About Preparing Soil For Horticulture
When planting a garden, most people assume that dirt is dirt. And this is why some gardens end up growing much better than others. If you decide to have a garden, you will need to have some horticultural knowledge. Soil is a combination of minerals, textures and nutrients. Different plants require different combinations of these things. Preparing the soil before you plant is fairly simple.
You will need:
- Soil testing kit
- Soil additives
- Tiller
- Spade
- Decide what kind of garden you want. Consider the parts of the landscape that you cannot change when deciding. These things will help you to determine what you can plant. If you plan to have a vegetable garden, be sure to place it where it will be able to receive at least six hours of sun. The amount of sun other plants need varies, so check with the nursery when buying them. Also, check to see how much maintenance the plants you choose require. If you do not have a lot of time for keeping up your garden, there are many low-maintenance plants to choose from.
- Determine what your soil in your yards pH is and correct if necessary. There are two ways to check the pH level of your soil. You can either use a soil testing kit or you can take a sample to you local extension office. Most gardens need the soil to have a pH between 6.2 and 6.8 to grow nicely. Calcium lime is most often used to raise the pH level of soil, while sulfur is most often used to lower it. You can purchase both of these from local garden shops and even home improvement stores.
- Do the "squeeze test" to determine the texture of the soil. With your hand, scoop up some soil and squeeze it for a few seconds. If it sticks in a ball, then there is a lot of clay in the soil. It is starts to fall apart immediately, then it is sandy soil. The perfect soil will hold together until touched, and then crumble apart. You can improve the texture of your soil by adding compost or manure.
- Till before planting. To work the additives into the soil, and also improve the texture, till it before planting. For small areas you can use a rotary tiller. You may want to use a garden tractor for larger areas. Plants grow better when the soil is loose, so make sure that you break up any large clumps with a garden spade.
- Check for upkeep. Once you have established the right kind of soil, check it in the late fall and early spring to see if it needs any upkeep.