Getting the Dirt...On Dirt

Getting down and dirty is one of the best parts of gardening. It's also the best place to start when you're getting ready to plant your first garden, or when you'd like to improve the production of what you already have.

Merriam-Webster defines soil as "the upper layer of earth that may be dug or plowed and in which plants grow" but it is much more than that. And the more you know about the soil you're working with, the better environment you can create for productive plant growth.