How to Increase Nitrogen in Your Soil

This week we are sharing how to increase the nitrogen in your soil by planting legumes! Nitrogen is the one of the most essential natural chemical elements for growing healthy gardens. You will know if your soil is nitrogen deficient if plant leaves turn yellow or their growth is stunted. The most common way of adding nitrogen to soil is fertilizers but did you know that planting legumes can help fix nitrogen in the soil?

All legumes including peas​ and beans are plants that fix nitrogen in the soil. Peas and beans work together with bacteria called Rhizobia that live in the plant's roots. Together they convert the nitrogen from the air and make it available for the plant! When the crop is harvested the root nodules will release all the valuable fixed nitrogen for the following crops. 
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Beans​ can be grown in Back to Eden gardens, almost anywhere. Beans are high in vitamins A, B and C and are a good source of protein.

BUY BEAN SEEDS

Peas are a cool season vegetable, and do best in a climate where there are two months of cool growing weather, either spring planting in the northern regions or fall planting in the warmer, southern regions. Peas are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins and lutein. The Cascadia snap pea is a favorite among kids, eaten raw because they taste like candy! This heirloom variety doesn't need to be shelled! ​

BUY PEA SEEDS