Whether you are currently getting your new plants in the ground or have not started yet, now is the time to think about amending your soil.
Soil amending is the process of improving the quality of your soil by adding a variety of natural materials. For example, compost is excellent at improving the nutrient content and texture of soil. We always recommend adding compost to the existing soil whenever you plant a new plant.
Some soils may need some extra help before they are able to support healthy plants. Your soil may be hard and clumpy clay. Or it might be dry and sandy. Determining the texture of your soil can help you identify what your plants need.
What is Soil Texture?
The texture of your soil can be described as sandy, clay, or loamy.
Soil is made up of organic matter and mineral particles. The size of mineral particles determines the soil texture. Large particles are called sand, medium sized particles are called silt, and the smallest particles are called clay. Most soils are made up of a combination of sand, silt, and clay. And the amount that you have of each determines the texture of the soil.
A sandy soil is very porous. While this allows for plenty of oxygen pockets for plant roots, they are usually very dry and nutrient poor. A clay soil is dense and holds water, but if it is too densely packed there’s little oxygen for the plants and many rot with too much water.
The ideal soil for most plants is one that is loamy. A loam soil is equal parts sand, silt, and clay. This combination allows for a moist, but well drained, soil with plenty of airflow.
Not sure what kind of soil texture you have? You can test the texture of your soil by doing an at home “jar test”. Learn how here.>>
Once you know what kind of soil you have, here is what you can do to amend it:
If you have clay soil:
The best thing to add to your clay soil is organic compost. Compost not only adds nutrients but creates air pockets in the soil and promotes better drainage. You can also choose to work in a variety of other organic materials such as manure, bark, sawdust, grass clippings or leaf litter.
There are also ready-to-go non-organic soil conditioners you can use. Gypsum and pulverized limestone can both break up clay soils, but keep in mind that these products can alter the pH of your soil and add calcium and sulfur.
If you have sandy soil:
The best thing to add to your sandy soil is (surprise!) compost. Compost adds the much-needed nutrients and helps the soil hold onto water. You can also choose to add other organic material such as grass clippings or peat moss.
If you have loamy soil: Congratulations! Just add compost while planting for nutrients.
What about pH and Nutrients?
Did you know some shrubs and trees love acidic soil, such as rhododendrons and blueberries? Or that you need alkaline soil to get your hydrangeas to turn pink? Or that your average plant thrives in soil with a pH between 6 (slightly acid) and 7.5 (slightly alkaline)?
For these reasons, it is important to know the pH of your soil. You can test the pH of your soil, as well as test the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (potash), the essential nutrients for healthy plants, with an at-home soil sample.
There are many options for testing your soil:
Our Garden Center offers Luster Leaf Rapidtest products for soil testing. These include simple at-home tests for PH, nitrogen, prosperous and potassium.
We also offer a comprehensive lab-based mail-in soil sample kit from SoilKit, which also tests for elements such as calcium, zinc and iron.
The State of Maine also offers soil testing through the University of Maine Soil Testing Service. They offer Standard Soil Tests (good for home gardens) as well as Comprehensive Soil Tests (good for commercial farms). Learn more about Maine soil testing services here.>>
Once you have performed your soil test, here is what you can add based on what your soil needs:
If you want to make your soil more acidic: Add Espoma Soil Acidifier or Aluminum Sulfate.
If you want to make your soil less acidic: Add Garden Lime.
If you need to increase nitrogen: Add Compost or Bloodmeal.
If you need to increase phosphorus: Add bone meal or fish meal.
If you need to increase potassium: Add Espoma Potash.
In all these cases you can also opt to add liquid or granular fertilizers. All fertilizers have different percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium depending on what plants they are designed for.
Not sure what to get? Check out our Guide to Fertilizing on our Tips page for more information or stop by our nursery and talk to one of our many experts.
