Cooler temperatures in the post-holiday season find many New Mexicans tired and sluggish, much like the soil in most vegetable gardens this time of year. The cure for tired soil is a good dose of organic matter, preferably compost. Unlike peat moss, compost is alive with microorganisms that help rejuvenate the soil. New Mexico soils vary in texture from sand to silt to fine clay.
Loams are mixtures of the different types.
Sandy soils tend to be low in fertility and do not hold water well. Clay soils usually have poor drainage and become sticky when wet. In sandy soils, organic matter improves water-holding capacity and the ability to retain nutrients for plant uptake. In clay soils, aeration and drainage are improved. Apply phosphorous fertilizers with the compost and till into the soil.