Every gardener knows the value of soil. Good soil is essential for growing sweet and healthy vegetables. What is the best soil for vegetables? Continue reading to find out the best soil for various vegetables, how to amend poor soil, and the required quantity of soil for growing vegetables.
The Best Type of Soil for Vegetables
There are various types of soil.
- Silt
- Clay
- Sandy soil
- Loamy soil
Silt and clay soil, though not the same, are similar and are not recommended for vegetable gardening. Some cons of silt and clay in vegetable gardening are:
- They are not porous and do not allow sufficient oxygen to reach the roots
- Silt and clay retain water, so the root of your plant might suffocate when you water the plant
- When dry, silt and clay soil do not quickly absorb water, therefore dehydrating your vegetables
Sandy soil, unlike silt and clay soil, is well-drained and provides sufficient oxygen to your plant’s root. Sandy soil, however, is not recommended for vegetable gardening because:
- There is insufficient nutrient in the soil to sustain your plants
- Sandy soil drains water quickly, so your vegetables are at risk of dehydration
- Due to the porosity of sandy soil, heat (from the atmosphere) can reach further into the soil
Loamy soil is somewhere between clay and sandy soil. Loamy soil is a combination of clay, sand, humusHumus is an organic soil amendment made from decomposing organic matter such as leaves, twigs, etc. Humus is dark brown and aerates the soil. It is full of nutrients., and other organicAn organic material is any material derived from plants, animals, fungi, or microbe sources (i.e. living things) and is biodegradable. 'Organic' can also refer to the gardening practice that involve zero use of chemicals as fertilizers, pesticides, etc. Plants grown organically are healthier and produce fruits with more quality. matter. Loam is the recommended soil for your vegetables because it holds nutrients, it is well-drained, and a perfect mediumAny material used as substrate for the growth of organisms such as plants, mushrooms, and microbes. Soil is the medium for most plants while a mixture of sawdust and grains is the medium of commercially cultured mushrooms. to grow vegetables.
What Type of Soil is in Your Garden?
The best way to know the type of soil present in your garden is to do a soil test. You can ask gardening experts at a local garden center or the nearest extension office to help you check your garden soil.
Here is an easy way to determine the kind of soil is in your garden:
- Water your garden soil when the sun has set (i.e., dusk)
- Wait till the following morning.
- Squeeze an ample amount of soil with your hands.
- Open your hands
What will this soil testSoil test is a test used to measure the quality of soil. Soil test can determine the amount of nutrients in the soil, how compacted the soil is, what type of soil it is, the pH of the soil, microbes in the soil, and so many qualities. It is often recommended to do a soil test at a local extension office before using a land to garden for the first time. method achieve? The results below will help you to identify your garden soil:
- If the soil scatters immediately you open your hands (i.e., it is not compacted), it is sandy soil
- If the soil is compacted, drop it to the ground. If it scatters completely, it is loamy soil.
- If it breaks into parts (i.e., it does not scatter completely) after you drop it to the ground, it is silt or clay soil.
Whether you do it yourself or have it done through an extension office, a soil pHPotential of Hydrogen or pH is a measurement of the acidity or alkalinity of any material. pH is read from 0-14. 0-6.9 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and 7.1-14 is alkaline (or basic) test is recommended before starting a garden.
How to Fix Poor Soil
If your garden soil is not suitable to grow vegetables, should you abandon it? Only losers quit. Here are some solutions to fix your poor soil:
- Amend the soil
- Plant on Raised Beds
- Research suitable vegetables
- Fill the garden with commercial soil.
There are various solutions for resolving the issue of poor garden soil.
Amending Soil
Amending soil is a practice of applying soil amendmentAny material added to soil to improve the soil quality. Soil amendment can improve the soil pH, water retention, aeration, nutrient content, and so much more qualities. (i.e., a product that can boost the quality of your garden soil) on your garden soil. According to the need of your soil, soil amendment can:
- Stabilize the pH of your soil
- Enrich your soil with the nutrients that your vegetables need
- Increase/decrease the porosity, water-drainage, and other physical qualities of your soil
A few examples of soil amendments are:
- Fertilizer
- Compost
- Peat moss
- Vermiculite
- Rotted manure
You should amend your soil 2-3 weeks before planting vegetables in it.
Raised Vegetable Bed Gardening
Raised vegetable bed gardening is the practice of growing your vegetables in a constructed garden bed (or elevated bed) and not directly on the ground. If your garden soil is poor and you do not want to amend the whole plot, you can grow your vegetables in a raised bed.
Some benefits of raised bed vegetable gardening are:
- Water Drainage: Elevated soil drains easily
- Easy Gardening: Growing, caring for, and harvesting your vegetables is less strenuous.
- Sufficient Nutrients: Raised garden beds are made with fresh, nutritionally rich soil
- Best for Root Crops: You do not have to dig deep for root crops like potatoes, turnips, etc.
When constructing your raised vegetable garden bed, use a soil mix of 50% loam and 50% compostAn organic matter made from decomposed plant materials. Compost is often made from decomposing shredded leaves, hay, fruits, and other plant materials at a ratio of 25 part dry brown materials to 1 part fresh green materials.. Remember to water your raised bed vegetables regularly.
Research Suitable Vegetables
Different vegetables have different soil requirements. Some vegetables prefer slightly acidicAny material such as compost, soil, fill dirt, fertilizer, water, etc with a pH less than 7.0. Acidity in materials is usually determined through chemical strip tests or other types of chemical tests. Soil or substrate over a pH of 7.0 in the plant and garden world is usually referred to as "Acidic soil". soil, while others need alkalineAny material with a pH of more than 7 to 14. Alkaline materials can also be called basic. Any material with pH 7 is neutral, while pH less than 7 to 0 is acidic. soil. When you conduct your soil test, you should ask the extension officer for vegetables that can grow in (or tolerate) your soil.
When buying vegetable seeds, check the requirements listed on the seed package. Using the details of your garden soil, you can identify the vegetables that can grow in your soil.
Fill the Garden with Commercial Soil
You can always buy commercial soil for your garden. Commercial soil is mostly loam topsoil mixed with organic materials to boost the nutrient content of your garden.
You can buy commercial soil online or at a local shop nearby.
How Much Soil Do You Need?
Whether you are buying soil for your raised vegetable garden bed or filling your garden, you need to know the right amount so that you do not buy more than (or lower than) what you need.
How much soil do you need? The amount of soil that you need depends on the dimensions of your garden bed. Let’s say that you intend to start a 10 feet by 20 feet garden (i.e., 200ft2); you also need to consider how deep the soil should be. Let’s say that you need a depth of 15 inches (i.e., 1.25ft). With a dimension of 10*20*1.25, you need 250ft3 of soil.
Note: 10 × 20 × 1.25 = 250.
With the easy formula above, you can calculate how many cubic feet of soil you need for your garden.
Soil for Indoor Gardening
Do you want to grow vegetables indoors? Have you thought of using soil from your outdoor garden indoors? That is a bad idea. You should use fresh soil in your indoor garden.
Here are some reasons why you should not use outdoor soil indoors:
- Outdoor soil might have microbes that you do not want indoors.
- Garden soil is not suitable indoors as you grow some indoor plants in pots.
If you must use outdoor soil indoors, here are ways that you can make it more suitable:
- Sterilize the soil
- Amend the soil to improve its porosity
You can sterilize soil by baking it for 30 minutes or waiting till its temperature reaches 180°. To improve the porosity of your garden soil for indoor use, mix it with perlite.
Note: Soil that is porous needs constant watering. Also, liquid fertilizers can quickly drain in porous soil.
Extra Soil Tips
Do you want more soil tips?
- You can identify a fertileRefers to fruits that bear seeds that can germinate into new plants. Also refers to stamens that bear pollen. With pollens in stamens, a plant can produce fruits (bearing seeds). soil by its color. Nutrient-rich soil looks dark
- The pH of your soil should be between 6 to 7 as most plants prefer that range
- Remember to mulchMulch is any material (mostly organic) that gardeners cover the garden soil with. Mulch can be used to prevent water from evaporating (therefore increasing soil moisture), prevent weed from growing, ec. Examples of materials used to mulch are straw, weed fabric, hay, dead leaves, etc. your garden soil to retain moisture and prevent weed growth
- Planting leguminous plants in your garden is beneficial if you want a freeRefers to structures that are not attached to organs or any structure. For example, a petal free from the calyx. nitrogen source
- Banana peels, bone mealBone meal is bone finely ground into powder used as a source of calcium and phosphorus. Bone meal can be composted or applied directly in the garden. This organic fertilizer releases nutrients to plants slowly., potash, wood ash, etc. can provide your soil with needed nutrients
Conclusion
The best soil for vegetables is loamy soil. Even though different vegetables have different requirements, well-drained soil with pH 6-7 can grow nearly all kinds of vegetables.
You should not use outdoor soil indoors, and you should not plant vegetables in unsuitable soil. Remember to amend poor soil to improve its quality.
What do you think? Is your garden soil okay, or do you need to amend it? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
