The above is from a blog that we follow, you can find it at: Kitchen Gardeners International .We are using it to talk about how to know the soil that you have and how to make it better for your plants. What kind of soil do you have, how do you tell and the problems with some of them.
* Clay soil is very heavy when wet. When it's dry, the soil can be as hard as cement. Plants have a hard time growing in these conditions.
* Sandy soil is gritty and does not hold together well, water and nutrients drain through it quickly. ( This type of soil can take more water, because it drains away quickly.)
* Loamy soil, which contains a relatively equal mix of clay, sand, and silt, is ideal for vegetable gardening.
This tells some of the problems with clay and sandy soil. Now what can be done to change these types of soil. It might take some time to change the soil but it will be better by the changes.
* For clay soil (per cubic foot of soil) add equal parts of sand and organic matter to the clay soil. The sand helps it to drain. The organic matter gives nutrients. These two things help it to not be so hard when it is dry so the roots of the plant can grow. You might need to do this for a few seasons when you till up your garden area. Also add to the soil 1 1/2 cups of Epsom salts, 3/4 cup of coffee grounds (rinse them clean first), 12 eggshells (dried and crushed to powder.) This adds nutrients to the soil. This helps the clay to not become like cement when it dries out.
*For Sandy soil (per cubic foot of soil) add equal parts of clay loam and organic matter to the sandy soil. (This helps the sandy soil hold the water a little longer so that you do not have to water as much.) Also add the same amounts of Epsom salts, coffee grounds, and eggshells (as in the clay soil area.)
* Loamy soil is great for vegetables gardens. Keep it as it is.
Some plants like some conditions better than others. More on that later.
Please leave your comments, we enjoy reading them.
Dan and Deanna "Marketing Unscrambled"
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