Gardeners: How does soil quality affect the taste of your veggies?
By The Horse
@TheHorse (207003)
Walnut Creek, California
May 3, 2016 11:01am CST
We finally experienced our first ever harvest out at Ground Squirrel Gardens, at work in Concord CA. I was able to grab a couple of snow peas from the lone snow pea plant climbing the fence at our garden next to the parking lot. Both tasted bitter and not very appealing, unlike the snow peas I've grown in Oakland, Berkeley, and on my balcony here in Pleasant Hill.
My hunch is that the difference is in the quality of the soil. Although I use Miracle Gro garden soil for the starts at Ground Squirrel Gardens, much of the surrounding soil is strewn with old car parts, batteries, electronics parts, empty alcohol bottles, and so forth. It's not very wholesome.
The soil in Oakland, Berkeley and on my balcony has been much better, and the taste of the veggies yielded has been much better. If my kid clients and I do manage to grow squash, corn, green beans and sun flowers out there at Ground Squirrel gardens, I think it will be more for the educational than culinary value.
Any thoughts?
18 people like this
14 responses
@TheHorse (207003)
• Walnut Creek, California
3 May 16
It's more or less for "proof of concept." I want to teach these kids self-reliance, even if we never actually eat what we grow. I also send them home with little starts and have them take care of "crops" at their houses. I buy medium-sized planters at the Dollar Store, and good soil at Home Depot. The organization I work for compensates me for most of what I buy for the kids. My Friday kid has some tasty snow peas on his balcony at home right now.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
4 May 16
Good soil, good sun, good water, good bug control equals good tasting veggies. We have rough soil here in TN - it's red clay hard as a rock and if you put in a bunch of good ol'fashioned cow manure it helps.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45496)
• United States
4 May 16
@TheHorse Horse poop no good for gardens, just cow poop.
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
4 May 16
Definitely all that 'other' stuff is ruining the soil @Thehorse . The chemicals from those things are leaching into the soil; particularly when it rains. When I had the organic farm, we used strictly soil from the compost pile.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
5 May 16
@TheHorse Absolutely. Just like in the old days.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
3 May 16
I lived in South Africa for two years. The taste of the veggies there was far superior to anything I ever ate in the U.S. I believe that is because their soil has not been deleted of nutrients or adulterated by chemicals. Just sayin'.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
4 May 16
@TheHorse Great looking kids!!!! The corn's not bad either. 
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (207003)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 May 16
@ElizabethWallace We had it going on! Those were some wonderful kids to work with.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130233)
• India
4 May 16
Nutrients decide the quality of vegetables. So if there is shortage in the soil one needs to enrich it with nutrients which I see you are doing.
1 person likes this
@STOUTjodee (3572)
• United States
3 May 16
It would only make sense, I mean a person lives in a good environment (positive) we reap positive things. So I'm sure if you're growing something in "toxic" dirt, it won't taste good!! IMO
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
3 May 16
maybe a spot for pots to garden? or is there a community garden in the area one could take the kids too?
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
3 May 16
@TheHorse I wish there was one here, I'd love to help and get a bit from it now and then
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
3 May 16
oh dear, all those toxins deep'n the soil - not a good thingy't all :( soil quality's most important 'n that which's that sorta garbage leeched into't aint ticklin' my taste buds. t'would be interestin' if'n ya could take yer veggies to'n independent lab 'n 've 'em tested. 'r jest the soil fer that matter.
1 person likes this
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
3 May 16
I'm sad to hear that the soil in my hometown of Concord is not good. Back when I lived there, growing up, our neighbors all had wonderful large vegetable gardens with delicious produce (my parents did not have a green thumb but we did have an apricot tree that was loaded and had to be propped up every year and they were sweet and delicious) We also had a peach tree, an apple tree, and an English walnut tree. Since that was back in the 50's and 60's ( I moved away in 1972) a lot can happen. But it makes me feel sad.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (207003)
• Walnut Creek, California
4 May 16
I wouldn't feel bad. I still see pretty things growing all over Concord. My wok happens to be in "hobo alley." There is garbage all over the place. The soil there is not particularly bad. We had lovely corn and sunflowers last year until the drought-starved ground squirrels ate everything. But the soil is also contaminated by the garbage that's been there, partially obscured by weeds, for years.
