Choosing Soil for Plants (I)
Try and improve the soil is very important.
Then you have the ideal characteristics that should be a soil for growing plants.Review them and try to beat each of them in your particular case.
1. Deep
Sometimes there is a hard rock is not traversable by the roots (eg, 40 cm. Deep) or a compact layer of clay. This is bad. The more soil the roots have extended without limitations, plus size reach the plants.
Dig with a spade and see if there is a hard layer or not, this may be the cause of many trees and shrubs do not thrive properly.
Improved: add topsoil and deep tilled to break the waterproof layer if it is very shallow.
2. Crumbly, fluffy, airy structure
Improved: add organic matter. In clay soils, organic matter addition, it should also mix sand.
3. Easy to work
Clay soils are difficult to work because wet soil is a dense mass, and when dry it is too hard.
»Upgrade: adds organic matter and sand.
4. Good water holding capacity
Sandy soils are dry, do not store water as the clay and water should be enough. Clay with no problem in this area can even be negative if they retain too much water.
Improved: in sandy soils, and therefore, with low water holding capacity, can give cohesion adding about 100 kilos per 100 m2 of peat or other organic matter, and even adding some clay.
If it holds little water, water with less but more frequently. Drip irrigation in sandy soil is ideal.
5. Good drainage
Clay soils tend to puddle, which rots the roots. Although not all clay soils drain poorly.Care in the lowlands, where water accumulates.
Enhancement: to improve poor drainage, you can:
1. Install drainage pipes.
2. Dar pending the ground to avoid puddles.
3. Provide sand: about 2 to 3 cubic meters per 100 m2. The more the better.
4. Provide organic matter to the soil: air.
5. Choose more resilient species asphyxiating conditions.