Learn the basics about types of soil can be one of the best ways to ensure successful gardening. If you’ve found that your flowers and other seedlings haven’t thrived as you’d hoped despite providing the best care, you may be choosing the wrong varieties.
Knowing what grows best on specific types of surface can help you choose plants that suit your growing conditions. garden. They can vary between very acidic and alkaline, but other characteristics also play a role in how well your seedlings will thrive.
We gather useful information about the main types of soil, plus tips on how to make the most of yours. Check it out below:
The first step to knowing the type of soil in your vegetable garden is identify if it is acidic or alkaline. The best way to do this is to buy one. pH test kit which will provide an accurate conclusion. The pH ranges from around 3.5 (very acidic) to 8.5 (alkaline) – a result of 7 is considered neutral and the ideal for most plants is 6.5.
Another easy way to find out is to ask your neighbors what seedlings they are growing and calculate the approximate pH based on what is working well on nearby properties.
Some flowers – such as rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias – love acidic soils. In fact, they suffer if the soil is too alkaline, as some nutrients are blocked. The first sign of iron and magnesium deficiency in such shrubs is the leaves turning yellow.
Soil over chalk or limestone is generally alkali and often rich in calcium. It has good drainage, but can be thin and requires large amounts of organic matter such as house compost, without peat or manure, well rotted to retain moisture.
When growing in chalk, break the surface to a depth of 75 cm to allow branch roots to spread out. Honeysuckle, euonymus and verbascum will love these conditions.
Assessing how wet or dry the soil is and how easily you can place your shovel is also another way to study it. To find out, try the following test: take a soil sample about 10 to 15 cm below the surface – if you have a large plot, take a few samples from different areas. If it’s still not wet, add a little water, but don’t make it wet. Then feel the texture with your fingers before trying to roll it into a ball.
One clay-rich area it will feel smooth and sticky and have a surface sheen like plasticine if you rub it. When rolled into a ball, the clay will hold its shape well and also retain a fingerprint when you press your thumb into the dough.
O sandy soil, when you try to roll it into a ball, it falls apart. The slime has a smooth, soapy texture and will form a loose ball shape, but it crumbles easily. A peaty one feels spongy and doesn’t curl up into a ball – water droplets can also come out when you squeeze it.
If you suspect your area is limestone, check the telltale signs of white chalk and flint. You can also add some earth to a pot of vinegar, and if it foams up, you know it has chalk or limestone in it and will be very alkaline.
6 types of soil and how to take advantage of them
Although all types fulfill a similar function, there are many varieties, and knowing which one you have in your garden will help you choose seedlings adapted to progress in your specific conditions.
Clay and sandy are the most common types, silt is less prevalent and is usually found in flood basins close to rivers or where rivers previously existed. And peat and limestone are rare in gardens.
Although there is no “good” or “bad” surface, as there are branches adapted to each type, some can be more difficult to cultivate and may not support as many species. So once you’ve identified which one you have in your home, you’ll have a better idea of which flowerbed ideas to try.
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clay soil
These are composed of a large proportion of microscopic clay particles, which can pack together tightly to form large, solid, airless clumps. They retain water and nutrients well, but because they drain poorly, they quickly become soggy. And during long periods of summer drought, they can crack and form hard crusts on the surface.
Known as “heavy” because they are difficult to dig, you might not be able to get your best shovel in the summer. Improve drainage by digging up as much gravel, sand or even fine gravel dredged from freshwater sources as you can muster – about one bucket per square meter.
After digging deep, build raised beds to a minimum height of 25 cm for seedlings that cannot survive with wet roots, using brick walls or wooden beams to retain the soil. Then, fill them with soil rich in decomposing organic matter.
When selecting branches for this surface, look for those described as liking moist, fertile conditions.
Cornus and yellow iris are perfect for heavy clay, other top choices include: astilbe; aster (including symphyotrichum); birch trees; clematis; hosta; hydrangea; Japanese maple; mahonia; peony; persicaria; pink; rudbeckia; and viburnum.
sandy soil
Sand particles are much larger than clay particles and also have wide spaces between them, which allow water to run off easily. As a result, the sandy surface tends to be dry and relatively infertile, as plant nutrients are suspended in water solutions and also run off.
Often called ‘lightweight’ because they are easy to dig, this type also warms up quickly in the spring, allowing seeds to germinate and seedling growth to begin sooner than other surfaces.
Weeds must be kept firmly in check. For minimal maintenance, cover the soil with a semipermeable weed-proof membrane, secure it with stakes, then cut slits for planting. Then cover the membrane in about 3 cm deep gravel.
Verbena bonariensis likes well-drained soil. Kniphofia is an ideal exotic choice for coastal gardens. Echinacea purpurea is also a good choice, especially if you are looking for bee-friendly species.
Other options include: achillea; agapanthus; amelanchier; buddleja; delphinium; dianthus; fuchsia; geranium; laurel; poppy; sedum; and thyme.
muddy soil
Sludge particles are smaller than sand but larger than clay. The gaps between them allow for good airflow and drainage, while still retaining some water and nutrients.
It adapts to a wide variety of species, including those that like moist, free-draining conditions. However, the small particles in the slime can cause it to become compacted, especially if walked on while wet, so avoid this if possible.
You can add organic matter in this area to make the slime particles more stable. How about giving worm composting a try if you haven’t already?
Here, try aster; birch; delphinium; lupine; phlox; pink; rudbeckia; leucanthemum; viburnum; and willow.
limestone soil
If you have chalk, you will see pieces of soft white stone as well as hard pieces of flint.
Many of them are shallow, resting on a layer of chalk or limestone. They are also free draining and relatively infertile. If they contain a good proportion of clay, they can hold water and contain more nutrients.
Chalk is very alkaline, which means acid-loving seedlings like rhododendrons and camellias will suffer if grown in it. On the plus side, the type heats up quickly in the spring.
Where you have a thin layer of soil over the chalk bed, try to learn how to plant a wildflower meadow that will thrive in these conditions. Or try growing small species with shallow roots.
Try mugwort, buddleja, clematis, geranium, lilac, lavender, sage, euonymus europaeus, thyme, and viola for this surface.
peaty soil
Peat bogs are composed of organic matter, such as decaying branches. Peat is dark in color, poor in nutrients and retains water – like a sponge.
This type of surface is very acidic, meaning it will support seedlings such as rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias, but will be unsuitable for those who prefer alkaline conditions, including clematis and lavender. Rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, piers, blue hydrangeas and heathers will all thrive here.
Loams
Water-retaining, draining, and fertile, it contains approximately equal proportions of sand, silt, and enough clay to hold moisture and nutrients. As a result, it offers gardeners and seedlings the best of all worlds.
Only those that are adapted to very free-draining conditions (such as drought-loving Mediterranean herbs) or wetland plants that love a lot of moisture (such as primroses and Siberian irises) will not like it. The list of suitable branches is therefore almost endless.
How to deal with the warm and sunny land?
Not all seedlings will survive such conditions, but exotic options will thrive.
Place a hose with small holes drilled through the bed to soak the soil at night when necessary and during particularly hot periods. Cover the soil with well-rotted manure in the fall and spring with coarse compost or mold to help retain moisture.
Sunny plots are ideal for many herbaceous favorites – roses, bergamot and tobacco plants, for example. They are also perfect for cannas and ginger lilies, but place them in large plastic pots that can be moved, in autumn and winter, to a greenhouse to avoid frost.
How to work with shady and dry land under trees?
This is a difficult area to establish branches and only a few will survive without watering. But, there are things you can do to improve the quality.
Before growing, dig a deep hole partially filled with compost and water the root ball thoroughly. Water new seedlings weekly until they become established. Dig in organic matter to increase surface moisture retention, covering heavily with a thick layer of bark chips in spring.
During hot spells, soak the soil thoroughly once every 10 days – this encourages deep root penetration, while watering too little often develops weak, shallow-rooted seedlings.
If planting in terracotta pots, line them with plastic to keep moisture out in hot weather, adding retaining gel granules to the compost.
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