If you’ve been thinking about starting your own garden and having some of your favorite veggies, fruit, berries, or flowers growing just outside your porch, nothing can stop you except for problematic soil. However, don’t give up just yet.
Gardening is an acquired skill, and the soil on your property is the key to having fruitful results from growing your plants. So before you decide you aren’t made for it, there are quite a few things you should know and check to ensure that your soil is a good basis for the future garden.
In this article, we’ll talk about the types of soil, their differences, specifics, and what you can do to improve it. Check out our beginner’s guide to gardening and find valuable tips on how to prepare your soil and garden with pleasure.
What Is Soil?
While this might sound like an obvious question, let’s ensure we know exactly what we’re talking about. Yes, soil is dirt, but a very important one. It’s a mix of insects, particles, decomposing organic matter, and air. It’s also full of bacteria and other live organisms, most of which are harmless to us humans or our pets.
So next time you think that soil is just simple dirt, imagine how many other things live in it, making soil one big, complex ecosystem.
What’s My Soil Type?
The easiest way to determine the type of soil in your backyard is to take a scoop of it and look at it. Is it loose, or is it dense and heavy? Or is it somewhat in between? Your soil will most likely be a combination of mineral particles, including sand, silt, and clay.
According to the Gardening Design, each type of soil has its pros and cons:
- Sandy soil consists of large particles that water can move through easily together with essential nutrients.
- Clay soil, on the other hand, has tiny, thick particles that can ”trap” large amounts of moisture and nutrients. However, it also drains much slower than sandy soil.
- Silt contains fine particle sizes that usually pack together tightly, restraining proper drainage and air circulation.
- Loam is the ideal soil for your plants. It’s a combination of all three mineral particles and is rich in humus (stuff that’s left after organic matter decomposes.)
And Plants For All Seasons add two more soil types t this list:
- Chalky soil usually has good drainage ability, but it will often have many stones. It also isn’t crawling with organic matter, so it will need frequent fertilization.
- Peaty soil usually has great drainage, but it’s too acidic for organic matter to break down.
Should I Test the pH Level of My Soil?
Well, if you’re curious about how fertile your soil is and what your chance to become a successful gardener is, then you should definitely get a pH testing kit or invest in professional soil analysis and send it to a special lab.
The pH of the soil will determine what kind of nutrients your plants are able to get from the ground and what you’d need to “feed” the soil to improve its quality. And while plants are quite good at adjusting to different soils and can grow even in “bad” soil, they’d still prefer soil with a pH level between 6 and 7. This is because the soil with these pH levels is neither too acidic nor too alkaline, ensuring the plants get a balanced mix of nutrients throughout the growing season.
Note: to have a clear overview of what the topsoil is like around your property, make a few pH tests from different parts of your yard. This can also help you make better decisions about where to plant specific plants.
3 Easy Tips to Grow a Healthy, Beautiful Garden
While it’s crucial to be aware of what environments specific plants require, it’s also worth considering other factors that might affect your gardening efforts. It includes the amount of sun your plants get, the quality of water, the type of soil, and the number of nutrients they receive. To make your life easier, we’ve gathered X top tips to help you take your garden soil to the next level.
Tip 1: Enrich Your Soil With Humus
Before we dive into telling you about how to add humus to your soil, no, it has nothing to do with the delicious Mediterranean dish “hummus” (although, adding to your soil wouldn’t hurt it anyway.)
Humus is the dark organic matter that forms in the soil after dead plants and organisms break down further. You can get it from the store or start your own compost pile in the backyard, wait until all the organic materials decompose, and use that organic matter for your garden, saving both money and our planet.
When creating a new flower bed, add a 3-inch layer of hummus and dig it in about 8 inches deep, or if you don’t have time or desire to do it, just leave it on top.
Tip 2: Minimize the Use of Pesticides
Sometimes, you have to use pesticides to protect your plants. However, don’t overdo it. Instead of using concentrated fertilizers and pesticides, try creating more favorable conditions for the microorganisms and earthworms to live happily in your soil and help turn organic material into humus faster.
Tip 3: Let It Dry
While water is essential for your soil and the plants, too much of it can be harmful. Make sure to let the wet sprint soil dry before planting your spring garden. If the soil is too compacted, there’s no room for organisms to breathe and for the roots to spread and grow.
If you squeeze a handful of soil and the water comes out, give it at least a week to dry, and then start working on your planting your garden.
Whether you’re a gardener or a farm owner, fertile topsoil is the key to your professional success and satisfaction from what you do. At EZ-Screen, we manufacture powerful topsoil screeners that can help you shake things a bit (or a lot) and improve the quality of your topsoil. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need help choosing topsoil screening equipment or have any questions about our products.
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