There are essentially 4 types of garden soil and knowing which one you have is the first step to successful gardening.
This article looks at sandy soil and how you can best work with it as a gardener.
Sandy soil is a light, open soil made up of coarse sand particles When you pick up a handful of this soil, it feels gritty ad even when wet, it will crumble apart in your hands.
The light porous texture of this soil ensures good drainage and aeration allowing you to work it all year round.
The soil warms up quickly in spring and roots are able to grow freely and deeply into it.
Plants To Grow In Sandy Soils The following is a non-exhaustive list of plants you may wish to try: Buddleia Heather Plumbago Gladioli Limnanthes (Poached Egg Plant) Persicaria Echinops Lavatera How To Improve A Sandy Soil The main disadvantage with sandy soil is that its light open texture makes it unable to retain moisture during drought.
As water drains through the soil, nutrients are washed away with it in a process known as leaching.
By digging in plenty of organic matter such as composted bark, well rotted farm manure or simple garden compost, you can help the soil to retain moisture.
Most sandy soils are acidic and so to grow acid hating plants, you will have to apply lime regularly.
Once moisture retention has been addressed, it is a great idea to apply mulch to the top surface of the soil to minimise evaporation during hot dry weather.
In many ways, sandy soils are the gardener's best friend - easy to work, easy to improve and providing a great basis for growing pretty much any plant.
This article looks at sandy soil and how you can best work with it as a gardener.
Sandy soil is a light, open soil made up of coarse sand particles When you pick up a handful of this soil, it feels gritty ad even when wet, it will crumble apart in your hands.
The light porous texture of this soil ensures good drainage and aeration allowing you to work it all year round.
The soil warms up quickly in spring and roots are able to grow freely and deeply into it.
Plants To Grow In Sandy Soils The following is a non-exhaustive list of plants you may wish to try: Buddleia Heather Plumbago Gladioli Limnanthes (Poached Egg Plant) Persicaria Echinops Lavatera How To Improve A Sandy Soil The main disadvantage with sandy soil is that its light open texture makes it unable to retain moisture during drought.
As water drains through the soil, nutrients are washed away with it in a process known as leaching.
By digging in plenty of organic matter such as composted bark, well rotted farm manure or simple garden compost, you can help the soil to retain moisture.
Most sandy soils are acidic and so to grow acid hating plants, you will have to apply lime regularly.
Once moisture retention has been addressed, it is a great idea to apply mulch to the top surface of the soil to minimise evaporation during hot dry weather.
In many ways, sandy soils are the gardener's best friend - easy to work, easy to improve and providing a great basis for growing pretty much any plant.
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