How to Choose the Right Garden Soil for any Project

If there was one thing that I recommend to a beginner gardeners it would be to make sure you choose the right garden soil for your project.

Choosing the wrong type of soil can be a huge and costly mistake and deterimental to the survival of your plants.

The decision of which type of soil to use for your current project may seem overwheming.  Step into a garden center and you will find many different types of soil, soil amendments, and plant food that choosing the right one may seem daunting.

Here you will find a breakdown of the different types of garden soil and how you can ensure you choose the right garden soil for your plants.

Garden Soil Basics

Some soils are formulated to provide the most ideal conditions for a specific type of plant.  Whether you are starting seeds, planning in a garden bed, potting indoor plants, or creating an in-ground garden plot, the type of soil you choose could make or break you success.

There are several different types of soil such as; native soil, organic soil, synthetic soil, potting soil, seed starter, compost, etc.  Knowing which one is the best for your project could be the difference in having thriving, fruitful plants, or having an unsuccessful garden.

Read on for a simple breakdown for the different types of soils you may see and when and how you should use them.

Native Soil

Native soil is quite simply, the natural soil from your backyard or landscape.  This is what you may be using if you are planting directly in the ground or in a garden plot.

One thing you DO NOT want to do is take native soil from outside and try to use it for indoor plants.  Native soil can house and harbor insect eggs which will hatch and release pests once it come indoors and reaches a warmer temperature.  Make sure you are only using potting soil for indoor plants.

Before planting in your native soil, it will be important to determine the type and quality of your soil so that you can decide if additional nutrients need to be added, which can be done through testing.

Types of Native Soil

hauThere are many aspects to your native soil which will greatly determine the success of your garden.  First, you will want to determine wether your soil is sandy, clay, silty, or loamy.  Some of these  consistencies are better than others and if it is not conducive to a healthy garden, you may need to build it out with store bought soil and amendments.

To find out what kind of soil consistency you have, you can conduct what is called the “squeeze test”.

To conduct a squeeze test, first pick up a handful of dirt (make sure the dirt isn’t soaking wet) and rub it between your ungloved fingers.

The consistency and ability to hold its shape will determine which category it is in:

• Clay – slippery and maintains a ball shape
• Sand – gritty and crumbly, dry
• Loam – crumbly but maintains a loose ball.
• Silty – light and powdery and does not hold shape.

It is so interesting because I actually have multiple types of soil in my yard.  My front garden plot has very wet soil, which definitely consists of heavy clay.  Another area has beautiful loamy soil which has been wonderful for many types of plants.  A few other areas are sandy soil, which usually needs some amendments.

A breakdown of the benefits and negative aspects of each type are as follows:

• Sandy soil – Water and nutrients drain easily but the soil is less fertile.  Easy to dig but will dry out easy.  Good for root vegetables but not great for vegetables that need more nutrients.
• Clay soil – Heavy soil that doesn’t drain water easily.  Plants can get waterlogged or root rot since there is no drainage.  You may want to consider raised beds for better drainage if you are looking to grow root vegetables.  Brassicas will grow well in clay soil.
• Silty soil – Soft and powdery, finer than sandy soil.  Shallow root vegetables such as beets, onions, herbs, are a great option.
• Loamy soil – The best soil to have!  Loamy soil is somewhat of a mixture of the other types.  Holds moisture well, but also drains well.  Loamy soil will contain and retain nutrients.

Getting your soil tested

For a more serious gardener, knowing what type of soil you have is only the beginning.  The best way to really gauge the quality of your garden soil and how successful it will be in growing your chosen vegetables is to conduct a soil test.  A soil test will tell you what nutrients are missing or what nutrients are in excess.  Having this information will allow you to determine any additives, fertilizer, or amendments that may need necessary.

Two easy ways to conduct a soil sample are to purchase an at-home kit or to collect samples and send them to a local soil testing laboratory.

An at-home soil testing kit will be less complicated but it may also be less accurate and comprehensive.  At-home kits will give you information on your soil’s pH and levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash.  These tests can be purchased at any garden supply center.

An at-home soil test is a great option for your yearly soil upkeep, but it is important to at least conduct one laboratory level test when first starting.  This will give you a really great idea of what you are working with.

I was able to do a soil test through a local university.  Check out the universities and colleges in your area and see if they offer a soil testing program.  You can also check out your state’s extension agriculture office to see if they have any programs in your area.

Seed Starting Soil

If you have decided to start your own plants from seeds indoors you will want to make sure that you are using a seed starter.

Seed starting mixtures are specifically desifned to be extremely light weight.  The purpose of a seed starting mix is to allow the seed to sprout and reach the surface of soil.  If the soil is too heavy or dense, the delicate seedling will not be able to push it’s way to the top.

In addition to having a light and airy texture, a seed starting mix also has nutrients and food that allow the seed to germinate.

Once a seedling has emerged from the surface, and has developed leaves, it will be transplanted to a larger pot with potting soil.

Gardening Soil vs Potting Mix

One of the biggest questions I get about soil is: “What is the difference between gardening soil and potting mix?”.

Garden soil is typically top soil, or natural soil mixed with amendments that make it suitable for the average outdoor plant.  You may see bags of these advertised at a garden center as flower garden soil or vegetable garden soil.

Garden soil is ideal if you are filling raised beds or adding soil back into your in-ground garden beds.  You do not want to use garden soil for indoor plants as there may be insect eggs that will hatch once it is inside.

Potting mix is typically a mix of ingredients that are not from natural soil.  Instead it uses a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, bark, among other things.  The purpose of these ingredients is to allow for good drainage which makes potting soil the best options for containers and indoor plants.

Some potting mixes may contain synthetic materials so if you are trying to keep your plants and garden organic, you will want to double check the formula that you are purchasing.  In addition, potting mix can be more expensive than other soils so you will want to do a cost assessment if you are filling a lot of containers or pots.

Top Soil

Top soil is the top layer of soil.  If you are trying to build out your garden and need to add structure, you will want to add top soil.  If you are purchasing it in bulk, you can usually get screened or unscreened.  Screened topsoil has been sifted to remove rocks and other debris and typically has an even consistency.

Top soil does not have additional nutrients or amendments as gardening soil does.  Top soil is your typical material for landscaping and can be used as fill dirt.

If you are planning on growing in the purchased top soil, you will most likely need to add nutrients to allow for a better garden medium.  Gardening soil is basically top soil with the nutrients and amendments already added.

Compost

Compost is not a stand alone planting medium.  It is a material that is added to provide nutrients, food, and minerals back into the chosen soil.

Compost is a natural mixture made typically made of waste that decomposes to create a nutrient rich material that is very beneficial to plants.  Compost provides structure to the soil, as well as, allows for better drainage.  Compost is made of organic materials such as leaves, tree needles, fruit and vegetable waste, and garden waste (as long as it does not have any disease).

While choosing the right garden soil may seem complicated, as you can see there are circumstances where one soil will be superior to the others.

Choosing the right garden soil for you specific garden project is one of the most important decisions you can make and choosing incorrectly could hinder your ability to grow a beautiful and abundant garden.

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