Skip to main content

Bellevue home

  • Bellevue Home
  • City Government
    • Boards, Commissions and Committees
    • City Code, Resolutions and Ordinances
    • City Council
    • Communications
    • Departments
    • East Bellevue Community Council
    • Hot Topics and Initiatives
    • Public Records Requests
    • Sister Cities
  • Departments
    • City Attorney's Office
    • City Clerk's Office
    • City Manager's Office
    • Communications
    • Community Development
    • Development Services
    • Emergency Management
    • Finance & Asset Management
    • Fire
    • Human Resources
    • Information Technology
    • Parks & Community Services
    • Police
    • Transportation
    • Utilities
  • Discover Bellevue
    • About Us
    • Bellevue Television
    • City News
    • Things to Do
    • Arts in Bellevue
    • Parks and Trails
    • Economic Development
  • Doing Business
    • Building and Zoning
    • Doing Business in Bellevue
    • Doing Business with Bellevue
  • Public Safety
    • Police
    • Fire
    • Emergencies and Extreme Weather
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Municipal Court
    • Neighborhood Traffic Safety
    • Probation
    • Public Defenders
  • Resident Resources
    • Resident Services
    • Customer Assistance
    • Conflict Assistance
    • Diversity Advantage
    • Languages
    • Neighborhoods
    • Newcomers Guide
    • Permits, Parking and Utilities
    • Volunteering
    • Local Service Agencies
    • Volunteering
City of Bellevue, WA Utilities
English Español 简体中文 繁體中文 日本語 한국어 Pусский Tiếng Việt
Natural Yard Care.jpg

MyBellevue Chatbot

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. City Government
  3. Departments
  4. Utilities
  5. Conservation and the Environment
  6. Natural Yard Care
  7. Build Healthy Soil

    Natural Yard Care

    • Build Healthy Soil
    • Plant Right for Your Site
    • Practice Smart Watering
    • Think Twice Before Using Pesticides
    • Low-Maintenance Lawns
    • Resources (natural yard care)

    Build Healthy Soil

    Header Image
    Natural Yard Care.jpg
    Digging in the dirt

    Gardening experts agree that cultivating rich soil is the best investment that you can make in your yard. Plants thrive naturally when soil is loose, moist, full of essential nutrients and well-draining. That may sound like a tall order, but nature does all of the work for you when you add compost and mulch. By digging compost into your soil and mulching around existing plantings, you’ll create the perfect environment for plants to thrive in.

    Benefits

    • Plants grow deep, healthy roots.
    • Plants are protected against pests and diseases.
    • Plants need less water and are not stressed during dry periods.
    • Soil stores and slowly releases essential nutrients.
    • Pollutants that contaminate streams are trapped.

    Compost, Mulch and Fertilizer

    • Before planting lawn or flower beds, dig compost into soil. You can make compost right at home or buy it bagged or in bulk.
    • Spread organic mulch around existing plantings in spring or fall. Composted yard debris, leaves, grass clippings and bark all work well.
    • If needed, fertilize moderately with organic or slow-release fertilizers.

    Here in Bellevue

    Bellevue’s soil is primarily glacial till, left behind by the glacier ice and described by some gardeners as “clay except for rocks.” Glacial till is generally low in organic matter and in many yards, construction and neglect have left soils tired and depleted of goodness. Minerals and nutrients may be present, but not often in forms that are readily available to plants. Feeding beneficial organisms found in your soil is the key to restoring soil functions and plant health. Whether your soil is sand- or clay-based, build healthy soil by adding compost and mulch.

    Additional resources

    Soil Guide
    Mulch Guide
    Fertilizing Guide
    Composting Food Scraps Guide
    Composting Yard Trimmings Guide
    Free Soil Testing from King Conservation District

    City of Bellevue sealCity of Bellevue, WA

    • 450 110th Avenue NE
    • Bellevue, WA 98004
    • Directions to City Hall
    • Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

    Footer Menu Contacts

    • 425-452-6800
    • servicefirst@bellevuewa.gov
    • MyBellevue Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us / Employee Directory
    • Careers
    • ADA/Title VI Notices

    Languages

    • English
    • Español
    • 简体中文
    • 繁體中文
    • 日本語
    • 한국어
    • Pусский
    • Tiếng Việt

    Language Lines

    • Español (Spanish): 1-844-590-8948
    • 廣東話 (Cantonese): 1-844-537-0364
    • 普通话 (Mandarin): 1-844-590-8945
    • 한국어 (Korean): 1-833-923-3443 
    • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (Punjabi): 1-844-590-8946
    • Русский (Russian): 1-844-590-8947
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese): 1-833-923-2380 

    About Bellevue

    All America City shield logo for Bellevue

    Learn more about us

    Social Media

    Tweets by bellevuewa

    Footer Menu Social Media

    © 2019 City of Bellevue | All Rights Reserved. | ADA/Title VI Notices | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Site Map