Getting Garden Soil Ready

Before heading out to the local garden center, it’s important to know what type of soil will become home for those tender new plants. Failing to prepare soil for gardening can mean plants won’t get the moisture and nutrients they need to survive.

Aside from geographic zone, a garden’s soil type will determine the types of plants that will do best in your garden. Here are some tips for this step in the gardening process.

Soil Types

There are three basic soil types:

• Sand – can be poor in nutrients; retaining moisture may be difficult
• Clay – hard, often red, often lacking in nutrients or the texture needed for plants to thrive
• Loam – an ideal mix of sand, clay and nutrients, with a rich, crumbly look

Soil quality can also vary based on the amount of rock and decaying plant and animal matter, as well as the presence of earthworms to keep the soil aerated and nutrient-rich. Good, plant-ready soil is rich in texture and crumbly, somewhat moist. Gardeners who live in a region that has a clay-type soil may need to till the soil and mix in organic matter such as leaf mulch and some sand.

Testing Acidity

Soil’s pH, or the relative alkalinity or acidity of the soil, affects the nutrients that will be available to plants, including phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. Soil pH is expressed on a scale of 1.0 – acid – to 14.0 – alkaline, with 7.0 being neutral.

Many gardeners consider ‚”neutral” soil to be ideal, but different types of plants will do well in soils with varying pH levels. For example, azaleas and hydrangea prefer soil that is on the acidic side. Cactus, lilac and peony plants prefer alkaline soil. Vegetables tend to prefer a pH of 6.2 to 6.8

Kits that test a soil’s pH are available at many garden centers, and some centers or nurseries may test a sample for you. County cooperative extension service offices may also conduct tests for residents.

Garden experts recommend soil be tested for pH ever three years or so.

If a pH test reveals that soil needs to be changed, sulfur or limestone may be added. Wood ashes can provide a boost in potassium, phosphate and other nutrients.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Web site offer more specific tips on preparing soil.

In addition to commercial soil additives, many gardeners create their own nutrient-rich compost or mulch to bring their plots to life (provide link to an article). Composting is particularly suitable for organic gardening. Creating a compost bin can be an economic way to provide plants with the nutrition they need.