Soil in Calgary
Anyone with some gardening experience would know that you can’t do much in the garden without good soil. Healthy soil provides the nutrients, water, and protection needed for plants to grow well. While gardening itself isn’t very complicated, it is crucial to have the right components and materials for your plants to grow healthily and successfully. Giving your plants a boost with some compost can only do so much in the long run.
The soil in Calgary has a high clay composition, which makes it challenging to work with for gardening because clay blocks water and air. Ornamental Stone provides soil of top quality, with gravel and clay removed to make your gardening project a success.
It is vital to prepare your soil before starting your gardening or landscaping project. Here’re some tips for building your garden with healthy soil.
Soil Testing
First things first, you have to get your soil tested. Like any other kind of test, this will let you know what advantages the soil has and what needs to be changed. Ideally, you would test your soil during the spring or fall seasons because the soil is usually stable around this time.
Testing doesn’t have to be a complicated process, and you can easily do it yourself. You can find DIY testing kits at most garden centers and landscape supplies in Calgary.
Essential Nutrients
Essential nutrients such as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus need to be present in your soil for plants to grow well. The test will determine if your soil has these elements or if there is a deficiency. If there is a lack of nutrients, you can add them to your soil in the form of synthetic or organic fertilizers. The first option is not sustainable and can cause root damage. It is best to opt for organic compounds that will take care of these problems for you.
pH Level
If the soil is too acidic or too alkaline, the absorption level of nutrients will be affected, and your plants may not get the minerals they need. No matter how fertile your soil, a pH level that is too high or too low is bad for your plants. The test will determine what you should be doing to bring this to the optimum level if the soil is not already there.
Soil Type and Texture
Another factor to consider is the type of soil you’re using. If your soil has more clay, silt, or sand, this will affect the texture. Plants need a specific soil texture to grow healthy.
Soil with high sand content is bad for your plants’ health because nutrients and water will find a fast and easy passage through the sand particles. Microbes and natural matters needed for your plants’ health are also lacking.
Silty soil is generally more fertile than soil with more sand or clay, but it is usually too thick for good drainage. That means that your plants may get dehydrated and die.
Soil with high levels of clay will be denser, which blocks water and can be brittle and cracked when it dries up. It also has a lack of nutrients and organic matter and can hinder root growth.
Soil Amendment
Depending on the results of your soil test, you may need to add soil amendment. Soil amendment is the term given to materials that are added to soil to make it better. This usually includes improving water retention, infiltration, drainage, etc. Soil amendments can be either organic or inorganic and are typically used to improve the soil’s fertility.
For soil amendment in Calgary, Ornamental Stone provides a high-quality quality blend called Garden Party that breaks down clay components in the soil and provides nutrients.
Finding the right kind of soil for your gardening is essential, which is why Ornamental Stone provides soil that is made specifically for this purpose. We provide soil delivery in Calgary and the surrounding areas.