As a gardening enthusiast, you know how important it is to choose suitable soil to grow plants. Different soil types have different pH levels, cation, mineral, and organic matter. Understanding each type of soil and its characteristics and benefits will make it easier to choose the right one for your plants.
Here’s a list of 6 different types of gardening soil and their details:
Chalk Soil
Chalky soil comes from the alkaline soil family. It has stones and rocks in it. This soil has a sticky texture and does not contain much moisture when wet. Also, chalky soil drains and dries very quickly. It best suits plants like spinach, Boston ivy, lilac, and sweet corn.
However, chalk soil is a big No for some plants as it will turn their leaves yellow. To avoid this situation, add acidic material to the soil to increase the pH level or add some humus to increase moisture.
Sandy Soil
Like chalky, the sandy soil lacks moisture and nutrition and is super dry. As the name implies, this is the type of soil you find in deserts or other sandy areas. Sandy soil works best for growing sun roses, potatoes, and carrots. Since this type of soil can retain heat and become very hot sometimes, you can supplement it with organic fertilizers to add some moisture.
Silty Soil
Silt soil is full of nutrients and moisture, making it an excellent choice for gardening and growing plants. It is easy to dig and drain and a perfect choice for growing trees, grass, vegetables, and fruits. However, keep adding mulch to silty soil to keep the moisture and nutrients locked. Check out our store for landscape supplies in Calgary to find high-quality mulch for your silt soil.
Clay Soil
Clay soil is one of the most difficult to work with as it has very tiny particles that often clump together when wet. Though the soil is rich in moisture, it is ideal for use only when dry.
You can solve the clumping problem with a proper drainage system and add some mulch to keep the moisture locked. Clay soil is best for growing vegetables, fruit trees, and many other plants.
Peaty Soil
This soil is very dark in colour, acidic, and full of moisture. However, keep in mind that using peaty soil means you’ll have to spend more time on its maintenance. For example, you must keep adding fertilizers and ensuring a perfect drainage system. Also, it is a good idea to add lemon to reduce its acidity levels. Peaty soil is best suited to growing shrubs or plants with extensive roots.
Loamy Soil
Loamy soil is considered the best option for landscaping and gardening. This soil consists of 3 components; sand, clay, and silt, making the soil balanced. It has ideal drainage and is full of nutrients. You can grow almost any type of plant in loam soil. You may want to add some compost to the soil before the start of the season to keep the nutrients locked.
So, What Type of Soil is Best for Your Garden?
Now that you have gone through the entire post, you know which soil is best for gardening and landscaping in Calgary. It will always be loamy soil! It is full of nutrients, requires close to no maintenance, and works for almost all plants.
Soil Delivery in Calgary
Choosing the proper gardening and landscape supplies is the key to finding the best soil in Calgary. So, make sure to opt for high-quality supplies for your garden and plants to flourish and grow!