Know your Soil Type
Before planting seeds or transplanting seedlings into the soil, take a moment to study the type of soil you are working with. Is it loose and loamy? Is it hard and clay like? Is it dark in color or sandy? These characteristics tell a great deal about the soil's health and the pros and cons of growing food in it.
Different soil types come with their own set of pros and cons
- Clay soils have small, thick particles that hold large reserves of moisture and nutrients. However, clay soil also drains slowly and can become hard and compacted when dry.
- Sandy soils are the opposite of clay, with larger particles that water moves through easily and with it important nutrients.
- Silts have very fine particle sizes that pack together tightly, inhibiting drainage and create poor air circulation.
- Loam is the ideal soil for most plants; it contains a balance of all three mineral particles and is rich in nutrients.
Solutions to working with undesireable soil types
- Adding organic matter is the best way to make your soil more loam-like and improve its structure.
- Grow plants that work with your soil type.
- Use raised beds and control the type of soil you add for better growing.
Solutions to work with undesirable pH levels
- Test your pH levels with an instant read soil test kit. These can be purchased online or at your local garden shop. Take samples from different parts of the garden plot.
- Have your soil professionally tested by a lab. Test kits can be purchased online or ak your local state extension office.
- Simply work with plants that can handle the natural pH levels in your soil.
pH Levels in Soil
The pH of your soil is considerably one of the most important factors in determining its success. If your soil is too alkaline (with a pH above 7.5) or to acidic (with a pH below 5.5), that can make a big difference in which nutrients are available to your plants.
Although most plants can tolerate a wide range of pH levels, plats do prefer slightly acidic soils (with a pH of 6 to 7) because important nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium dissolve readily in that environment. In soils that are too acidic or alkaline, plants may get too much of some nutrients and not enough of others which can cause a variety of issues.
Use of Mulch
Mulch has great benefits in the garden, some benefits incluide, adding more organic material to the soil, increases moisture rtention, stifling unwanted weeds, and keeping the garden cooler in the hotter summer months.
Mulch does have a few downsides.
- Mulch can change the chemical composition of the soil.
- Over mulchin or applying to thickly can suffocate wanted plants.
- In extra humid regions, mulch can cause fungal issues.
- Using the wrong type of mulch.
Things to know to properly mulch
- For organic materials, apply mulch in a 2 to 4 inch deep layer. For a finer mulch such as compost, a 2 inch layer of mulch is sufficient. Coarser materials such as wood chips or straw can be applied up to 4 inches deep.
- Knowing when to mulch - Spring or Fall.
- Lightly mulch for humid climates
- Stay clear of chemically treated mulches.
Try a no-till approach
Tilling or turning over the soil is often believed to create a favorable environment for plants to grow. It often helps to mix in organic material and help to aerate the soil and help with drainage.
Drawbacks of tilling includes bringing dormant weed seeds to the surface of the soil to grow and cause unnecessary weed seeds to grow in the garden. It can also kill beneficial earth worms in the soil that help decompose organic waste and give off nutrients. It can also disrupt naturally occuring microorganisms activity in the soil.
No matter the choice, a gardener knows their garden best.
Use of organic material
If you want to amend your soil to create a nurtering environment, there are a few ways to do so.
Common garden amendments
- Garden compost from food scraps and waste
- Yard compost
- Manure (ducks, chickens, horses, cows and rabbits)
- Fallen leaves and grass clippings
- Organic fertilizers
Depending on the type used, most organic waste should be worked into the soil. Most amendments are safe to directly apply to the garden but some like manure is considered a "hot" material and can burn tender seedlings and roots. Manure from chickens, ducks, horses and cows should sit for about a year before applying to the garden. Rabbit manure is considered "cold" and can be directly applied to the garden.
In vegetable gardens, which usually contain annual or biennial plants, you can amend your soil each season.
How to ammend with poor drainage
Assess whats causing the poor draininge. Is it location? Seasonal? Soil type? If its loaction, try having the garden elsewhere or use raised beds. If it's seasonal, try digging a temporary trench to keep water away. If its soil type, amend with compost, add rocks or small stones to help with soil drainage.
Soil Drainage
Soil drainage is an important factor for healthy plants. Before choosing a garden spot, check to see if the soil drains well. As a home gardener, you can do a quick percolation test to check how well the soil drains.
How to do a percolation test
- Dig a hole 12 inches deep and 12 inches in diameter.
- Fill it with water. The next day, fill the hole with water again.
- All of the water should drain out within eight hours.
- If the water drains out more than four inches per hour, the soil is extremely sandy. Less than 1 inch per hour is too slow and may indicate soil compaction, a high clay content, buried debris, a high water table, or a restrictive layer of soil
Soil that drains1 to 3 inches per hour are desirable for most plants. Soils that drain less than one inch per hour have poor drainage. You will want to improve drainage or select plants that tolerate wet growing conditions for these locations. Soils that drain more than 4 inches of water per hour are very well-drained.