Soil is the medium that delivers these critical elements to plant roots. Native soils are comprised of minerals, water, organic matter, and living organisms such as earthworms and beneficial microbes. The primary soil textures are sand, silt, and clay, and often include rock and sand. Native ...
Also, check out your soil’s color. Many are rich in iron oxide, which gives the soil a reddish or rusty tone. This is not universally true, but may offer a helpful hint. Red clay soils tend to be fairly common around the world. Finally, there’s the ‘clay snake’ method. Make t...
Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables in gardens around the world. But to get the perfect harvest, you need the perfect formula of soil conditions, climate, watering schedule, and more. In this article, gardening expert and farm owner Taylor Sievers examines how to plant, grow, and...
Container-grown treesspend the first part of their lives in pots. The potting mix is lighter than field soil, so such plants can be shipped economically. Ideally, the plant spends enough time in the container to allow its roots to fill it. Watch out, though: Some vendors buy bare-root t...
Where to plant Chinese cabbage Grow Chinese cabbage in full sun in cool regions and in partial shade in warm regions. Plant Chinese cabbage in well-worked, well-drained but moisture-retentive soil rich in organic matter. Add aged compost to planting beds before planting and side-dress crops...
Grass banking involves landowners leasing their plots to ranchers in exchange for conservation work. Learn more about grassbanking and where it's big.
If you’re starting with clay soil, dry soil, or compacted soil, it will be important to make sure that you properly prepare your planting area in order to see growth and blooms. If you have challenging soil, or if you live in an area with heavy rainfall, you may want to consider gr...
How to plant: Amend garden beds with compost or other organic matter. For containers, use a high-quality potting soil. Make sure soil is loose and well-draining. If plants are pot-bound, gently tease out the roots. Dig a hole the size of the root ball and place in the planting hole...
How to Plant Lilacs If you’re lucky, a friend will give you a sucker, or offshoot, of the root system of one of their plants. The sucker will look pathetic at first, but dig a hole, backfill it with soil, and stick the sucker in. Then, water and wait. In 4 or 5 years, you...
Cup plant tolerates both dry soil and clay, but it grows best in well-drained soil that is rich in nutrients. Crumbly, dark brown loam is perfect for growing cup plants, but this tough perennial survives and even thrives in many types of soil. The plant adapts to a wide soil pH range...