Natural Ways to Improve Flower Bed Soil

Compost

• If you compost your food scraps and yard trimmings, you have a ready-made treatment for your flower bed. If you don't make your own compost, you can either buy it by the bag at your lawn and garden center, or you can have a larger amount delivered from a landscaping company. Make sure any compost you purchase has a low weed content. Work compost into the soil before planting so that as it breaks down, it will release nutrients.

Organic Fertilizer

• If you want to give already-planted flowers a nutrient boost, you can choose from several types of organic fertilizers. You should look for a slow-release fertilizer that contains a mineral such as rock phosphate, plant material such as alfalfa meal and animal matter such as bone, blood or fish meal. You can even purchase an organic, slow-release fertilizer created from the microbes found in human waste.

Mulch

• Another way to continue introducing nutrients into the soil throughout the growing season is with mulch. Place mulch around plants on top of the soil. Common organic mulch includes compost, manure, grass clippings or bark. Mulch is also beneficial because it helps the soil retain moisture and reduces weed growth. Replace mulch as it breaks down. When using materials such as grass clippings, replenish mulch every few weeks. If you're using bark, replace at least every two years or as needed.

Plant-Specific Treatments

• Certain plants benefit more from specific nutrients than others, so you can customize your fertilizer to make sure your plants are getting exactly what they need. For example, roses benefit from potassium, which banana peels contain. Simply bury a banana peel near the plant and, as it breaks down, it will supply your rose bush with potassium. Repeat weekly, but do not use more than three peels per week. Another plant-specific fertilizer is coffee grounds. Because coffee is slightly acidic, coffee grounds fertilize acid-loving plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas and blueberries.