“If you have low nutrient levels, you should be adding in compost or manure or some type of organic fertilizer,” Kemper says.
There’s plenty more to learn about your soil beyond its moisture content, Kemper adds, and there’s an easy way to determine what you’re working with. “At least once every three years, if not once a year, you should be doing a soil test,” he says. For a small fee, some state agriculture departments offer testing, as do the local extension services of many universities. “If you have low nutrient levels, you should be adding in compost or manure or some type of organic fertilizer,” Kemper says.