BC Living
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You’ve Gotta Try This In May
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4 Tips on Balancing a Nutritious Diet with a Side of Indulgence
Choosing Connection: A BC Family Day Pledge to Prioritize Presence Over Plans
Embracing Plant-Based Living this Veganuary and Beyond
Inviting the Steller’s Jay to Your Garden
6 Budget-friendly Holiday Decor Pieces
Dream Home: $8 Million for a Modern Surprise
Local Getaway: A Mini Cozy Sanctuary in Nelson
B.C. Adventures: Our picks for May
Spring into Fun in Kamloops: The Best Events in the City
BC Distilled
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Arts Club Theatre Company Celebrates 60 Years
Pyrrha Connects People With Pieces That Speak To Them
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SOLO CHIC: 5 Essential Pieces for the Stylish Solo Traveller
Q: I have, over many years of gardening used a garden claw tool to loosen the topsoil between plants in my beds to, in my mind, make it inhospitable for weeds, let water penetrate and to make the bare patches look nice. Recently, I was told that one should not disturb the topsoil except to root out weeds or plant something, because I would negatively impact the underlying soil structure. What is the recommended approach to dealing with bare patches in a garden?
Keep soil cultivation near plants shallow so as not injure plant roots. You will less likely bring up new seed weeds to the soil surface. Soil ecology is healthier by not disturbing your underground microbial organisms, e.g. earthworms, beneficial fungi, protozoa, insects, etc.