By Pat Dray
The Garden Spot
Pat Dray
New homeowners often ask, “Where should I plant my garden?” Most of the time, they have noted where on the property are the sunniest and shadiest spots. Other common considerations are the topography and availability of a water source. But I rarely have anyone ask about the soil type.
Soil serves several purposes in the garden. One of course is to anchor the roots of the plant. Equally important is that the soil will be a big determinant of how much water and nutrients your plants receive. Soil has three properties that determine how successful your plants will grow: physical properties, chemical properties and biological properties. These can all be affected over time by human activity.
The physical property of most soil here in Connecticut is stony, sandy and acidic. The large number of stones (and we do love our stone walls) are the result of cutting down forests which made rocks rise to the surface of the soil, while the sand is from the melting glaciers which also compacted the soil.
A simple way to determine the physical soil type of your property is to dig some up and feel it. Sandy soil will feel gritty, and you will feel the individual particles of sand. Clay soil has the smallest particles, and you won’t generally feel individual particles. You can then choose plants that will do best with your soil type – plants that don’t need a lot of water will thrive in sandy soil, where those that don’t mind “wet feet” will do better in clay soil.
The chemical properties of soil are related to the pH of the soil. This is important because the pH of the soil controls the microbial activity and root growth of the plant, as well as the ability of the plant to take up nutrients. Since we know our soil tends to be acidic (again because of the glacier activity), we may need to increase the alkalinity by adding lime, wood ash or compost to bring the pH closer to a neutral 7. You can purchase a pH test kit at most of the big-box hardware stores.
The biological properties are related to the bacterial and fungal organisms that change the physical properties of the soil as these microorganisms break down organic matter. An easy way to understand this is to walk in a woodland border and feel the soil versus that in a lawn.
We have a wonderful resource here in Connecticut called the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. CAES was the first experiment station in the country and continues to provide free soil testing to Connecticut residents. You can visit their website at to find out more about the soil testing process at portal.ct.gov/CAES.
Best of luck with your gardening this summer – but please, get your soil tested this year so that you’re in great shape for next year.
Pat Dray is a past president of the Garden Club of Orange and a master gardener.