The element of mineral providing soil is inextricable to plant growth in a home garden, and as experience may have proven, simply throwing down dirt on top of a seed is not likely to yield State Fair worthy produce. The elementary 'kindergarten' understanding of horticulture involves the basic necessities: soil, seed(s), sun and water. A good, healthy garden takes time and care. The better you understand the nature of your garden, the better your produce will be. 

Fertilizing

In your garden, the top most layer of earth - the topsoil - is very important. It composes approximately 80 inches of important minerals and nutrients which your plants need to grow. A healthy topsoil substrate will consist of important bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, spiders and centipedes all forming a self sustaining ecosystem. Such an ecosystem is rarely sustained in dirt. Though dirt is mineral based, it is composed mostly of pebbles and finely ground rocks, where soil is comprised of minerals as well as organic material (plant, fungi and animal) in fluctuating stages of decomposition. Soil is a prime source of fertile subsistence.

The visceral difference between the two is sharp and exemplary of the difference in their richness. Dirt is often barren ground, it's dry and smells of dust. Soil will be dark in color and will have a rich, earthy smell. Most store-bought fertilizers are comprised of three major components: nitrogen (the primary ingredient, which stimulates foliage growth), phosphate/phosphorous (which stimulates root development and flowering) and potassium (which promotes plant health.) It's important for the soil to have a balanced mix of the three elements. You want to choose a fertilizer that is, if not organic, at least "slow release". Both organic and slow release fertilizers are a dilute source of nutrients which release nutrients slowly into the soil. These fertilizers will slowly release nutrients into the soil over a matter of weeks, rather than dumping the nutrients all at once.

Problems with dumping nutrients all at once:

• The plants will only use the nutrients they can and the rest is washed away to create an unbalanced pH level in the soil and possibly a hazardous pollution level for both the soil and wherever the water ends up (local bodies of water.)
• You run the risk of burning the roots with a low pH level.
• The plants may acquire a dependency on your nurturing for survival.  
• The plants will receive an abnormal dosage of nutrients, affecting their rapid growth immediately, creating top heavy plants, flowers and foliage which are unsupported by roots and stems growing in unsustainable or depleted nutrient environments; these plants will die.
  

It might be a good idea to have your soil evaluated by a professional at a home and garden center, someone who can check the pH balance. This will help in estimating the proper amount of fertilizer (mulch or compost.)

When buying fertilizer in the store, the first decision you want to make is whether to purchase organic fertilizer or synthetic fertilizer. For the most part, this is a decision based on economics: organic fertilizers, if affordable, should be preferred. However, they are more expensive and you might run up quite a bill if you have a lot of ground to cover.

Synthetic fertilizers are inorganic compounds, usually derived from by-products of the petroleum industry. Synthetic fertilizers do not support microbiological life in the soil. The application of a synthetic fertilizer actually kills a significant percentage of beneficial microorganisms.

Organic, store-bought fertilizers are a material composite of plant and animal material or organic residues: blood meal, compost, bat guano, manure, seaweed and worm castings. The organics material contains a wide variety of microbes which can be beneficial in controlling pathogens. It will also improve soil structure to improve water retention, air infiltration and soil fertility.

Fertilize your lawn or garden organically (with little to no cost) by using:

• seaweed
• wood ash
• coffee grounds or cold coffee
• horse, cow or chicken manure (which should be dug into the soil in order to conserve nitrogen and kept away from the roots of seedlings and saplings)

Compost

Mulch functions the same way that compost does; the process is essentially the same for all three. The compost material combines with oxygen to stimulate microbial decomposition. Bacteria, fungi and molds attracted by carbon and nitrogen exhaust breed in the pile and attract earthworms, millipedes and beetles, creating a self sustaining ecosystem.

The best compost is created out of a three-to-one combination of carbon-rich 'brown' matter and nitrogen-rich 'green' matter. This ratio will accelerate the decomposition of the mulch. Keep in mind that the more broken down the mulch is initially, the more you accelerate the process.

If your soil has a low pH level, meaning it's overly acidic or alkaline, the soil acidity can be neutralized over time by adding compost. Compost will help sandy soil retain water and clay composed soil aerated and penetrable to water, air and roots. Compost will also help in preventing erosion.

Examples of brown compost ingredients:

• chipped brush, sticks, twigs, branches and bark, fall leaves, hay, straw and cornstalks, fall leaves, paper plates, bags and towels, pine needles, sawdust, shredded cardboard & newspaper.

Examples of green mulch ingredients:

• coffee grounds, filters and tea bags, eggshells, grass clippings, manure (horse, cow, rabbit, chicken, gerbil, goat, sheep, rabbit and pig manure) seaweed, vegetables & fruit wastes.

Resources and Further information:

• earthfriendlygardening.wordpress.com
• earth911.com
• gardeninginconverse.com
• californiagreensolutions.com
• greenlivingtips.com; dirt vs soil
• greenlivingtips.com; natural fertilizer