Ask An Expert - How to improve your soil

I have an issue with the soil in my raised beds becoming hydrophobic

I am always confused by which things to add and when for fruit trees and vegetables . Potash , blood and bone , lime - when to add , how often and which plants ?

I would like to know if it is best to cut weeds off with a serrated knife just below the surface , hoe or pull the weed out roots and all . Green Manure ?slash and drop.cut below the surface or dig up and turn in .Compost on the soil and then mulched or dug in ? I live in a very dry zone . rainfall 300 to 400 ml per yr and almost all in winter . and finally what to add to the soil in wicking beds to feed the microbes ?

I have raised veggie gardens 3-4 years old. Started with a purchased veggie mix and mushroom compost. Have added own compost lucerne mulch some horse poo my problem is the pH in all beds is around 7-7.5-8. Not sure what my best course if action is works appreciate any help you can give. Thanks

If my soil has plenty of worms, is this a sign that I don't need to add any fertiliser?

What is best soil composition for wicking beds?

Hi, I'm a long-time composter growing in 90 year old fixed raised beds built on what is essentially a beach-sand base in a smallish back yard in coastal Adelaide. I've bulk composted for years using a tank ring & dozens of bags of horse manure, coffee grounds & lawn clippings annually. I generally mulch using shredded sugar cane leaves. My soils are still quite sandy but this approach has seen them become much more water-friendly & productive with plenty of soil life, worms etc. Tomatoes, eggplants & perpetual spinach seem to do fine but I'm still having significant problems growing other brassicas, leeks & spring onions, rhubarb, chillis etc - stunted growth, plants fading away after planting & citrus just not fruiting or 'going' anywhere. Are there any other strategies I could try specific to improving productivity & plant health on my sandy soils. Although I've been composting for years I must admit that I've only recently discovered & started to use amendments such as Seamungus, Powerfeed etc with my current garlic crop. So I have limited experience with 'fertilisers' per se. I do notice that other local gardeners with much more sun-exposed gardens seem to do much better (so maybe my shade trees are an issue).... Any advice much appreciated!

I have quite a large garden (front and back). Having tested the soil im sitting around 8.5ph plus a lot of areas are hydrophobic (it wasn’t looked after by the previous owners). I have started to add minerals, dynamic lifter, compost, soil wetter and now sulphar to some areas, but can’t afford to pay for the large amounts I would need across all of my garden beds. Is there a better and cheaper way to solve the issue?

Following Casey's session, does anyone know where to get clay? (I've tried local garden supplies provider and Bunnings...) I'm in Melbourne...

How do I improve clay soil