We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Gardening

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How do I Choose the Best Garden Soil?

By N. Freim
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 11,747
Share

Dirt is just dirt, right? Actually, maintaining the right kind of garden soil will make it easier to grow healthy, beautiful plants. Before changing your soil, you should test it to determine its pH (acid or alkaline) and its texture (sand, clay, or loam). This will tell you what you should add to have the best soil. Limestone or sulfur will bring the pH closer to neutral, which is the best for most plants, and organic material like compost will improve the nutrients in the soil.

The optimum garden soil depends largely on what you plan to grow. The pH, which is the measure of acidity or alkalinity, of the soil affects how well nutrients are absorbed by the plant roots. Most plants do best with a pH of 7, or a neutral pH. Most soils are between 5 (acidic) and 8 (alkaline) pH. You can do a soil test to determine where your existing soil falls on the scale. These tests can be done with at home kits available at home improvement stores, or you can collect samples and get them professionally tested at a county office or private lab.

As you collect samples of your garden soil, you can also examine the texture. Most garden soils rate as either sand, clay, or loam. Sandy soils often need more frequent light watering. Clay soil retains moisture well, which can make up for the difficulties in handling clay soil. Loam combines proportions of sand, silt, and clay, making it an ideal soil for most plants.

The predominant texture and the pH will tell you what you should add to your soil. It is not always necessary to amend your soil, but adding organic material, like grass clippings, decayed leaves, compost, or manure, can improve the nutrients in the soil. Adding 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) of organic material each year can make a big difference. Compost is the most common additive and you may be able to get it from your city’s Public Works Department. Composted manure or hummus can also be good additives for soil. Peat moss can be good for sandy soils, but some gardeners are concerned about the sustainability of peat moss harvesting.

Bags of topsoil are also widely available. Some of these come in premixed formulas designed for specific types of plants. You can find bags of garden soil for vegetable gardens or roses which will have adjustments already made for the pH of of the plants. These bags of topsoil can be mixed in a little as an additive or used in large quantities to replace the native garden soil.

If your pH is very low or high, you might consider adding limestone or sulfur to change the soil chemistry. Limestone will raise the pH from 5 to around 6.5. Sulfur will lower the pH from around 8.5 to 6.5. Keep in mind that if you add organic material like manure, it may gradually affect your soil’s pH. You may need to retest your soil if you are not getting the results you want.

Share
HomeQuestionsAnswered is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.homequestionsanswered.com/how-do-i-choose-the-best-garden-soil.htm
Copy this link
HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.