Thursday, March 10

 Compost Helps Any Soil

 
What type of soil do you have? If your first answer is ummm, dirt? Don't worry, that's like most of us. It can help, though, to choose new plants or take better care of those you already have when you are familiar with the type of soil you have. Soils tend to fall into three basic categories: sand, clay or loam. Sandy soils are well draining and good for plants that don't like "wet feet." Clay soils hold water a good deal, perhaps too much, and are not very oxygenated. 
 
Strangely, compost will improve both of them. It helps break up the clay and let water pass out more quickly. With sandy soils, it helps build some body so that water doesn't pass through as quickly. How great that one kind of compost can create two different effects. Once you've added the compost to these two types of soil, you're closer to loam which is the ideal type of soil. Rosa Palustris aka Swamp Rose does well in poorly drained soil whileYucca filamentosa does well in sandy soils. You can find both in our mail order nursery.