Things You'll Need:
- Soil
- Soil testing kit
- Spade
- Lime
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Step 1
Assess your soil drainage. If you have a new garden or are planting a new area, the you need to assess the soil. The first step is to check drainage by digging holes about a foot deep randomly across the area. Fill the area with water and see how quickly it drains. If it disappears within 24 hours then the drainage is fine. If the hole is still partially filled you may have a drainage problem.
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Step 2
Test the soil pH. There are many cheap and reliable soil testing kits available from garden retailers what will indicate the soil's pH level. Follow the testing instructions and ask the garden center representative for advice. For the best indicator, mix soil from several holes.
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Step 3
Reduce soil acidity. After testing the soil pH, if you find the acidity of the soil is to high then you will need to reduce it. The acidity of your soil can be reduced by adding lime for a few weeks before planting and working thoroughly with a rake. First check the soil-testing results to see how much lime is required.
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Step 4
Check soil nutrients. Collect a soil sample from about 4 inches below the surface. Take a number of samples and mix them together to give the most comprehensive results. Mix one part soil with five parts of clean spring water. Draw off some or the settled liquid with the kit dropper. Use it to transfer the solution to the test chamber in the container supplied with the kit. Select the color coded capsule for the nutrient you wish to test. Put the powder in the chamber, replace the cap and shake well. After a few minutes, compare with the included chart for results.
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Step 5
Understand your soil. Your soil will be either sandy soil, silt soil, loamy soil, or clay soil. If you soil is clay soil then it is generally fertile but harder to work with, the soil is packed tighter with less air spaces and dries out in the summer. If your soil is sandy the water drains freely, there are plenty of air spaces, and prone to drying out during droughts. If you have silt soil then your soil is a combination of clay and sand. Silt soil is fertile and fairly free-draining. If your soil is loamy the it warms up quickly in the spring but is highly fertile.
