"You could buy the best plants in the world; it won’t matter if you’re working with bad soil. "
Determine Your Soil Type
There are essentially three kinds of soil found in Australia: clay, sandy and loam.
You can find out what kind of soil you have by digging a couple of inches into the dirt and pulling out a handful. Squeeze that soil into a ball.
Clay soil will hold its shape and harden when dry, sandy soil will crumble in your hands, whereas loam soil will find a nice middle ground between the two. It will hold its shape while you hold it but will crumble easily under pressure.
The big difference between these three soil types boils down to water retention. Here’s how to handle each type.
Clay
Clay soil is heavier and made of fine particles. This can lead to the soil becoming waterlogged if it has poor filtration.
To combat this, mix some gypsum into the dirt. This will break up the soil and allow for better aeration and filtration.
Sandy
Sandy soil is made up of larger particles meaning it falls apart easier. Unfortunately, when sandy soils dry out, they will naturally repel water, making them a tricky soil to grow anything in.
If you have sandy soil you will need to mix in a lot of organic material, maybe even up to 50%. Otherwise, the soil won’t get the water it needs.
Loam
Finally, Loam soil is usually the ideal type. Not as fine as clay. Not as coarse as sandy.
Loam soil will retain water far better than sandy soil while offering better filtration than clay.
Add Organic Material
All soil types will need organic material mixed in. Organic material means any material derived from plants or animals. This can refer to compost, manure, animal blood or bones.
When using fertiliser, it is important to use organic fertiliser over synthetic. Organic fertiliser will feed the soil which in turn will increase the rate of nutrients your plants get. On the other hand, synthetic fertiliser will feed the plants directly.
While synthetic fertiliser will offer faster, short-term results, the rate of growth and greening in your plants won’t stay for long. It will offer no nutrients to the soil itself, whereas organic fertiliser nourishes the soil itself, allowing for it to feed the plants in a self-sustaining ecosystem. It may take a little longer, but your plants will be far greener for far longer.
Adding organic mulch on top of the soil is a great way to shield the soil from the elements, keeping it cool. Using organic mulch over synthetic will also allow for the mulch to break down over time and release nutrients into the soil (read more about that here).
Check pH Levels
Some soils are naturally too acidic or alkaline for plants to grow properly in. Soil testing kits can be bought for very cheap prices at most gardening stores.
These kits can be used to find where your soil falls on a scale from 1-10. Anything below 6.5 is considered acidic while above 7.5 is alkaline. 6.5-7.5 is neutral.
Most plants prefer soil that is ever so slightly acidic, as acidic soil provides more nutrients. 6.5 is the magic number here. Too much acid, however, will effectively poison your plants.
If your soil is too acidic, you can add things like lime or dolomite to raise its pH levels. If its levels are too low, you can add sulfur or aluminium sulfate to raise them.
Talk to a Professional
Does your soil need special treatment? Contact our team at services@1greenthumbgardening.com.au and we'll handle all your gardening needs.
