It's summer time and I hope that you are all busy in your gardens. But I also hope that you are gardening like a farmer. You see, farmers are not the only ones who should be thinking about soil quality. Anyone who has a garden should care because as every farmer knows, good soils are necessary to yield good crops.

There are 20 different kinds of nutrients that plants generally need to maintain good health. Of the 20, three are really important: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These big three, along with three others (calcium, sulphur and magnesium) are called macro-nutrients.

If you want thick, green healthy vegetation, you need nitrogen. Phosphorus is what makes plants flower and produce fruit. And if you want healthy, disease resistant plants, make sure they are getting their daily dose of potassium. We are what we eat, and so are our plants.

In addition to the macro-nutrients, there are 14 micro-nutrients that are also needed by your plants. They include copper, zinc, iron and baron. You want to ensure that your plants have the right amount of these nutrients. Too much can be just as much of a problem as too little. Too much can burn your plants and cause environmental problems through leaching and run-off. Too little, and the job just is not getting done. You need the right amount.

How much is the right amount depends on your soil conditions. BEFORE you plant, not after, go to a local soil conservation office, or perhaps a college program's office and have your soil sampled. Its better to do all of this before rather than after the plants are in the ground, but if we are too late and the plants are in, you can still take corrective measures.

Soil sampling may be free, or it may cost a little, depending on where you go. But, time and material is costly too. When you sample, you will look at PH, the level of nutrients, and the level of organic matter. All of these things seem to work together so as to affect your garden and plants. For example, a bad PH will affect nutrient absorption, even if your soils have enough nutrients.

According to the USDA, its not a bad idea to take ocassional soil samples and have them analyzed. Gardening can impact soil quality. For example, many fertilizers tend to lower pH, so a good PH before fertilizer is applied may turn into a bad PH afterwards.

In the world of PH, 7 is King -- it is perfect. If you're under 7, your soil is acidic and may require lime. Over 7 means the soil is too alkaline. The cure for that may be aluminum sulfate. Fertilizers may also lower PH, so that should be taken into account when a fix is being proposed.

Phosphorus and potassium are often commercially tested, nitrogen is problematic in terms of testing. This is so because nitrogen is apparently less stable and thus harder to accurately test. Home test kits are also available.

Organic matter has a large influence on soil structure, and can improve aeration, water movement and retention. Compost should be added to improve the level of organic matter in you soil. Cow manure can also be helpful, but it should be composted before it is applied.

Good organic levels also provide a fine habitat for earth worms. I have previously written about the important role these little friends play in ensuring that our gardens look good and remain healthy.

We are all willing to devote different levels of attention to our home gardening projects. But the more we act like a professional, the better our results will be. At a minimum, think about your macro-nutrients, compost and PH. And thank you, I already have enough zucchini to keep me and my family happy for a year!

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.