Soils & Mulch

Soil Analysis

You don't have to be a soil scientist to analyze your soil. By following the steps below you can figure out what kind of soil you have. This will be very helpful in determining what plants will do best on your property and what steps you may need to take to improve the quality of your soil.

Take a glass jar and fill it half full with soil from your garden. Add water to the soil until the jar is about 1/2 full. Place the lid on the jar and shake or swirl the contents to mix well. Place the jar somewhere where it will not be disturbed, and check your sample in a few hours to identify your soil type by comparing to the illustration.

Your soil will be one of 4 different types:

• Loam soil will have equal amounts of clay, sand and silt particles. This type of soil is ideal for many types of plants.
• Sandy soil has a larger percentage of sand than clay or silt. This type of soil can dry out quickly. You will likely need to add some triple mix, compost or other organic matter to this type of soil to help it retain enough moisture for most plants.
• Silt soil has a larger percentage of silt than clay or sand. It can retain too much moisture and you will likely need to add some triple mix to this type of soil to improve drainage and avoid root rot.
• Clay soil has a larger percentage of clay than silt or sand. This is the most common type of soil in York Region. This type of soil can become very hard and dry when moisture is lacking and can become very compacted when wet. There are plants that thrive in clay soils. However, adding organic matter to this type of soil will help create a soil base that will allow most types of plants to grow well.

Mulch is a vital component of a water-efficient garden.

To mulch effectively, cover all exposed soil to a depth of 2 inches with any type of mulch. This will prevent water loss from the soil due to evaporation. Regardless of the types of plants you have in the garden, using mulch can reduce your gardens water needs by up to 70%. An added bonus of mulch is that it controls weed growth. Weeds need seed/soil contact to spread through your garden. Covering all of your exposed soil eliminates that contact preventing weed growth. Using mulch means you have to water and weed much less than you would have to without!

Types of Mulch:

• Small to large wood chips will break down over time to add nutrients to your soil.
• Shredded wood chips will break down very quickly to add nutrients to your soil.
• Cocoa bean shells will break down over time to add nutrients to your soil.
• Decorative rocks or stones will conserve soil moisture and prevent weeds but will not break down and will not add any nutrients to the soil.

You can also turn tree leaves and compost into the soil which will help the soil to retain moisture through absorption but this action will not prevent water loss due to evaporation and will not control weed growth.

Amending Soil with Compost

A simple way to improve your soils quality regardless of soil type is to put your backyard compost to good use! Adding compost to your soil will increase the presence of organic material improving water retention and adding nutrients to your soil. Composters are available for purchase at most municipality offices.

Mulch can reduce your garden water needs by up to 70%.