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| Good soil goes a long way toward gardening success! |
Working in a nursery, it’s one of most common questions I’m
asked by customers: “How do I deal with ____ soil?” The question is asked
because they have a problem on either end of the spectrum of soil types: sand
or clay. In our area, chances are pretty good you have one of these two types
of soil, and knowing how to properly deal with both can go a long way to ensure
gardening success in the coming year.
First, sandy soil—although a nuisance, it can be easily
remedied. The two main problems associated with sandy soil are lack of
nutrient-holding capacity and the inability to hold water. Gardeners with sandy
ground know how frustrating it can be to try to keep plants growing in soil
where both nutrients and water simply drain away.
If the soil in your flowerbeds is too sandy for plants to
thrive, spade or rototill nutrient-rich compost into your beds; if that’s not
an option, spreading a layer of compost on top will allow the nutrients and
organic matter to slowly work into the soil, albeit over a longer period of
time. At Vander Giessen's, we carry compost both in bulk or bags, so no matter how much or little you need, we can help.
As frustrating as some gardeners find sandy soil, it’s far
better than clay. For much of the year, rains keep our gardens well-watered and
without the good drainage that sandy ground provides, many plants struggle and can
even rot in clay.
In established flowerbeds, treat clay soils like you would
sand: add compost. Breaking up the heavy consistency of clay will promote
drainage and allow plant roots to develop. Compost must be added liberally and
often, though, as clay has a tendency to make a comeback.
If in the coming year you have plans to plant anything new in
clay, take time to first dig a test hole several feet deep. In some parts of
Lynden, for example, clay is only a couple feet thick, and beyond it is pure,
clean sand.
If you find that your beds have only a shallow layer of clay,
it may be easy enough to dig a drainage hole under each shrub or tree you wish
to plant. If you’re not so fortunate, however—or don’t feel like going to the
work of that much extra digging, don’t think you can get away with just adding
some good soil to the hole when you plant a new-found treasure.
No matter how wide or deep you dig a hole when you plant
something in heavy clay, all you’re really doing is making a bigger bowl for
water to collect in when it rains. While fresh, well-drained topsoil is just
what your plants need, the key to planting in clay is to raise the roots above
it.
First, dig your hole as deep as the root ball of your plant.
Then, before planting, backfill the hole at least halfway with a good mix of
fresh topsoil and compost. Set your plant onto that layer—the top of the root
ball should be sticking up at least halfway out of the hole—and finish filling
in around the roots. Gently slope the new soil down away from the base of the
plant, creating a mound for the newly-planted shrub or tree. On a larger scale,
you can replicate this by planting new flowerbeds up on slightly-raised berms.
In time, most plants will root into clay soils, but for the first season or
two, the presence of well-drained, nutrient-rich soil will allow plants to get
established and begin to develop healthy root systems.
As spring approaches, take some time to plan what you can do
in your flowerbeds to improve your soil. Sand or clay, taking the proper steps
early on in the season will reward you with healthy plants all summer long—and
for years to come.
