A Successful Garden - Soil Preparation

Key ingredients of a good garden bed are oxygen, nutrients, and water. The plants can not do their best if the soil isn't right. You must get your thumb brown (digging in the dirt) before you can rightfully claim to have a green thumb.

Preparing your particular soil conditions can be a real challenge. I hear what you're saying- "this spot is impossible"! No matter where the location, the soil can be prepared to provide all three elements. It may take time and become costly, but it can be done! It just depends on how committed you are to the project.

Think of your garden spot as a huge container that will hold your garden. Now replace the void left by cleaning it out with what you visualize as the perfect soil that will provide oxygen, nutrients, and water.

Can you use any of the removed materials? You may have to import (purchase or gather from another area) the best ingredients.

In order for your plants to obtain the necessary oxygen for good root development, the soil must not be compacted or become compacted over time. Amend the soil with organic matter such as fine pine bark, leaf mold, compost, peat moss and sand. A good rule-of-thumb is to add about a 3 to 4 inch layer of organic matter to the area. Organic matter will build up the soil, allow oxygen in and provide excellent drainage.

This same organic matter will benefit gardeners with an excessively sandy soil structure. These sandier soils dry quickly and allow for rapid leaching of nutrients. The organic matter will assist the water holding capacity greatly and will hold valuable nutrients.

The soil must also be able to hold water as well as drain properly. There is a simple test you can perform if you are not sure about the drainage. Use a large coffee can (about 46-ounce size) with the bottom and top removed. Dig a 4-inch-deep hole and set the can on the floor of the hole; firm the soil around the can so water can not slip under the bottom edge.

Fill the can to the top with water; wait an hour and then measure the water level. If the level doesn't seem to drop at all, the soil drainage is poor.

In some cases, you may not have any choice but to place your garden in a low lying area. These are places where water "stands" for a goodly portion of the year because the water has no place to drain to. With a little more effort, the problem can be corrected.

Incorporate a "French drain" system into the garden. This can be done by installing a 4 inch perforated plastic drain (the same as that used in the filter field of a septic system) around the perimeter of the garden.

- Place the pipe at the edge between the prepared soil and the undisturbed soil (tilled) and about 10 inches deep.

- Put a "tee" on the end of the pipe and begin laying the pipe at the lowest corner.

- Continue to lay the pipe around the garden until you come back to the beginning and connect to the "tee" (the completed layout should form the shape of a square or rectangle).

- Connect a solid 4 inch drain pipe to the "tee" end that points away from the garden.

- Install the solid drain pipe in a trench at a falling grade of at least 1/2 inch per 8 feet of pipe (one end of the pipe is 1/2 inch lower than the other).

- Terminate the drain into a storm drain or ditch that will deliver the water away from the garden.

Pay close attention to the amount of moisture in the soil. Adjust your watering schedule to match the dryness/dampness of the soil.

Now replace the void left by cleaning it out with what you visualize as the perfect soil that will provide oxygen, nutrients, and water.

Organic matter will build up the soil, allow oxygen in and provide excellent drainage.

The soil must also be able to hold water as well as drain properly. Dig a 4-inch-deep hole and set the can on the floor of the hole; firm the soil around the can so water can not slip under the bottom edge.

If the level doesn't seem to drop at all, the soil drainage is poor.

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