Some of the best gardening advice that I’ve received is that to know, understand and nourish your soil is the very best way to achieve growing successes.
I have to confess that I’ve learnt a lot from my failures, and there are always some when you garden, but I’m sharing this with you so that unlike me, you don’t have to deal with the frustration of things just not working out when you think you’ve done everything right.
I used to approach growing plants with the idea that soil was well, just that, and so long as you had some and could invest a little TLC in watering and weed control, you could grow anything in it. My husband often commented that I was like a magpie in a garden centre and just collected up pretty things without a thought to how they might live in my garden – he was of course, completely right.
Knowing the conditions you’re working with, the good, not so good bits and how you can improve things is invaluable. I’ve learnt that healthy, thriving plants and in fact, a healthy, thriving garden eco-system, start with healthy soil and understanding what type you have plays a key part in that.
Soil type varies by location, environment and sometimes even from house to house. There are six main types of soil, sandy, chalky, clay, loamy, silty and peaty and here I will explain the four most common in the UK.
Do bear in mind that your space is exactly that and you can choose to work with what you’ve got, adjust it a bit or even introduce completely new options using raised beds and planters where you can create different soil conditions for different plants, whatever suits you best.
How to keep your soil healthy
Taking an organic approach to gardening and nourishing the soil helps to provide a healthy and productive environment rich in biodiversity that in turn nourishes the plants, rather than you needing to feed the plants themselves. An organic approach is more sustainable, less expensive and gives improved results year on year. More info. can be found hereNew Year, New Start
The main soil nutrients required by plants are nitrogen for the production of chlorophyll which is used to take energy from the sun, a process known as photosynthesis. Potassium is key for them to reproduce giving us flowers, fruits and eventually seeds. Phosphorus is essential for the development of healthy roots.
A really good way to get these nutrients into your soil is using good quality compost, often as a thick mulch in the spring. You can read more about this here Marvellous Mulching
Also, using natural, sustainable weed prevention and control methods will ensure that your plants get all the available space and nutrients your soil has to offer and don’t have to compete for them.
Some useful tips for this can be found herePrevention Is Better Than Cure and here Sometimes, the old ways are the best....
What type of soil do I have?
• Sandy Soil
A sandy soil feels gritty to the touch, you will be able to see the grains of sand and it will not form a ball, if rolled in your hands. A sandy soil is often acidic.
Benefits of Sandy Soil
Light and dry are descriptions most often used for sandy soil, it warms up quickly in spring and drains well in wetter weather so your plants are unlikely to become waterlogged. A sandy soil is easy to work and great for planting from seed. Plants that enjoy an acidic environment such as camellias, heathers and rhododendrons will do very well.
Problems with Sandy Soil
Sandy soil is often poorer quality as beneficial nutrients can be washed away as it drains. In summer months with low rainfall, it dries out quickly and your plants may need additional water.
Adjustments for Sandy Soil
Adding a rich organic material to your soil will help to add nutrients and improve the texture. A thick layer of mulch in spring will help to retain water and an organic fertiliser will give plants a much needed boost
• Chalky Soil
In a very chalky soil, white lumps of chalk may be easily spotted. In others, the grains are larger than sand and it feels quite stony. Again, it won’t be possible to roll it into a ball with your hands, that maintains its shape. Chalky soil is alkaline.
Benefits of Chalky Soil
Chalky soil is usually free draining, easy to dig and will suit plants that like an alkaline environment as it has a high PH level. Some plants that typically thrive in a chalky soil include buddleja, astilbe and peonies.
Problems with Chalky Soil
The high alkaline levels in a chalky soil can cause some plants to have stunted growth and yellowing leaves
Adjustments for Chalky Soil
It is difficult to make a chalky soil more acidic so I would suggest choosing plants that specifically like alkaline soils. If you do want to try, adding organic matter to help with water retention, ericaceous compost or fertilisers to provide extra nutrients may allow you to successfully grow a slightly wider range of plants.
• Clay Soil
Clay soil is quite easy to identify. It looks and feels lumpy and will roll into a ball. It feels sticky when it’s wet but during dry periods becomes hard and is prone to clumping and cracking.
Benefits of Clay Soil
Clay soil is nutrient rich which makes it ideal for growing a wide variety of plants but it does take a little work.
Problems with Clay Soil
Drainage is an issue with clay soil, it often becomes waterlogged in wetter periods and can become easily compacted. It takes a while to warm up in spring due to its density and water content and can be harder to dig, both when very wet and very dry.
Adjustments for Clay Soil
The best thing for clay soils is to improve drainage by adding lots of organic matter. This helps to decrease the soil density and clump forming nature which in turn makes it easier to work and for the plant roots to access the nutrients within it.
• Loamy Soil
Loam is every gardener’s dream soil. It’s an almost perfect mix of clay and sand. Holding it in your hands, you will see a dark, fine texture and medium sized soil structure and it will feel slightly damp.
Benefits of Loamy Soil
A loamy soil is an excellent growing medium, it holds nutrients well, retains sufficient moisture while also draining well in wetter weather and is easy to work. A loam soil will allow you to grow the widest variety of plants.
Problems with Loamy Soil
Very few! It can tend towards being slightly more acidic and may lose some nutrients during wetter periods due to its good drainage properties.
Adjustments for Loamy Soil
Adding organic fertiliser can be useful to boost essential nutrients.
I hope this will help you to work out your soil type and decide how best to use it to grow the things you love.
Once you have, there are many great websites that will offer suggestions for plants that will thrive in your particular type of soil and you can also check out your neighbours’ plant choices too as it’s likely that what flourishes in their soil will do the same for you too.
Comments