A successful vegetable garden requires fertile, well drained soil. Any soil can be amended to be made fertile provided it has good physical properties. Soils rich in clay drain poorly and are not sufficiently aerated to dry out and warm up in early spring when most planting is done. Does this Spark an idea?
Testing
You can take a sample of your soil to your county agricultural extension agent for a detailed analysis and soil amendment recommendations specific to your garden. You can test the pH of your soil using test strips available at any garden center.
Composition
The best soil composition consists of 40 percent clay; 20 percent silt; and 40 percent sand. Soil containing too much clay is called heavy soil and will not drain well. Soil that contains too much sand is called light soil and dries too quickly.
pH Level
A pH of seven is neutral. Less than seve is acidic and more than seven is alkaline. Most grow well in a pH of 6.5 to 7.
Chemistry
The three main elements that are needed for all vegetables to grow are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Some vegetables may also require trace amounts of other elements.
Water
Peat and compost can be added to your soil to enable it to retain the right amount of moisture, yet still allow the excess water to drain off.
