Generally, when it comes to planting, more attention is paid to the plants and not enough attention to the type of soil to be used. This is the first mistake many beginners make when preparing the ground for their gardens. Have to know how to prepare the ground for a garden, as this will greatly 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 will tell you how to prepare the ground for a garden, what aspects must be taken into account and the types of soil that are best suited.
Contents
How to prepare the soil for a garden
Not all land is the same, and not all land is the same. There are two main categories:
- Sandy ground: it is characterized by poor water retention but strong root oxygenation due to good drainage.
- Clay: It is characterized by high water retention, but its weakness is drainage, which leads to poor root oxygenation, unlike sandy soils.
The perfect balance to obtain the best soil to grow your garden, you will find it in two types of soil, a little clayey but able to oxygenate the roots and retain humidity. Obviously, not all land naturally has this idyllic composition, so to achieve this combination, different elements can be included to help achieve the best possible agricultural land:
- Arlita: These are thermally expanded clay balls that provide good drainage and good oxygenation.
- pearlite: It is a very light material that stores air and nutrients, thus ensuring good oxygenation and good drainage.
- vermiculite: It is an expanded mica that is excellent for texturing sandy soils and preventing rapid drainage while absorbing water and nutrients.
- Compost: It is the most widely used fertilizer, breaking down organic matter.
- Fertilizer: It is important that the fertilizer is well decomposed.
- Earthworm humus: Ideal for crops as they provide oxygen to the roots and texture to the soil.
- coconut fiber: Light substrate with high moisture and nutrient retention, it also ensures good ventilation. It is recommended to mix coconut fiber with worm humus.
gardening tips
It is necessary to prevent the appearance of weeds, and for this it is important to clean the ground as much as possible before starting to plant. The cleaner the soil, 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 rip 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, digging shovels, etc. But always before starting work, you must make sure that the land has a temperate appearance, that is, it is not dry. To gain temperature, the soil must be watered abundantly 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 20-25cm deep is easy to remove. It is very important that this operation prepares the ground perfectly for the planting of our garden, since the success of our harvest depends a lot on it.
It includes the leveling of farmland, one of the most important aspects of which is the removal of areas of compacted earth resulting from farmland and rainfed land outside the proper temperature point. These clods are still very hard when dry. To loosen it and obtain 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’s 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 carefully follow the recommendations above and have a system that will give you the best results. For that, We recommend 3 alternatives for you to try and decide which one is better:
- Plant without any soil treatment.
- Plants are planted with soil treatment and peat is added.
- Use ammonia fertilizer to acidify the soil.
These suggestions or any of the suggestions above can help you get all the nutrients and optimal conditions for your crops to thrive.
Tips for improving soil quality
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 retains too much water and can harm plants if overwatered. 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, river sand must be added.
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 watered regularly and provided with plenty of organic matter.
In any case, the addition of organic fertilizers is essential for all types of soil. For this, you need 5 to 20 liters of manure or compost per square meter., 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 benefit from.
It is also recommended to add granulated compost, crushed horn or dried blood as a supplement. They have the advantage of being rich in nitrogen and staying in the ground for a long time. Remember that you can easily make homemade compost using a composter, a technique used in organic farming.
Hopefully with this information you can learn more about how to prepare land for an orchard and what aspects to consider.