It all starts in the ground! Soil – or ‘dirt’ – is a critical component of gardening, along with water and sunlight. Soil is often the cause of plant problems and for this reason, it is important to understand what kind of soil you have. While this could become quite technical, there are some basic concepts that will help you understand what kind of soil you have and what actions you could take to improve it. As Dr. Anne Sawyer, from the University of Minnesota Department of Soil, Water, and Climate says, “healthy soils, healthy plants”. Dr. Sawyer explains that the soil is alive, full of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and other organisms that support plant growth. 

In an ideal planting situation, the soil would be loamy. This means water moves through the dirt, it has a good mix of nutrients, and provide plants with the ability to grow their roots out with ease. Loamy soil looks black and crumbly and if you squeeze it gently, forms a ball or log. 

Clay soil is the least ideal type of medium for growing plants. If you squeeze it, it will form a solid ball. Clay soil does not allow water to filter through the soil particles, often creating puddles or little ponds. It is very compact. Plants struggle to grow their roots and often look stunted and unhealthy. Fruit and vegetables are unlikely to produce a good harvest. 

Sandy soil, like loamy soil, filters water but it filters water quite quickly, making it difficult to maintain a good moist soil. If you try to squeeze sandy soil, you will not be able to form any kind of structure. Plants grown in sandy soil require frequent watering and may sometimes look a little wilted. 

To further test your soil, you can do an infiltration test, which can be done with a soup can! This is a simple way to see how well water is draining and how long it takes your soil to absorb water. When possible, it is best to perform this test when the soil is dry so you can get a more accurate test. This infiltration test site provides step by step instructions. 

The good news is that you can amend most soils. That means you can improve your soil by adding organic matter. This can help to improve the soil’s water filtration (permeability) and aeration (air flow, oxygenation), which helps it to become similar to that ideal loamy soil. Soil amendments can also bring in nutrients that plants need to grow and thrive. For sandy soil, you would introduce materials that will give it more structure and help hold in the water or slow its movement. The amendments may include compost, peat moss, or decomposed/composted manure (never use ‘fresh’ manure – it can burn plants). For clay soil, you want to try to break up the solid mass. You would also thoroughly mix in compost and peat moss or other organic materials. However, to be frank, clay soil can be daunting to amend. Many people find they are not able to improve the soil sufficiently to create a better growing environment. Often the best solution for those with clay soil is installing raised beds and filling them with good garden soil. 

This article is not going to delve into several other important factors present in soils but you should know that plant problems may also be caused by several other soil-related factors. For example, knowing the ph of your soil (is it acidic or basic) can significantly impact plants. For this reason, it is usually recommended that you test your soil. Other articles in the Garden Buzz have talked about soil testing. You also can go right to the University of Minnesota website to learn more about soil testing and get instructions on how to take a soil sample and where to send it for testing. 

As you start to prepare your garden for spring planting, attending to the quality of your soil is one of the first things on the list. Not only will your plants be happier, so will you!

Resources: 

Healthy Soil, Healthy Plants

Managing soil and nutrients in yards and gardens

Soil Testing

What’s My Soil Type? 

Photo Credits: University of Minnesota Extension (1,2), www.flickr.com (3), Pngimg.com (4)