For gardeners in the New Glarus community, the arrival of spring often brings excitement about planting vegetables, flowers, and shrubs. But according to Mike Davis, President of the Green County Master Gardeners Association, the real key to success in any garden starts below the surface—with the soil.

Many gardeners focus on seeds, fertilizer, or watering schedules, but Davis said healthy plants begin with healthy soil. “You get healthier soil, you’re gonna have healthier plants,” he said. “It’s just as simple as that. It all starts with the soil.”