If you are a garden lover, then you would know the importance of garden soil in a garden. Garden soil plays a huge role when it comes to ensuring the proper growth of your plants and enhancing the appearance of your garden. In order to secure that you should know when to use garden soil.
When to use garden soil? Garden soil is mixed with organic materials and existing soil of your garden as a compost, to add more nutrients to your garden bed. It is usually done during the spring, when the soil is dry.
In order to maintain and use your garden soil appropriately, you are highly recommended to know about the following factors. This will help you to take care of your garden and enhance the growth of your plant, within a short time.
What Are The Benefits Of Garden Soil?
People prefer to use garden soil in their garden due to its amazing benefits. It has the ability to cover up all your desired needs for your garden and plant in a less time. To get to know about it in details, let’s check out what are the benefits of garden soil:
Renewable:
One of the big advantage for using garden soil is, it’s eco-friendly and they can be used again and again. You don’t have to worry about the leftover. You can mix them with the new organic material and new garden soil and re-use it again.
Improve Soil:
Upon addition of garden soil, the quality of your soil will be upgraded. They will ensure the basic qualities of your soil, for a long period of time. For example it can maintain pH level, ensure a proper water controlling system, feed plants, etc.
Add Nutrients:
It can further add nutrients to your soil, in order to ensure the fast and healthy growth of your plants. It will make sure that your plants would get deprived of any nutrients.
Controls Water Drainage System:
Lastly, it maintains proper circulation of water of your soil. It will ensure the water level so that your plants get a suitable amount of water. Not too much, not too less. And keep your soil moisturized.
Types Of Garden Soil
Garden soils are classified into different groups. Each type of the group has their own specialty. Therefore, before using any garden soil you should know about its type and find the appropriate one for your plants. There are main six types of garden soil:
1. Clay Soil:
If you are looking for nutrient rich soil, then clay soil will be one of the suitable soil for you. Furthermore, by enhancing the water circulating system, plants will be able to develop and grow properly just like you want it to be.
What is Clay Soil? Clay soil is sticky when they are wet and super hard when they are dry. It is also well known for being rich with nutrients.During the spring it will slowly warm up the soil.
2. Sandy Soil:
Looking for soil which is easy to cultivate? Then here we can suggest sandy soil. With this soil you can cultivate effortlessly.
What is Sandy Soil? Sandy soils are powdery. It is because of their fast water drainage system. However during the spring, they can warm up the soil really fast. It also has the advantage from mulching to maintain the moisture of the soil.
3. Silty Soil:
Water drainage system plays an important role, when it comes to maintaining moisture in your soil. For that we have silty soil because it has the ability to maintain a proper water circulation system.
What is Silty Soil? Silty soils are soft to touch and soapy. It is well known for being easy to cultivate and can be packed down easily. In order to enhance the quality of this soil, you can further blend it with organic minerals to drainage and structure.
4. Peaty Soil:
There are few plants, which grow in acidic soil. If you are looking for soil for those plants, then you are suggested to look into peaty soil.
What is Peaty Soil? Peaty soils are damp and spongy. Also it is relatively darker in color than other soil. It has pH less than 7, which makes this soil acidic. Despite that, it has the ability to heat up the soil fast, and retain moisture for a long period of time. Also it can hold a lot of water.
5. Chalky Soil:
Unlike peaty soil, chalky soil is alkaline in nature. Due to that sometimes yellowish leaves are seen.
What is Chalky Soil? Chalky is rocky to touch. It is suitable for the plants which grow in alkaline soil. Further adding humus can improve the soil like by enhancing water drainage system and effectiveness.
6. Loamy Soil:
If you are searching for all round soil, then check out loamy soil. Unlike any other soil, its characteristics suit it to be one of the best garden soils.
What is Loamy Soil? Loamy soil is a mixture of sand, clay and silt. It has great texture, proper water circulation system and is nutrient rich. Along with that, it is easy to cultivate and warm up the soil easily. One of the best features is that it can maintain water even in winter without drying out.
Garden Soil VS Potting Soil
People usually find it difficult to judge suitable soil for gardening and potting. So, we are here to help you out how to differentiate garden soil and potting soil. With this you can clear out all of your queries.
| Garden Soil | Potting Soil |
| -contains natural topsoil -mixed with compost and other organic matter -water dries fast -garden soil isn’t suitable for pot -fertilizer isn’t always necessary -natural -suitable for outdoor use -soils are heavier | -contains no natural soil -mixed materials like moss, bark, etc -hold water for longer time -potting soil isn’t suitable for garden -contains chemical fertilizer -formulated for containers -suitable for indoor use -soils are light |
How Do You Fix Your Garden Soil?
In order to maintain your garden soil for a long term, you should know how to fix your garden soil. This will help you to enhance the overall growth of your garden and your plants. To secure that, you are highly suggested to follow the steps given below:
Step:1- Add Compost
By the addition of compost to your garden soil, you will be able to enrich the soil in such a way that it will upgrade your soil’s structure, make it nutrition rich, promote water and air regulation. Therefore, it will ensure the most suitable environment for your plants to grow.
Step:2 – Check Your Soil On Regular Basis
This will help you to see whether you need any modification to your soil or not. Enriching your soil is a continuous process; therefore constant management of your soil is necessary and feeds your soil accordingly.
Step:3 – Mulching Soil
Mulching your soil is necessary in order to prevent unwanted weeds from growing and ensure the moisture of your soil. It plays an amazing role in improving overall soil.
Step:4 – Ensure Suitable Soil
Any compact or hard soil can prevent proper water circulation and drainage system. And this can affect your plant growth. Therefore, always use suitable soil according to your plants.
Step:5 – Add Animal Manure
Lastly, you are recommended to add aged animal manure. This will feed your soil and ensure the productive growth of your plant. This will help your soil to comeback alive.
When Should You Replace Garden Soil?
Replacing garden soil is necessary in order to maintain constant effectiveness of your soil. You should replace your garden soil every year or two. This will help you to make sure healthy growth of your plants. To secure that, please follow these steps:
1. Soak your soil before the day you are planning to work.
2. Do the general cleaning of your soil, by removing weeds.
3. Then start to loosen your soil.
4. Add compost to it.
5. If you want to raise your soil level, then add more garden soil to it.
6. Make sure you mix them up well.
7. Take soil back to the shape.
8. Keep it aerated, so that air can pass.
9. Lastly, you can add mulch on top of your garden soil.
Now you are ready to plant. You can also flow our latest article on how to choose best garden soil?.
Can You Use Garden Soil in Pots?
Garden soil is more compact than potting soil. Therefore, it cannot ensure a proper water drainage system for your pot. Thus, use of garden soil won’t be suitable for your pot.
If you are looking for suitable soil for your pot, then you should pick potting soil. It would make sure all the requirements needed for your potted plants.
Can You Use Garden Soil in Containers?
Using garden soil in containers isn’t recommended. Since garden soil is denser, it won’t be able to maintain the water and might affect roots of the plants.
As a result, you are highly suggested to use light weighted soil. This will be able to ensure both safety and growth of your plants.
Can You Use Garden Soil for Indoor Plants?
Garden soil is good for outdoor and ground purposes, but not for indoor. Garden soil is only effective in outside areas. For indoor activity, it won’t be able to meet the plant’s needs.
Potting mix will be the most suitable soil for your indoor plants. It will be able to maintain moisture of your soil and resist compactness. Therefore, we would recommend you to use potting mix.
Can you use garden soil for succulents?
Without adding soil amendments, you cannot use garden soil for succulents. Normally people prefer to use soil which can maintain its moisture for a long period of time. But you should know, for succulent this is not the case.
Succulents perfect soil with a fast water drainage system and which holds little amount of moisture. Therefore, you need to meet these conditions while using the garden soil.
Can You Use Garden Soil for Pond Plants?
Heavy clay soil is suitable for pond plants rather than garden soil. Garden soil won’t be able to hold too much water and resist floating on the top of the water surface. Thus, heavy weight of the soil is necessary.
Heavy clay soil will be able to maintain a huge amount of water and provide nutrients to the pond plants, without itself being washed away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we have answered some of the frequently asked questions:
How frequently should you add soil to your garden?
You should add soil to your garden at least once in a year (keeping a minimum 6 months gap).
When should you apply soil and compost to your garden?
You are suggested to apply soil and compost in early spring.
Can you add too much compost?
Too much of everything isn’t good. Therefore, don’t add compost more than 2 inches.
What should you fill a garden raised bed with?
You can fill your raised bed with topsoil, compost or other organic minerals.
How can you make your garden soil flat?
Don’t press on top of your soil. Just spread the soil in such a way to make it even. You can add extra soil if required.
Wrapping Up
As a plant lover, you should know the importance of garden soil for your plants. By the use of a good garden soil both of you and your plants will be benefited. And this is what every gardener wants. Therefore, take care of your garden soil. We hope you have found this article helpful. Happy gardening!
Hi, guys! I’m Lucía Fornes. I’ve graduated from Queens College, City University of New York. I’m currently living in New York City! Everything from interior decorations for living smartly to tips for living a free and stylish life, I share my thoughts on GroundInsider.Com. Besides, you can also catch me sharing tips regarding gardens here from time to time!