Soil in your landscape does more than hold up your plants. It provides nutrients, air and water for proper plant growth. How well your soil supplies these elements determines how well your plants will perform.
If you're new to gardening or have moved from another region, you need to evaluate your soil's characteristics. The soil ball test is simple: pick up a handful of moist soil and squeeze it into a ball, then open your hand. If the soil falls apart, you have sandy soil. If you thump the ball and it stays in a ball, it's a clay type soil. If it crumbles when you thump it, it has a good blend of loam. Sandy soil does not hold water well and clay holds water too long. The cure for both problems is to add organic matter.
Thanks to the organic, back to nature movement, a wide range of organic products is available for bed preparation. Composted materials are often produced regionally then packaged for convenient transport, use and storage. Manufactured compost also offers a clean, uniform composition. Composted cotton burs, pecan shells, pine needles, pine bark, peat moss, manure and other natural products are excellent soil amendments, as long as they are thoroughly composted.
Every part of the country has various types of organic matter available free for the asking. Composted leaves, lawn clippings and other "yard waste" make excellent compost. Tree services often give away shredded tree trimmings. Some municipalities collect yard waste then offer finished compost to their residents.
You may want to get professional advice from local soil experts – your agricultural extension agents. They can make general recommendations on soil preparation and provide specific instructions on having a soil sample analyzed. A soil report based on your soil can be invaluable in getting your soil chemistry right the first time. If any soil amendments are recommended for your landscape, add them to the soil when you prepare it for planting.
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Planting a large area for a new garden involves removal of any old grass, weeds, rocks and debris. Be sure grass and weeds are dead before preparation; cut out any vegetation or remove it with a sod cutter. If the bed area has never been a flowerbed, it will be necessary to break up the soil with a fork or rototiller. Then spread a generous covering of organic mulch - four to six inches is good. Don't scimp on mulch - it's easier to add now than later. Mix the organic matter in 12 to 18 inches deep if possible. Your area may need additional amendments, such as sulfur or lime. Ask your garden center professional or County Extension office for more information. If you sent in a soil sample, follow its recommendations.
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After the area is planted and watered thoroughly, there's one last important task. Topdress the area with organic mulch. Cover the new planting with 1–2 inches of mulch for annuals, perennials and ground covers, and use 3–4 inches for trees and shrubs. This will conserve moisture, reduce weeds and create an attractive soil covering for your freshly planted bed.
There are many fine products available, including various types of bark chips, shredded bark and wood, and wood chips in several colors. Whatever you choose, use it generously and add more as needed every year. Your soil will be healthier, it will conserve water, and your landscape will be more beautiful for the effort.
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