What lies beneath

It’s hard for gardeners to know exactly what kind of nutrients are in their soil. That’s why Brownfields Revitalization Office, a division of Austin Resource Recovery, is offering free soil testing at the Soil Kitchen this weekend. Christine Whitney, program manager for the office, said, “Soil testing is an important start for preparing garden beds before planting. Understanding what is actually in the soil provides gardeners with the information they need to successfully grow healthy crops for their families.” While there, gardeners can also attend the East Austin Garden Fair, where there will be demonstrations on how to build raised beds and get started with home composting, and expert gardeners on hand to answer any and all gardening-related questions. Testing will be available on April 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and April 15 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Parque Zaragoza Recreation Center. To ensure quality soil sampling, attendees are urged to view the office’s instructions on the Soil Kitchen website.