How to Improve the Quality of Your Soil for Healthier Plants
Having healthy soil is imperative to having healthy plants, so no amount of work that you do will assist your plants in being as healthy as they can be, unless your soil is healthy. There are a various types of soil, and each will need different things to improve it to the point where it will be able to give its best to your plants, and keep them as healthy as possible.
Know Your Soil
Knowing what your soil in order to be at its best, means getting to know your soil; therefore, don’t be afraid to get your hands into it. Grab a big handful and really get the feel for it. There are four basic types of soil that you will find in your garden. These are sandy, loamy, silty and clay. They each have attributes that could benefit from adding specific ingredients to the mix.
Feed Your Soil
Sandy soil doesn’t hold on to its nutrients very well, so adding lots of organic matter to it, especially before sowing your seeds will get it in good shape for your plants to grow. Silty and loamy soil are the best in which to grow plants, so they do not need much work, except for some fertiliser. Clay soil is not very aerated so it will need lots of organic matter that has already broken down. If you have clay soil it is best to add the well broken down organic matter at least a month or two before you want to use the soil. If you aren’t sure about what sort of soil you have, feel free to bring a handful into Bacchus Marsh & Redgum Garden Centre and one of our experts can assist you in getting the balance you need.
Check pH Levels
Depending on what you are choosing to plant, the pH levels of the soil can be an important aspect to consider. Neutral soil will be best for most plants, but some prefer it to be slightly acidic, or alkaline. You can test your soil by using a pH testing kit, which is available at any garden centre. Once you know the pH levels of your soil you can adjust it accordingly to suit whatever plant you are growing in it. Ground lime will make your soil more alkaline and adding sulphur will make it more acidic.
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