Gardening and Horticulture - Hard, dry dirt in flower beds.

The dirt in my flower beds is hard and dry.last year my fowers didnt do very well..When I water my flowers the water sits on top for a few seconds and then goes down.I have a few perennials in there so I dont really want to take the dirt out and replace it with new.I was wondering if i could just remove some of it and then mix new dirt in or if there is another option.Thanks.

You may want to loosen up the soil and add something that will help aerate the dirt like Perlite. If the soil is clay, do not add sand as it will create a sticky mess. I have clay and I add top soil, potting soil and composted manure every year. It is a slow process for a large garden as I have but it is working. Mine is a vegetable garden so I just add while I am planting my new plants. Then I till in more compost at the end of the year while I am clearing out the growth. Good luck.

Hi Red,

You already have soil, no need to replace it or remove it. Just improve it. The best way to improve the texture of your soil is to add compost. Topdress with 2" to 3" of compost, mix in, water and add 2" of organic mulch. Lots to read here if you scroll up, but this section pertains to compost.
http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/orgmatter/index.html#compost

Newt