Compost,High Calcium Lime,Soft Rock Phosphate and Gypsum.That will get be good for 3 years.
jackman

Hi Billy - you have a number of options available.

1) Adding a large amount of good quality, multi-component compost - 4-6 inches or so - preferably homemade but purchased if composting is not possible for some reason. Add a good layer this fall, till it in in early spring, and then add another good layer a couple of weeks before planting time.

2) Planting a fall green manure crop to till in in the early spring. Then follow up with # 1 and 3.

3) Mulching the garden bed each year with 6-8 inches of organic matter such as compost, straw, shredded leaves, shredded newspaper, grass clippings, hay, etc. (called sheet composting in place) and then tilling it in each fall.

4) Building a layered lasagna bed on top of your existing bed this fall (also a form of sheet composting), letting it cook down till spring, and then planting directly in it.

5) Any combination of all of the above. ;) It all depends on what your budget is, what is available to you locally, and how much work you want to put into it.

There are tons of discussions here on "improving soil", "building lasagna bed", "mulches", and "green manure" that a search will pull up for you to review if you wish.

Hope this helps. Good luck on your garden.

Dave

Start by contacting your local office of the Ohio State University USDA Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done so you have an idea of what the base nutrient load and soil pH is. Do not add any mineral "soil amendments" unless a good, reliable soil test shows they are necessary because adding "stuff" you do not need is a waste of your money, time, and energy.
Dig in with these simple soil tests;
1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell.

5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.
to learn more about what you have.

Amending that soil with lots of organic matter is really all that is necessary at this time.