PUBLICATION W346G
Backyard Vegetables: The Tennessee Vegetable Garden - Stewardship in Soil Management
If you have questions about this resource, contact your county Extension office.
Summary
Healthy garden soil supports plants now and protects water and soil quality for the future. This guide explains soil stewardship and why organic matter is central to soil structure, water holding, nutrient cycling, and biological activity. It describes ways to build organic matter with crop residues, compost, manure, and cover crops, including tradeoffs like pests, weed seeds, and nutrient imbalances. It also discusses how tillage and crop rotation affect soil over time and gives simple guidance for using organic fertilizers and tracking changes with soil tests.
Publications in Series: Backyard Vegetables
Backyard Vegetables: The Tennessee Vegetable Garden - Site Selection and Soil Testing
Backyard Vegetables: The Tennessee Vegetable Garden - Garden Planning, Plant Preparation and Planting
Backyard Vegetables: The Tennessee Vegetable Garden - Managing Plant Nutrition
Backyard Vegetables: The Tennessee Vegetable Garden - Plant Management Practices
Backyard Vegetables: The Tennessee Vegetable Garden - Building and Using Raised Beds
Backyard Vegetables: The Tennessee Vegetable Garden - Season Extension Methods
Backyard Vegetables: The Tennessee Vegetable Garden - Growing Tomatoes
Backyard Vegetables: The Tennessee Vegetable Garden - Small-Scale Microgreen Production
Harvested for You
Based on the subjects and categories of this publication, you may be interested in the following resources.
Planting and Managing Strawberries for Residential Production in Tennessee
Making and Using Compost in Residential and Community Gardens and Landscapes
Planting and Managing Blueberries for Residential Production in Tennessee
Series
