Soil Might Be the Reason Your Garden Isn’t Thriving. Here’s How to Dial in Your Dirt

As the first hints of spring creep into our gardens, so does the itch to get outside and do something productive with tasks such as clearing beds, planting seeds, and sweeping away winter. But according to Briana Selstad Bosch, founder of Colorado’s Blossom and Branch Farm and author of The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook, the best pre-spring prep isn’t about doing more: It’s about observing, slowing down, and working with nature’s rhythms. Here, she gives us the pre-season playbook on how to nurture nature as spring awakens.

Savoring Soil and Seasons

Photograph by Bonnie Sen from ‘The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook’ by Briana Selstad Bosch. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Storey Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

For Bosch, spring begins with a handful of earth. “There is nothing like scooping the first handful of soil out of the earth after a long, cold winter—the smell of terroir holds all the promises of spring,” she says. “Just feeling the soil in my hands makes me feel more hopeful, and hope is so vital to life.”

That connection inspired her to rethink pest control on her farm. Early in her career, Bosch observed that her dahlias were constantly damaged by bugs, except for the row closest to a chokecherry thicket. “The birds were hopping back and forth from the chokecherry branches, loaded with berries, to the dahlias, where they would pick off bugs,” she recalls. Planting hedgerows of berry- and seed-producing plants like golden currants and anise hyssop brought more birds and eliminated the need for insect netting.

Eco Eyes: Seeing the Garden as a Living System

Photograph by Bonnie Sen from ‘The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook’ by Briana Selstad Bosch. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Storey Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

Bosch advises tuning into natural cues before planting. “Once I see more of our birds hopping around at ground level rather than relying on the above-ground seed supply, I know the bugs and insects are starting to emerge and move closer to the soil surface, indicating warmer soil temperatures and thawing ground—meaning I can begin thinking about planting!”

Resisting the urge to tidy too early is also key. “Watching birds hop about and scratching through fallen leaves helps us see how vital leaving the garden a ‘mess’ can be. Considering the population decline of birds in recent years, it is vital to their survival to leave it as long as possible.”

Soil Sense: Listening to the Ground Below

Photograph by Bonnie Sen from ‘The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook’ by Briana Selstad Bosch. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Storey Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

Bosch has learned to lean on resilient early crops: “Many flowers such as sweet peas, snapdragons, lisianthus, foxglove, yarrow, delphinium, and more can be planted six to eight weeks before last frost with proper hardening and survive without any cover down to the teens.”

Her soil itself has been her greatest teacher. Once compacted clay, it was transformed through mulching and cover crops. “Cover crops can help provide armor for the soil while also increasing organic matter under the surface,” she explains. “Having a thick mulch layer of armor provides the balanced moisture and temperature required to foster a healthy soil ecosystem of microbes and fungi.”

Plant Purpose: Designing for Biodiversity & Beauty

Photograph by Bonnie Sen from ‘The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook’ by Briana Selstad Bosch. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Storey Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

Our lawns can be so much more than just grass. Bosch recommends grouping natives, such as goldenrod, yarrow, and echinacea along perimeters, with orderly vegetable beds inside. This blend balances beauty and biodiversity while reducing pests.

She also thinks in sequences to support pollinators: flax, currants, and plum blossoms in spring; goldenrod and rudbeckia in summer; asters and sedum into fall. Even experiments like sowing buckwheat under dahlias can deliver surprises—“Its flowers attracted ladybugs, which have helped manage aphids and thrips.”

Loop Love: Closing the Garden Circle

Photograph by Bonnie Sen from ‘The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook’ by Briana Selstad Bosch. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Storey Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

Compost is Bosch’s favorite entry point into regenerative gardening. “Starting a small compost pile can be one of the most helpful ways to close the garden ‘loop’ at home,” she says. Even a modest pile stretches far—she adds just a scoop per planting hole, or a light sprinkle over direct-sown seeds. Beyond feeding the soil, compost cuts landfill waste and reduces reliance on store-bought inputs.

Cultivating Calm and Connection

Photograph by Bonnie Sen from ‘The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook’ by Briana Selstad Bosch. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Storey Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

Above all, Bosch hopes regenerative practices inspire joy. “As home gardeners, we have an opportunity to directly help—even if it’s just a small garden or in a small way,” she says. Her advice for the overwhelmed? “Remember that laziness in spring can actually be beneficial for the ecosystem! Take the time to sit in the garden and simply observe.”

For her, gardening offers perspective. “Up close, a kale plant overrun with aphids can seem like a failure. But if you observe that plant as a piece of the ecosystem, it’s providing food for aphids that are food for beneficials like lacewings and ladybugs. As in life, it is the failures we can learn the most from.”

Your Regenerative Garden Game Plan

Photograph by Bonnie Sen from ‘The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook’ by Briana Selstad Bosch. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Storey Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

Use Bosch’s actionable tips to get your garden ready for spring while building soil, supporting pollinators, and reducing purchased inputs.

Observe Your Garden Ecosystem

Watch your birds! Once they start scratching around in the yard, it’s a sign the soil is warming—and that planting time is on its way.

Know Your Soil

Get a soil test, but don’t be intimidated. Think of it as a wellness check for your garden and a way to track how your soil management is paying off. Pay attention to organic matter—it’s a vital nutrient source for your soil microbes.

Build Your Soil Armor

Start planning your mulches! If you didn’t plant a cover crop in the fall, you can still sow one in very early spring, six to eight weeks before the last frost. Green Cover Seed is a great source for cover crop seeds.

Minimize Purchased Inputs

Forage locally. Wild rabbit droppings (gloves recommended!) make a nitrogen-rich boost for planting holes. Nature provides; we just have to notice.

Plant for Ecosystem Health

Select plants that support native birds and beneficial insects, and prep a welcoming site for them in your landscape. Every pollinator counts!

Create Living Soil and Closed Loops

Inoculate seeds with a mycorrhizal seed inoculant (Big Foot is a favorite). It delivers microbes right where seedlings need them, boosting soil life from the very start.

Follow Nature’s Cues

Resist the urge to clean up too soon! Leaving debris until just before planting protects overwintering insects and provides birds with needed food. Nature knows best—trust the rhythm.

Get the Book

Photograph by Bonnie Sen from ‘The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook’ by Briana Selstad Bosch. Copyright © 2026. Reprinted by permission of Storey Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group.

The Regenerative Gardener’s Handbook: Essential Techniques for Growing a Garden That Leaves the Land Healthier Than You Found It, by Briana Selstad Bosch (Storey Publishing).

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