The more you can learn about your soil, the more you’ll understand your garden.
Subscribe: ab.co/Gardening...
It’s easy to focus on what’s above the ground in the garden, when we should focus more on what’s below - the soil. Tino suggests a soil texture test as a starter.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
A shovel or trowel
3-4 containers, such as old ice cream tubs or buckets
A separate bucket for water
WHAT YOU DO:
Scrape back any mulch from your sample area, dig down about 4cm of soil then take a small sample (about a trowel full), removing any twigs and rocks.
Do this in a few different spots around your garden, as soil can vary.
Put each sample in its own container.
Fill a bucket with some water.
Grab a handful of soil and moisten it by dripping some water over it.
Try to roll it up into a ball.
Try rolling the ball into a ribbon.
Lastly, try ‘bending’ the ribbon.
Each soil will react in different ways.
In Tino’s first sample, the dry dusty soil won’t absorb the water nor form a ball - this is typical of sandy soil, which doesn’t hold moisture or nutrients very well.
A sample taken from around the pond was already moist and heavy, so needs no extra water. It easily rolls into a ball and can also be rolled into a ribbon. Tino is able to bend the ribbon without it breaking. This shows it has a lot of clay in it, which comprises lots of small particles that tend to bond together. It means the soil does not drain well, and there are fewer air pockets for roots.
The sample from the flower bed forms a ball quite easily, can be rolled into a ribbon but breaks when it’s bent - it’s a loam, with a good mix of clay, sand and organic matter. This is probably the best soil for growing a wide range of plants.
Once you know what type of soil you have in different areas of your garden, you can either choose plants that suit your soil, or you can improve it by adding compost and other organic matter.
See the latest content from Gardening Australia as it goes live by hitting subscribe: ab.co/Gardening...
Watch Gardening Australia on ABC iview: iview.abc.net.a...
About Gardening Australia:
Gardening Australia is an ABC TV program providing gardening know-how and inspiration. Presented by Australia's leading horticultural experts, Gardening Australia is a valuable resource to all gardeners through the television program, the magazine, books, DVDs and extensive online content.
Connect with other Gardening Australia fans:
Like Gardening Australia on Facebook: / gardeningaustralia
Follow Gardening Australia on Instagram: / gardeningaustralia
Visit the Gardening Australia website: www.abc.net.au/...
This is an official Australian Broadcasting Corporation RU-vid channel.
********
Contributions may be removed if they violate ABC's Online Conditions of Use www.abc.net.au/... (Section 3).
21 авг 2024
