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Making sure you have healthy soil, is the first step in planting any flower or vegetable garden. You will need to know if your soil has the correct nutrients for certain plant to flourish. Testing your soil will in advance show you what your soil lacks or needs. It is also a good way to monitor the soil’s nutrients.
Your soil needs Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to continue providing healthy plants.
It is best to test the soil in fall or spring, before planting. Since some soil problems may take a few months to correct. You should make sure the soil is dry, or else it could give false test results.
The are various kits available and most lawn and garden centers. Some are easier to use than others. Some kits are also designated to test for certain nutrients.
Taking a soil sample is very easy, follow these simple steps for best results.
You will need:
Bucket
Garden shovel
Dig six holes in planting area, approximately 7 inches deep. Take a shovel of dirt from each hole and put in bucket. When collected, mix soil. Remove 2 cups for your test sample.
Then follow directions from test package.
Soil drainage is another problem for vegetation or flowers. If the soil does not drain properly plants are sure to die.
To make sure the soil drains properly follow these simple steps for best results:
You will need:
Garden shovel
Ruler
Garden hose
Compost (if necessary)
Pen and paper
Dig a hole in your planting area. Make the hole about three feet deep. Using the garden hose, fill hole with water. When hole is full, measure the water level every 20 minutes. If the water completely disappears within an hour, water drainage is too quick. If the water drains about an inch per hour your soil is properly draining.
After doing the soil test if there are problems here are some simple solutions for common problems.
High PH: Mix some sulpher into the soil.
Low PH: Mix some lime into the soil.
Low Nitrogen: Mix nitrogen rich fertilizers into the soil.
High Nitrogen: Water well, and avoid adding fertilizers for three to six months.
Low Phosphorus: Mix super phosphate and bone meal into gardening area.
High Phosphorus: By growing more plants will aid in absorbing extra phosphorus
All these conditions are solvable. By following these few steps and patience will yield a rewarding vegetation or flower garden.
***This test only works on soils that have been properly tilled for at least 5 feet of depth because there are always layers of other soils below that will effect the test possibly causing a mistest or a false test***
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