Garden Plants Are Only as Healthy as the Soil in Which They Grow
All gardeners know that their plants are only as healthy as the garden
soil, so it is important to conduct a soil test to determine if any
amendments or other steps are needed to grow healthy, productive plants.
Measuring the content of the soil is not difficult and is essential for
beautiful and bountiful garden.
Most plants prefer a specific
type of soil, such as azaleas that prefer a slightly acidic soil. Other
plants, like geraniums, thrive in soils with less acidity. To ensure
the plants a gardener chooses to grow have the best soil for their
needs, gardeners must select the right plants for the soil or amend the
soil to for specific plants.
A soil test determines the pH of
the soil, which measures acidity. Depending on the results, the gardener
can choose plants the grow well in the soil available or amend it to
accommodate desired plants. Soils with a high pH are alkaline; however,
gardeners can lower the pH by mixing some sulfur into new planting beds
or around existing plants. A low pH means the soil is acidic, and adding
lime to the soil and mixing it in well raises the pH level,
The
best time for gardeners to test the soil is in the late fall or early
spring. Testing at this time of year gives the gardener time to make any
necessary adjustments before planting the garden. Some amendments to
the soil require a few weeks to become effective. Wet soil samples can
give gardeners a false reading, so soil samples for testing should be
taken when soil is fairly dry.
Most garden centers and hardware
stores carry a variety of soil testing kits. Some kits may only test the
pH, while others test for pH and nutrients. Soil test kits are
inexpensive and relatively accurate. The key to getting the best results
is to collect a good sample and follow kit instructions carefully.
Testing the soil more than once can help a gardener verify results.
Soil test kits that include both pH and nutrients test for essential
nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Once a gardener
has the soil test results, he or she can take steps to correct nutrient
deficiencies or abundances. Testing the soil and making necessary
adjustments can save a gardener from making a garden planning mistake. A
soil test can also save money and time by preventing gardeners from
choosing the wrong plants.
