If you take gardening seriously, the first step is knowing your soil type. No matter how much time and effort are given to a garden without good soil, it will never be successful!
Here are the best 6 types of soils that will surely work on your plants!
1. Clay Soil
Clay soil is heavy to cultivate, but if the drainage for it is enhanced then plants will flourish. It’s a sticky and lumpy mess when wet or hard as rock when dry; however its rich nutrient content makes up for this difficulty of access.
2. Sandy Soil
Sandy soils are easy to work with because of their high water retention capacity. Sandy soil also drains quickly and dries out fast. It can warm up very fast in the spring, however, it holds less nutrients than other soils. Sandy soil is often dry to touch.
To keep it moist, use mulch or other organic fertilizers like greensand to make sure that the natural nutrients in your garden are preserved for a long time!
3. Silty Soil
Silty soil feels soft and squishy, yet it’s rich in nutrients. If you provide good drainage for your plants in silty soil, or mix organic matter into their potting mix they’ll be grateful to have such a perfect growing medium!
4. Peaty Soil
Peat soil is a darker, wetter type of earth that feels spongy because it has higher levels of peat. In springtime this kind of soil heats up quickly and can retain water, therefore, requires good drainage.
You can dig some drainage channels to achieve this. You’re sure you’ll have the perfect soil for your plants with all of that organic matter added in!
5. Chalky Soil
Chalky soil is free draining, it usually overlays chalk or limestone bedrock. By using the right fertilizers and balancing pH levels you can have a great growing medium for your plants!
6. Loamy Soil
Loamy soil is a mix of sand, silt and clay. It has good drainage to allow the nutrients in it to be easily accessible by plants while also retaining enough moisture.