Generally, when it comes time to plant, more attention is paid to the plants and not enough attention is paid to the type of soil to be used. This is the first mistake that many beginners make when preparing the soil for their gardens. Have to know how to prepare the soil for a garden, since this will significantly affect its performance. Before starting to cultivate, it is necessary to know and treat the land so that it is in optimal conditions.
In this article we are going to tell you how to prepare the land for a garden, what aspects must be taken into account and the types of soils that are best.
How to prepare the soil for a garden
Not all lands are the same, and not all terrains. We can find two main categories:
- Sandy ground: it is characterized by poor water retention but high oxygenation of the roots due to good drainage.
- Clayey: It is characterized by high water retention, but its weakness is drainage, which causes poor oxygenation of the roots, unlike sandy soil.
The perfect balance to get the best soil to grow your garden, you will find it in two types of soil, a little clayey but capable of oxygenating the roots and retaining moisture. Obviously, not all lands naturally have this idyllic composition, so to achieve this combination, different elements can be included to help achieve the best possible farmland:
- Arlita: They are thermally expanded clay balls that provide good drainage and oxygenation.
- Perlite: It is a very light material that stores air and nutrients, thus ensuring good oxygenation and drainage.
- Vermiculite: It is expanded mica that is excellent for texturing sandy soil and preventing rapid drainage while absorbing water and nutrients.
- Compost: It is the most widely used fertilizer, decomposing organic matter.
- Fertilizer: It is important that the fertilizer is well decomposed.
- Earthworm humus: Great for crops as they provide oxygen to the roots and texture to the soil.
- Coir: A light substrate with high moisture and nutrient retention, it also provides good ventilation. It is recommended to mix coconut fiber with worm humus.
Gardening Tips
You have to prevent weeds from appearing, and for this it is important to clean the land as much as possible before starting to plant. The cleaner the ground is, the lower the risk of future occurrences. It is best to use a tool like a hoe to prepare the soil, or to water it, and when the soil is wet the next day, pull it up and tear it up by hand. The advantage of this method is that it removes the roots.
There is a wide variety of tools for this task: shovels or forks, excavator shovels, etc. But always before starting work you have to make sure that the earth has a temperate appearance, that is, that it is not dry. To gain temperature, the soil must be watered a lot for two to four days, depending on the heat and ambient humidity, and the soil can be aerated and loosened.
There is a technique of shoveling the soil, which is more respectful of nature because it maintains the structure of the soil. Soil 20-25 cm deep is easy to remove. It is very important that this operation fully prepares the land for planting our garden, since the success of our harvest depends a lot on it.
It includes the leveling of farmland, one of the most relevant aspects of which is the elimination of areas of compacted earth that result from farmland and rainfed land outside the adequate temperature point. These clods are still very hard when dry. To loosen it up and get the best soil for an orchard, it should soak well and stay moist until the next day, when they can be easily loosened with the back of a rake. If you must hit, it is best to hit with the back of a hoe. The growing area should be flat with a smooth, fine-grained soil texture.
How to prepare the soil for an organic garden
If you want to prepare your land for an organic garden, our advice is to closely follow the above recommendations and have a system that will give you the best results. For it, We recommend 3 alternatives for you to try yourself and decide which one is better:
- Plant without any soil treatment.
- Plants are planted with a soil treatment and peat is added.
- Use ammonia fertilizer to acidify the soil.
These or any of the suggestions above can help you get all the nutrients and optimal conditions for your crops to thrive.
Tips to improve soil quality
The garden soil should be rich in organic matter and minerals. It is important that it retains enough water and at the same time has good drainage. Clay soil holds too much water and can harm plants from overwatering. Conversely, if the soil is sandy, it drains quickly and crops may suffer from water shortages. Improvements or solutions involve finding a good balance. In clay you have to add river sand.
In sandy soil, you should plan to add compost, horse manure, or mulch. Some crops, such as carrots, spinach, broccoli, and even peas, grow well in sandy soil as long as they are regularly watered and provided with plenty of organic matter.
In any case, the contribution of organic fertilizers is essential for all types of soil. For this, 5 to 20 liters of manure or compost per square meter must be provided., depending on whether the soil is rich or poor in organic matter. You can add soil for urban gardens, which is a specific mulch for vegetables according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The nutrients provided by manure, worm humus or compost serve to nourish the soil: they will provide nutrients that we will surely take advantage of.
It is also recommended to add granulated compost, ground horn or dried blood as a supplement. They have the advantage of being rich in nitrogen and remaining in the soil for a long time. Remember that you can easily make homemade compost with the help of a composter, a technique used in organic farming.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about how to prepare the land for an orchard and what aspects to take into account.