Planning: Soil & Light

Planning:
Soil and Light

Loamy soil
We all admire beautiful gardens in our neighborhoods, but creating your own can be the most rewarding experience. Planning ahead will prevent problems and lessen your stress later on. All plants, be it trees, shrubs or perennials require certain conditions to grow and look their best. A healthy plant is a happy plant and it all starts with your soil.

Soil:
Soil is a mix of minerals and organic debris. Soils range in textures from sandy to loams to clay and anything in between. The medium texture, more desirable soils for growing are loamy. The loamy soil retains moisture without becoming saturated and contains a balance of nutrients.

Sandier soils are dryer because water passes through them quickly. For this reason, nutrients are low in sandy soils. It is hard for some plant materials to grow in sand because they can’t capture the water they need and have trouble rooting.
Sandy soil

On the other hand, clay soil can hold too much water. Clay becomes dense and can limit the airspace, not allowing the plants to develop healthy roots and drowning them out. Clay is also very hard to dig in.

A quick way to see what kind of soil you have is to take a clump and squeeze it. If your soil stays together in a clump, you are on the clay side. If your soil falls apart totally, you are on the sandy side. Obviously, this isn’t the most scientific and reliable test you can do. It is recommended that you take a soil sample and send it to the University of MN Soil Testing Lab.

A soil in between sand and clay is ideal: A nice loamy mix. Most of us are not so lucky.
However, soils can be amended and improved. Improving the soil in your garden will improve the performance of your new plants. Incorporating organic and matter with the soil can help improve soil structure, aeration, moisture retention and soil fertility. Organic additives include manure, leaf mold, composted shredded bark and compost.
Clay soil

The easiest and most efficient way to plan your garden is to work off what the land has given you. If your soil is clay, amend it yes, but don’t try to totally change the texture. Your plants will thank you for this later. Gertens care sheets are available to help you learn which plants will perform best in clay soil and in various soils and conditions.

Light:

...And then there was light. Light fuels photosynthesis in plants. This provides nutrients and keeps the plant growing in a healthy environment. In an ideal world, we’d all have 6-8 hours of uninterrupted, morning sun with shade during the hot afternoon. For a select few that have this, feel free to do a celebration dance now. The rest of us need to do a little homework.

Leggy Lilacs
First, figure out how much sunlight you are getting in your prospective garden location. If possible, survey the spot several times throughout the day and throughout the changing seasons. It is important to consider how much and what type of sunlight you are getting. Are you getting 3 or 6 hours of sun? Is it eastern exposure or hot western sun? Be sure to make note of overhead tree canopies and homes or structures nearby that may create shade.
Once you have figured this out, you are ready to start thinking about plant materials. This may sound silly, but be sure to look at the plant light requirements prior to choosing plants. This is the main reason plants die in landscapes.

Some plants will grow and take on new form if they are not getting enough light. They may become “leggy”, stunted or may not produce fruit or flowers; they may look sickly or not change color in the fall.

On flip-side, the plants that receive more light than suggested may burn, bleach or dry out in the sun.

By this point, you know your yard better than the squirrels do and you are ready to choose plants. You should be confident knowing your light requirements and soil type. When choosing your plants, do not stray from your plan. Whether it’s a shade or sun garden, be sure to consider bloom times so your garden will thrive all season long.
Scorched by the sun

By planting the right plants for the conditions, you are starting the garden out on a healthy note. Stronger plants will not only look better but will be more resilient against pests and disease that may try to invade.

Once you’ve chosen your plants, follow this planting guide for various soil types.