A Soil Foundation
One of the FIRST things to do when setting up a garden, regardless of size, is to do a soil test. Do you have sandy soil? More clay? High in organic matter? Low in phosphorus? High in nitrogren? Perfect across the board for cut flower growing? If it’s the last one - congratulations, you have unicorn soil!
The reason you absolutely, 100% need a soil test is so you know the environment you’re growing in. Plants need phosphorus to bloom, nitrogren to grow big and healthy, organic matter to STAY healthy throughout the growing season and a stable ph level - to name a few. A soil test tells you what elements and minerals you’re lacking, or need to off set.
If you’re growing a vegetable garden, a cut flower garden, and have a grass lawn, you’ll want to take three separate soil tests. Different element levels are appropriate for different goals, and the results will tell you what kind of fertilizer or growth products will be beneficial to help you meet those goals.
We have all three - we want a lush, green lawn (hello nitrogen), an abundance of blooms (hi there, phosphorus) and a ton of veggies and fruit (welcome, ph levels and organic matter).
For us, we have a really high level of phosphorus with coarse, sandy soil. This is great for cut flowers (to a point), not so much for that lush, green lawn I mentioned above. Our fertilizer needs are then different for each area we’re growing in, and adding phosphorus to any of them wouldn’t work for us.
Before I dive into our soil samples, it’s good to have a basic understanding of what you are looking at!
Organic Matter - contains nitrogen and overall equals soil health. Organic matter increases over time.
Soil ph - measures acidity of the soil. Anything under a 6 is acidic, anything over a 7 is alkaline. The sweet spot is between 6.0 - 6.5 for cut flowers.
Phosphorus (phosphate) - essential to the growth of plants and maturity
Potassium (potash) - helps plants to use water and nutrients, and handle stressors well
I’m going to show our most recent soil samples from all three areas - established garden (growing since 2021 & amended), expanded garden (grew in 2022, not amended) and our lawn (growing since 2021, amended).
Established Garden
This sample is from the area I’ve been growing on since 2021. We took a soil sample in Spring 2021, and applied a 10-0-10 fertilizer in April of that year as well as compost to add to the organic matter. Unfortunately I can’t find my report from that year, but based on where this report is I believe the good levels have increased!
New Garden
This area was grown on in 2022, and was not amended at all. The organic matter is less than above, and the ph is a bit higher. The recommendation for fertilizer for this year is higher in nitrogen (the first number of the three number sequence for fertilizer). This area will get a good dose of compost this year!
Lawn
I’m sharing this one for comparison purposes, as we have a different focus when it comes to our lawn. We don’t put down compost (low organic matter), and we fertilize more frequently and with higher nitrogen and potash amounts.
For all three soil samples, you’ll see that there is NO recommendation to add phosphorus (phosphate) to any areas of our yard. An excess in phosphorus can cause run off, and we want to positively contribute to our environment, not negatively. In order for phosphorus to go down, I continue to plant in those areas so that the plants can soak it in. I also leave last year’s annual plants in the ground over the winter so that as they decompose, they are raising other mineral counts in the soil (that’s a whole other post, though)!
I’ve used a traditional fertilizer once on my established bed, and while it helped, I am now moving towards a no-fertilizer method. I worry about run off of chemicals and if my kids, animals and pollinators come into contact with it. I use compost every spring to help add to the organic matter, and I focus on using bioproducts that help plants use the already available minerals in the soil to grow strong roots and keep their health throughout the growing process.
(FYI, this is NOT a paid post, I am not compensated whatsoever for sharing the below products, and everything I share has been paid for myself)
I’ve been using (and talking about) BugHut products since I discovered them in 2022. I came across them as a Growing Kindness Project ambassador and found they worked well, had a great price point and added to my garden! Something I really love about their products is how safe they are to use - I can use them while my kids (and puppy) are running around the garden, and they don’t hurt or interrupt the flow of pollinators. They’re incredibly easy to use as well. Every bottle has measurements so you know exactly how much you’re using, and their sprayer versions are the BEST.
This year, I’ve started using their products during the seedling process. Wiggle Wonder is mixed in with the pro mix when I’m starting seeds, and I always use at least one product when watering. I use Enhancer in a spray bottle, and my sprouting dahlia tubers and seedlings get a dose once a day by spraying their leaves. Enhancer helps plants draw in nitrogen and distribute phosphorus, so I will definitely be using it in the field this season as well. Nutrition is used once a week on my established seedlings, to give them some healthy food while I’m waiting to plant out.
I also use their De-Stressor product frequently during the season itself, as well as at initial planting-out. De-Stressor helps plants thrive during temperature swings so that they don’t lose their groove, and is INVALUABLE during our hot and humid summers.
My goal is to have healthy, happy plants and be as sustainable and environment friendly as possible. The best way for me to do this is by knowing my soil - it allows me to help my plants use what is naturally available, and add nutrients with a sustainable focus.
Do you take soil samples? What products do you like to use?
