(In)Fertile Ground

When we first set up the gardening boxes and filled them with good soil, I foolishly assumed that this good soil was chock-full of nutrients and supplements to make growth a surety.

But I was wrong.

We tested the soil today using our handy-dandy Premium Soil Tester (only $14 from the local hardware store) and discovered, much to our dismay, that while our pH is perfectly balanced, the level of nutrients (potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorous) is appallingly low.

So "good soil" apparently means "will not harm plants", not "will make plants grow at a phenomonal rate".

Now we must research the appropriate levels of fertilizer to add so that the plants are happy. Or at least growing.