Get to know your garden soils better

Getting to know the soils in the yard or garden can provide insights into what their physical and chemical makeup is in terms of texture, color and organic content, depth, water holding capacity, and structure. Figuring out and knowing soil types can help us determine what they are capable of growing or are best suited for, how they should be managed to remain sustainable, and what their limitations are to name a few properties.

Identifying soil types is a first step to understanding their potentials. Once the basic characteristics are known it is easier to develop plans for managing them. For...