Every gardener dreams of a garden bursting with succulent vegetables and glowing with color, spring through fall. To cut down on the tending, watering and feeding necessary to make that dream a reality, "garden from the ground up" by properly preparing the soil.

Healthy soil with plenty of organic matter promotes healthy plant growth. One of the best sources of organic matter is Canadian sphagnum peat moss. Canadian sphagnum peat moss is a natural, organic soil conditioner. Its unique cell structure helps regulate moisture and air around plant roots, creating ideal growing conditions.

Peat moss:

• Aerates plant roots by loosening heavy clay soil.
• Adds body to sandy soil.
• Saves water by absorbing and holding moisture.
• Reduces leaching or runoff of nutrients present in or added to the soil, releasing them over time.

Your checklist for creating new garden beds

After outlining the area for the new garden bed with string or a garden hose:

• Cut away the sod, saving it for lawn patches or the compost bin.
• Dig or rototill two inches of peat moss into the top six or eight inches of soil.
• Consider adding complementary organic matter, such as compost, for nutrients.
• Add bedding plants or seeds.
• Water lightly over a one to two week period.

Amending existing beds

Unless you are planting a large area, hand dig peat moss into existing flower or vegetable beds. Be careful not to disturb plant roots. Dig one-inch of peat moss into the top six inches of soil to condition the area for existing plants or new transplants.