the nitrogen requirements for the plants that you are growing. Roses, for example, require a great deal of nitrogen. Peas, on the other hand, will not develop properly if there is too much nitrogen in the soil.

Add nitrogen fertilizer to the soil if the nitrogen level is too low. Use a chemical-based nitrogen fertilizer if you want to control how much nitrogen you put into the soil. Rotate crops that fix nitrogen in the soil, such as legumes, to help increase nitrogen from year to year.

Add mulch to your garden if the nitrogen level is too high. Too much nitrogen creates disappointing yields in the garden and the field, as excess nitrogen promotes leafy growth rather than the formation of fruit and seeds. Nitrogen is consumed in the process that breaks down mulch, so this helps eliminate some of the excess nitrogen in your soil.