Let's Talk Dirt

It’s almost spring in Minnesota so it’s time to talk dirt, but in the garden it’s called soil. We are having seasonably warm weather in March, which means spring is right around the corner. Healthy soil is key to the success of a garden whether it is annual, perennial or vegetable beds.

First and foremost, about a month before planting, clean up your garden area and tools so everything is ready to go as soon as it’s time to start working the soil. Clear out leaves and fallen branches from your flower beds. If you compost, go ahead and add the leaves to the compost. Make sure all your tools are clean and in working condition. It’s especially important that tools be clean so you don’t accidentally spread a fungus or insect eggs throughout the garden!

To determine if the soil is dry enough to work it, conduct this soil test from Rodale’s Organic Life:

“Pick up about half a cup of soil in your hand. Squeeze the soil together so that it forms a ball. If the ball of earth can readily be shattered by pressing with your fingers or dropping it from a height of 3 feet or so, it is dry enough to dig."

What is soil texture?

Ideally, it is 40% sand, 40% silt (silt is made up of rock and mineral particles that are larger than clay but smaller than sand) and 20% clay.

The best soil texture for growing plants is what is called "loam". Loam is loose and crumbly in our hands. It has good water drainage and allows air to infiltrate the soil like sand, but it also holds moisture well and is fertile like silt and clay. Its texture is porous, allowing water to flow through slowly enough for the plants to access it.

Creating good soil for plants and vegetables in not a one and done garden chore. The soil is always depleting itself so replenishment is needed for each growing season. “Good soil means the soil has the right nutrients for feeding the plants and a texture that holds water long enough for plant roots to access it, but well-draining enough that the roots are not sitting in water.” *

If need be, you can test your soil. Soil pH is a measure of your soil's acidity below 7.0 or

alkalinity higher than 7.0. (7.0 is defined as neutral soil). Some plants are specific in their PH requirements so it is a good idea to check.

Turning your existing soil into loam involves working organic matter into the soil every year.

For the majority soils, laying down at least a two-inch layer of organic matter and working into existing soil is the best way to create good soil. Organic matter attracts beneficial organisms (worms irrigate the soil) that will help keep the soil healthy.

What are some types of organic matter? This most common include compost and animal manure.

*The Spruce Blog