How Will Your Garden Grow? Tips and Tricks for Preparing Soil for New Plants

Ever so slowly, the weather is becoming more and more pleasant. The snows are finally starting to melt, and the grounds around your house are starting to smell of earth and grass. Unfortunately, the long winter has done a number on your yard. You want to get it back into shape, and have it once again be the envy of your neighborhood. If you're looking for some hints on how to do it without the use of harsh chemicals or fertilizers, here are a few natural tips for preparing your soil so that your future vegetation will be lush and colorful.

Whether or not you are an avid gardener, I hope you realize that the first step in a wonderful garden is having quality soil. To a gardener, the soil is the blank canvas on which their craft and art is seen. You wouldn't expect a renowned artist to use construction paper for a quality canvas, and you shouldn't expect your garden to have such a base as well. Preparing the soil canvas is definitely hard work, but the responses you get can both be immediate and long lasting. Besides, it gives you and excuse to work outside in the warmer weather, and who could argue with that?

The first step of course is to determine what type of soil you have. Soil types can range in texture, acidity levels, even in amounts of organic matter. If you're just looking for the overall texture, the easiest way is to dig down and take a scoop of soil in your hands. Roll it into a ball. If it stays together, chances are you have higher clay content than silt or sand. If it crumbles easily, or feels 'gritty' to the touch, the soil is most likely composed of mostly sand or silt. Why is this important? Well, for the most part, the different soil types have different drainage properties. Those drainage properties often dictate the types of plants that would be best suited for your backyard.

Next, take a look at the color of the soil. If it has a high organic content, the soil will be dark brown or black, much like the top soil that you can buy in your local garden store. That's a good thing. Soils rich in organic matter help to promote growth through allowing your chosen plants to take up the various nutrients that are left behind in the soil. If you're soil is lighter in color, say a light brown or a tan, consider adding some organic matter to bring up the nutrient density in your soil. In fact, some gardeners that I have talked to insist that when planting new seedlings it's always a good idea to put in some organic matter. That way the seedlings can have a jump start, akin to providing a good breakfast for you and your family.

Soil, of course is where the plants will get the majority of their nutrients. The sun and rain will help the plant to grow and process what it takes in, but without a soil rich in the proper nutrients, no amount of sun or water will help. So if you want your garden to grow, it's a good idea to make sure the soil beneath your feet is prepared to take on the rigors of plant life.

Some plants, in fact have very specific soil needs. Specifically, if a soil is a certain range of acidity versus alkaline, the plant will be able to take up the nutrients easier. So how do you know what type of soil you have? Well, in the old days, avid gardeners used to smell the soil, and even taste a little bit to see if it was 'sweet' or 'sour'. If the soil tasted sweet, it indicated that the pH level was more alkaline, or above 7.0 on the pH scale. If the soil tasted sour, it was more acidic, or had a pH level below 7.0, most likely around 4- 5 pH. Now, with a quick trip down to the local garden store, a person can pick up a pH Soil test kit and get a much more accurate reading of the pH levels in the soil.

Once you know what the pH levels in the soil, and the pH levels needed by your chosen plants, you may be able to alter the levels to suit your needs. It should be noted, however, that the changes you make to the soil can only go so far. The soil, and the plants involved will eventually form a dynamic equilibrium, with each exchanging various nutrients and waste products, affecting the soil chemistry of the soil over time. If your plants indicate that you need to radically change the soil chemistry, you might want to consider using other types of plants. A radical change to the soil chemistry will mean that you'll have to do much more monitoring, and a lot more tweaking of the plants and soil than might be desirable.

So what are some ways to alter the chemistry of your soil? Perhaps the easiest way is to add something to the soil that can change the overall pH levels. If you want to raise the pH, or make the soil more alkaline, consider adding some crushed limestone. This is normally found at most gardening stores. If your soil is too alkaline, add some powdered sulfur to your soil to bring down the pH levels. Keep in mind, though, adding either limestone or sulfur to the soil is a tricky thing. A little too much and you'll miss the pH window of your desires; a little less than you need and you'll fall short. Because of this, it's a good idea to either start small, like a 20lb bag per 1000 square feet, or get a professional to give you advice.

Of course, the soil chemistry isn't the only thing that will help your garden to grow. Preparing the soil for planting also means making sure that there are enough nutrients in the soil for the plant to use and grow. For many people this means adding harsh, soil stripping fertilizers to the soil. Instead, consider a more gentle approach. By adding organic matter to your soil, you're adding easily accessible nutrients that a fertilizer simply can't match. Organic matter can come in many different forms including fruit rinds, animal waste, chicken bones from last night's dinner, even the clippings from your last pruning session. But remember, adding organic matter to your garden takes a little bit more than just adding garbage to your garden. The best course of action is to create a well maintained compost pile to provide your garden with the food it needs.