Soil 101: Why Is Your Garden’s Soil Health So Important?

Want to get serious about your garden this growing season? It’s time to learn about soil. You can sow seeds, pull weeds and water your beloved plants with all the tender, loving care in the world, but if you aren’t working with quality soil, you could end up spinning your wheels with unsuccessful results. Read on to learn about the importance of soil and how to improve soil health for a thriving garden.

What Is Soil?

The healthiest garden soil is comprised of mineral particles, air pockets, organic matter, living organisms and water. You can often find all manner of life in a scoop of soil, ranging from worms to other microorganisms that are too small to see with the naked eye.

See more: Healthy Soil Is the Foundation for Healthy Plants

Soil Types

Think about the variety of landscapes there are all around the world … sandy beaches, dense forests, mountain valleys and golden meadows. Each landscape has its own unique soil composition. And while plants grow in almost every environment on the planet, that doesn’t mean that all soil is created equal. Just as there are different kinds of plants growing in different parts of the world, there are different kinds of soil allowing them to thrive there. You don’t even need to travel very far to find a rich, fertile soil in one area and a heavy clay or sandy soil in another.

There are many subcategories of soil, but for the sake of simplicity, let’s take a look at what is generally agreed to be the four primary types of soil:

Sandy

As you probably guessed, sandy soil is, well, sandy. It’s made from very small particles of crushed and weathered rocks, and it’s unfortunately one of the least-friendly mediums for growing plants. Sandy soil has almost no nutrients and struggles to retain water, which are both vital to a plant’s survival. On the bright side, sand can be incorporated (in small amounts) into thicker soils to provide more water drainage.

Silt

Silt particles are smaller than sand  and made up of a combination of rocks and minerals. Unlike sand, silt is smooth and does a better job retaining water. Perhaps unsurprisingly, silty soil is often found near water. It’s considered a fertile soil and used a lot in agricultural operations to improve the fertility of the soil.

Clay

Clay particles are packed like sardines, so to speak, making them clump together with little to no room for oxygen or water to pass through. That means it isn’t the best host for plants, which need both oxygen and water to grow. Clay soil is dense, heavy and often brittle in hot weather.

Loamy

Loamy soil is a combination of sand, silt and clay, and it often brings the best of each other soil type. It can retain generous amounts of water and nutrients, which makes it the prized soil type among many farmers. Compared to the other soils, it also boasts higher pH levels and calcium. Many refer to loamy soil as a gardener’s best friend.

What Kind of Soil Do You Have?

If loamy soil is a gardener’s best friend, you may be wondering what’s in your own backyard.

The most reliable way to learn about the composition of your soil is to contact your local ag Extension office. Many will send residents a free (or affordable) soil sampling bag. All you have to do is collect a soil sample and send it back for testing. Within a few weeks, you’ll receive a report all about your soil – including what nutrients may be lacking.

One quick tip: if you send your soil off for laboratory testing, be sure to collect soil from various spots around your garden. This will ensure you get a broader perspective of what you’re working with.

See more: How to Start a Vegetable Garden From Seeds

Amending Your Soil

What do you do if your soil is lacking vital nutrients?

The good news is that soil is a living thing that ebbs and flows. If you get back a soil test that says your soil is deficient in an area, there are countless ways to add those nutrients back into the soil. Composting is a popular amending technique, as is compost tea. Incorporating organic matter, like crushed and dried leaves, or even pulled and shredded weeds can give your soil a nutrient boost.

While soil management requires a bit of research and dedication, you can certainly ask for help from your local Extension office, seek out the advice of fellow gardeners in your community, join a local gardening group online or find a slew of books at your local library that will help you grow your soil knowledge.

The general rule of thumb, however, is to be patient. Amending soil takes time, just like growing those juicy heirloom tomatoes, plump and decadent strawberries or crunchy cucumbers. But as every gardener knows, the reward is well worth the wait.