- garden soil
- Identify fertile soil
- First analysis options
- sandy bottom
- clay soil
- clay soil
- limestone soil
- Acidic or basic
- Note pointer plants
- frequently asked Questions
Only when the soil meets the needs of the plants can they thrive. What are the characteristics of fertile garden soil? Can you determine the soil quality yourself?
In a nutshell
- Determining the soil quality also makes sense in the hobby garden
- Soil conditions influence the success of the harvest
- professional soil analysis reveals the causes of poor development
- laypersons can also recognize important properties
- Indicator plants provide the first clues
garden soil
When plants in the garden are not thriving properly, there are a number of possible reasons. Are the lighting conditions right at the location? Shade plants do not thrive in full sun and plants that need light cannot develop optimally in the shade. How much water does the species need? Ensure adequate watering. Avoid waterlogging, many garden plants are sensitive to it.
If you have checked these characteristics, the soil quality could be the reason for the stunted growth.
The garden soil is a mixture of:
- sand
- Clay
- volume
- silt
Notice: The term "silt" denotes weathered rock.
Identify fertile soil
What are the characteristics of fertile soil? If your garden is full of beautiful flowers and lush greenery, these are clear signs.
earthworm
Characteristics for fertile soil:
- dark brown color
- earthy smell
- crumbly consistency
- no unpleasant smells
The optimal garden soil for growing vegetables consists of
- 35 to 55 percent sand for good permeability
- 10 to 25 percent clay for good water retention
- 25 to a maximum of 45 percent silt
First analysis options
You can see the quality of your garden soil with simple tests. To do this, dig up some garden soil.
1. Rub test
Take some soil between your thumbs and forefingers and rub them together.
Does it feel like sandpaper? This is a first indication of sandy soil.
Does the floor feel smooth? Then this is a sign of a high proportion of clay.
2. Press test
Take a handful of soil and press it together firmly.
When the earth trickles through their hands, the sand content is very high. Limestone soil also does not stick together during the pressing test.
If the soil clumps up and sticks to your hands, this is a sign of a high loam or clay content.
sandy bottom
| benefits | disadvantage |
|---|---|
| warm good permeability good ventilation easy to plant rapid water absorption easy harvesting | low in nutrients poor hold of the roots extensive irrigation required frequent fertilizing necessary |
Soil improvement tips: Sandy garden soil can be improved by applying grass mulch.
Color: Sandy soil has a light grey-brown color.
clay soil
| benefits | disadvantage |
|---|---|
| can store water well suitable for most garden plants very fertile little watering required | poor ventilation regular loosening necessary Danger of compaction after long rains Difficult to harvest root vegetables |
Soil improvement tips: By mixing in sand or lime, you can loosen up the clay soil and support permeability.
Color: Loamy soil is colored ocher to brown depending on the amount of loam.
clay soil
| benefits | disadvantage |
|---|---|
| can store water well easy to fertilize suitable for most garden plants fruitful little watering required | poor ventilation very close regular loosening necessary Hacking very tiring Danger of compaction after long rains Difficult to harvest root vegetables |
Soil improvement tips: By adding sand, lime or wood chips, you can loosen up the clay soil and support permeability.
Color: Clay soil can be recognized by its reddish colour.
limestone soil
| benefits | disadvantage |
|---|---|
| rapid heating good heat retention | very low in nutrients can hardly store water much watering required difficult tillage |
Soil improvement tips: Chalky soil must be regularly improved with compost to allow crops to be grown. Lime soil benefits from mulch layers.
Color: Limestone soil has a light gray to coloration.
Acidic or basic
The pH of the soil has a decisive influence on the development of your plants. A distinction is made between acidic, alkaline and neutral soil.
- pH between 6.5 and 7.5: neutral
- below 6.5: acidic
- above 7.5: basic
You can easily check the pH value of your garden soil.
pH meter
manual
Mix a handful of garden soil with a quarter liter of distilled water. Put litmus paper in the mixture and read the result. Alternatively, you can use soil test sets available from specialist garden retailers or commission a laboratory to carry out the test.
Plants that need acidic soil are called ericaceous plants. A typical representative is rhododendron. On the other hand, only a few plants thrive in alkaline soil. Representatives with these special requirements are thistles, mustard, poppies and conifers. Most garden plants prefer neutral soil.
Necessary soil nutrients
Garden plants need for their growth above all
- magnesium
- phosphorus
- potassium
Important trace elements that contribute to the vitality of ornamental and crop plants are
- iron
- zinc
- manganese
- sodium
- boron
- sulfur
- copper
Notice: Not only a lack of nutrients, but also too much fertilizer can damage plants. Stunted growth, yellow leaves, disease and pest infestation are typical signs.
Note pointer plants
Pay attention to the so-called indicator plants in your garden. The weeds are also of interest. The indicator plants can give initial statements about the soil quality before a soil analysis.
Nettle (Urtica dioica) and Globeflower (Trollius europaeus)
- Nitrogen-rich soil: nettle, dandelion
- Soil poor in nitrogen: stonecrop, toadflax, meadow daisy
- Acid soil: sorrel, arnica, sorrel
- Alkaline soil: corn poppies, bindweed
- Moist soil: globe flower, coltsfoot
- Dry soil: dyer's chamomile
- Compacted Ground: Field Horsetail, Creeping Buttercup
frequently asked Questions
What conclusions does the soil analysis in the laboratory provide?A professional soil analysis gives you information about the soil type, the pH value and the concentrations of the most important minerals and trace elements. The experts provide tips on fertilization and soil improvement based on the results.
How much does a professional soil analysis cost?The costs depend on the scope. An analysis of the soil quality for hobby gardeners costs around 20 to 30 euros. Elaborate tests with detailed information on minerals and heavy metals are available from around 50 euros.
What results do commercially available soil test sets deliver?You can get different sets for determining the soil quality in gardening shops. These are easy to use. A color scale gives you information about the pH value.
From what depth should samples be taken for soil analysis?If you want to have the garden soil tested for growing vegetables, you should take a sample from about 20 centimeters deep. In order to determine the correct location for fruit trees, sampling from 50 to 60 centimeters is required. Professional soil testers use a so-called drill rod for deep samples.