Just like the squirrels are preparing for winter by storing nuts, so should we be feeding the soil for spring.  Fall is a great time to condition your soil in multiple ways with compost.  Compost can be simply spread like mulch in a one inch layer on top of your beds for a slow release of organic nutrient.  To boost poor soil conditions lightly dig up the surface and add two to three inches of compost.

To revitalize a well maintained vegetable garden soil only requires half an inch of compost worked in to the top of the bed yearly.  A light quarter inch of compost will green up your lawn and encourage beneficial organisms to help the root system grow.  Compost is the best material available to grow healthier plants that naturally resist disease and insects.

Adding compost to your yard is a long-term investment that will feed future plantings in the years to come.