Grow & Garden Digging Deep
soil in place. Installing a drainage system can also help with extra moisture. You can bind silt particles by adding organic matter.
Loamy Soil
Loam is what most gardeners dream of. It’ s that beautiful blend of clay, sand and silt— not too heavy, not too light. Sometimes, there’ s a bit more clay or sand, so you might hear it called clay loam or sandy loam. This type of soil is low-maintenance, only requiring a bit of care now and then to stay in great shape.
Adding a fresh layer of compost before spring will replenish nutrients and maintain its healthy ecosystem. Be careful not to over-till, though— I’ ve learned the hard way that too much digging can mess with the soil’ s
natural balance.
Getting Your Soil Ready for Spring Gardening
It’ s easy to spend the last days of winter indoors. However, for those who love getting their hands a little dirty, now’ s the perfect time for preparing your garden for sunnier days. Here are some practical ways to get your soil ready for spring.
Test Your Soil’ s pH Level You can’ t improve your soil until you know what you’ re working with. Knowing whether it’ s more acidic or alkaline can make a difference, since plants thrive in different types. The pH number is a straightforward way to determine this, and it’ s easier to check than it sounds. Collect some dirt, use a soil test kit from a garden supply store and use this guide to find out the pH level.
• Acidic: Between 5.5 and 6.5
• Neutral: 7.0
• Alkaline: Above 7.5
Make sure to regularly test your soil and monitor for signs of poor-quality soil. Trees, shrubs and flowers planted in poor-quality soil may extend their roots in search of nutrients, which can disrupt other plants or any hardscaping you have in your garden.
Clear Your Garden
Give your garden a“ clean slate” for the new season. Remove last year’ s plant debris and rocks from the garden beds. On a milder day when the ground has thawed a bit, pull any emerging weeds. Getting them out as soon as you can is easier than eliminating them once they’ re competing with your seedlings for water and nutrients. Select the Right Plants Successful gardening starts with picking the right plants for your soil. Here are the best plants to try out based on soil types:
• Clay: Roses, lilac, potatoes and most vegetables
18 AcreageLife February 2026 AcreageLife. com