Garden Soil Is Simple to Improve in the Fall

Whether you’re planning to plant a new bed next spring or just hoping to improve the health of existing planting areas, fall is the perfect time to focus on your garden soil. The season’s natural materials abound, and the cooler weather helps them break down and enrich the earth. With most plants going dormant and garden chores slowing down, it’s the ideal moment to give the soil the attention it deserves. Healthy soil is the foundation of a thriving garden, so the effort you put in now will pay dividends next growing season.

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Natural Soil Amendments

Autumn offers gardeners a bounty of organic materials that can improve soil structure, fertility, and microbial activity—all for free. These amendments work best when applied in the fall, allowing time for decomposition and nutrient absorption before spring planting. Here are some of the best natural ways to give your soil a boost:

1. Deciduous leaves that come down in the fall make an excellent lightweight mulch that will quickly break down and feed the garden soil. Shred large leaves before spreading them across the soil to a depth of two or three inches. Small leaves can be placed whole.

2. Compost, or a compost-and-mulch blend, also makes a nutritious topdressing for garden soil. Scratch mature compost into the soil this fall, then replenish your compost pile with the season’s natural debris.

3. If you’re planting a new bed next spring, prepare now by marking it off, observing its conditions (including soil type and drainage) and killing any existing plants and grass by smothering with layers of cardboard and compost over the winter.

4. Grow a winter cover crop on the bare soil of vegetable or cutting gardens. Cover crops are cool-season annuals that feed the garden soil when they are mowed or tilled into the ground in early spring.

5. Get a soil test. Send a sample to your cooperative extension agency now and be ready to act on its results later this season or first thing in spring.

Products You Can Buy to Amend the Soil

If you prefer ready-made solutions—or want to supplement your natural efforts—there are plenty of organic and effective soil amendments available to purchase. These products can add nutrients, improve drainage, and boost microbial life, helping your plants thrive. When you buy through the links below, we may earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

Organic Worm Castings Fertilizer, 30-lb Bag
Rich in beneficial microbes, worm castings enhance soil structure, improve nutrient retention, and promote strong, healthy plant growth.
Farmer’s Secret Soil Revitalizer
A natural formula designed to replenish depleted soil and make nutrients more available to plants—perfect for restoring tired garden beds.
10-Quart Organic Perlite Horticultural Amendment
Perlite improves soil aeration and drainage, preventing compaction and creating the ideal environment for roots to thrive.
SuperBooster Concentrated Organic Soil Amendment Fertilizer Bundle
This all-in-one mix combines worm castings, dairy compost, and trace minerals to build nutrient-rich soil full of life.
Earth Science Natural Blood Meal Plant Food—3 lb
A fast-acting source of organic nitrogen, blood meal encourages vigorous leaf growth and helps plants maintain deep green color.