Soil

If your yard is too wet you have a problem. Most plants will not thrive when their roots are struggling to grow in wet soil. Plants need water but they also need oxygen, and a soil that stays wet...

Soil that is high in both salt and sodium is considered to be saline-sodic soil. This type of soil might occur naturally or unnaturally though the impact of human gardening and farming practices.

Sandy soil is composed of large, coarse, rapidly-draining particles. Clay soil is made up of fine particles, which when compacted, causes soil to become waterlogged. A grower who knows the...

Knowing how your yard drains will help you set goals to improve your drainage. The type of soil in your yard determines how well it drains and the slope or grade of your yard determines what low...

The pH of your soil can impact how well your plants grow in your yard or garden. Different plants have different pH preferences. The pH scale measures the concentration of hydrogen and hydroxide...

Clay soil is often referred to as heavy soil because of its water-retention capacity. Because it drains poorly, it is easily saturated with water, which can lead to root rot or make it hard for...

Gypsum is a common mineral, hydrated calcium sulphate, used in Plaster of Paris, sheetrock and other household applications. Gypsum is a useful agricultural soil amendment for certain types of...

The pH of a soil affects how well different plants will grow in it. For example, watermelons can grow in soils with pH levels as low as 5.0, while beets need a pH of above 6.0 to flourish. The pH...

Clay soil is generally negatively charged, allowing it to bond easily with a number of nutrients that carry a positive charge. As this bonding occurs over time, most clay soil ends up with a...

One simple way that gardeners today can help the environment, while at the same time lowering their gardening costs, is to create their own composting bins. After the initial start-up costs (such...

Soil erosion is a naturally occurring phenomenon that exists in any environment capable of sustaining plant life. The main agents of soil erosion are water and wind; however, in this article we...

Watering plants during a heat wave is a matter of knowing the unique needs of different plants. Protect each plant from the ravages of extreme heat, avoid water waste with basic plant-watering...

Understanding how much moisture is in your soil is important for placing irrigation systems, choosing landscaping plants and selecting ground cover. Plants need a very specific amount of water....

Potassium chloride is classified as a metal halide salt that in its pure state is odorless. Potassium chloride is a white or colorless crystal that is made up of potassium and chlorine. It has a...

Manufacturing processes, building construction and water treatment applications all carry the risk of releasing hazardous materials into the environment. The effects of these pollutants impact the...

Admittedly, worm tea doesn't sound like the most appetizing thing in the world, but thankfully it's not something meant to be ingested by humans. Rather, it's meant to be used for plants. Worm tea...

The minerals found in river water are the same as found in the continental bedrock that they flow through. Much of this bedrock is formed from the skeletons of ancient sea creatures that contain...

Soil may be contaminated by any number of toxins, from dog urine to gasoline or other chemicals. The end result is the same: the soil does not support growth of vegetative growth. Also, because...

Starting a garden? Just moved into a new house, and want to learn just how good is your soil? Then do a drainage test? This piece of info can tell you a few things.

A soil perk or perc test, short for percolation, is a simple test designed to measure the rate at which water is absorbed and travels through the soil in a given area. Perc tests are required for...

Tensiometers measure how easily water can be drawn out of the soil. They consist of a ceramic tip that absorbs water, a clear tube that holds air, absorbed water and the partial vacuum created by...

Growing Japanese Maples in a container requires a lot of work for a long period of time. But if you take care of it properly, it can live over a 100 years. They come in many colors, grow slowly,...

Transplanting plants during a dry spell or drought can be tricky. You have to make sure that newly moved plants get plenty of water to the roots for the first few weeks, but that can be hard to do...

A simple soil water test can be a great way to determine the quality and makeup of your soil. You can get a clear idea of the different soil composition throughout your yard. This will help you to...

Design your garden with African Violets and its cousins, Streptocarpus plants. Learn about the African Violet by learning how to take care of it properly.

The other day a man came to my house and we were looking at my garden when he commented on the soil. "Where did you get this dirt? This isn't Missouri(Ozarks)dirt." The fact was,...

Oak leaf tea makes an excellent fertilizer for acid loving plants and is cheap and easy to make. All you need is a five gallon bucket, water and oak leaves. Oak leaf tea is cheaper than buying...

Testing your soil for adequate drainage is an important step in planting a new lawn or a garden. Following these easy steps you can determine the condition of drainage in your planting area, and...

If you have a problem with water build-up on your property, a drainage ditch may be the best solution. A drainage ditch creates a route of departure for excess water that may collect at a given...

Soil drainage refers to the ability of water to drain through the upper layer of soil and seep into deeper areas. Poor drainage prevents plants from receiving proper nutrients for growth, either...

Manure tea is a homemade garden fertilizer similar to compost teas. To make it, manure is soaked in water to concentrate the nutrients. There are different methods for using the tea, however...

Erosion is ever present in nearly every landscape on earth. You may not notice, but the natural forces responsible for shaping our planet are agents of erosion. Erosion comes in many forms. Some...

Before building a landscape or planting a garden, it is important to learn what kind of drainage different areas of your property have. Soil drainage will tell you how long water will remain...

Soil sustains biological activity, providing a growth medium for plants, food for animals, filtration for water and insulation from heat and cold for some creatures. The most agriculturally...

A rain gauge is an instrument that is used to measure the amount of rainfall in a given area over a specific amount of time. Rain gauges can be quite complex or very simple. Data from rain...

Growing in popularity, rain gardens not only enhance property values, they provide an eco-friendly way to divert storm water and reduce pollution. Once established, a rain garden serves to collect...

Knowing what kind of soil you have to work with is really important if you are to get the most out of your gardening or landscaping. It will tell you how much to water and fertilize, and even...

Biological soil amendments can transform virtually any soil into a fertile forest floor! Professionals have been using Rhizofuel for years... now homeowners can take advantage of this great product.

Planting Vetiver grass prevents the erosion of soil that would otherwise disappear into bordering bodies of water or water run-off. Accretion, or the natural building back up of soil, can take...

Soil erosion, or the movement and displacement of top soil, is a serious environmental problem especially on slopes. The loss of topsoil due to erosion can affect the growth of crops and native...

Deep watering is the process of driving water down into the soil so that it merges with the natural moisture level deep underground. It encourages roots to follow the water downward, eventually...

If you live in an arid climate, be certain you're watering your plants deeply enough for the roots to grow deep into the soil. To determine how far into the soil water is penetrating, use a soil...

There is no such thing as "bad soil." Some types of soil retain water longer than fast-draining sandy soil, and clay soil will retain water for a very long time. The problem is that clay soil...

If you live in an area that has a native soil composed mostly of sand, you will need to change your watering habits.