what do i do if the soil in my garden is to dry?

Question

i've decided to plant a garden, its actually my first time doing it alone. I live in Illinois and I plan to grow lettuce, tomatoes, carrotts and strawberries. I was told that is you grab a fist of dirt and is breaks apart when you let is go it meant it was good soil to plant in. well i did that and it kinda klumped together. now I know this is bad since the plants wont be able to grow right. my question is what to i do to make is more loose or not as dry.

Answer 1

Have the soil tested first. You can buy test kits and do it yourself or contact the Extention Service in your area. This will tell you the PH of your soil and other important properties of the soil composition. Advise will be given on what additions will correct for your soil.

The best thing anyone can do for a new garden is to make the soil right with the addition of organic materials, most importantly well composted cow manure. The soil of any type will be muuch improved with this technique.
Here is what I do:
1. Order a load of well composted cow manure from a farmer in your area.
2. Spread a tarp for the manure to be delivered . Have a second tarp to cover and bricks to secure it from wind.
3. Use a spade to lift a trench in your garden plot, drop in the manure to about six inches then turn the soil back onto this. If there was grass on the plot make sure to turn it under for green manure. Work some manure into the top also.
4. Repeat this proceedure throughourt the garden plot..
5. When your garden is planted you can plant white dutch clover in the pathways to control weeds, hold in moisture and contribute nitrogen into the soil. You also will have no mud in pathways after rain.
6. In the fall, when the harvest is in you should plant a cover of winter wheat or other recommended cover crop to turn under in the spring. This keeps the soil from erosion, prevents weeds and provides much organic material back into the soil. Boy will that be easy to work in the Spring.
7. You have built the most perfect garden soil ever.

Organic matter helps to break up a compacted soil; helps the soil maintain the correct amount of moisture; improves drainage and allows the soil structure to keep its integritry which encourages healthy worm activity [natural areators and fertilizers which break down refuse organics in the garden.] Worms do a lot of work for you.

My gardens were always the healthy ones that people talked about and took pictures of. Tomatoes thrived when everyone else's in town were failing. Seventeen types of lettuce, ten varieties of peppers, five types of squash, three types of beans, garlic, kohlrabi, parsnips, leeks, shallots, white and sweet potatoes grew among herbs and flowers.

Good luck with your garden, I know you will really love it.

Answer 2

True: to identify good earth, grab a fist of dirt, press it and see if it breaks apart AND doesn't leave any clammy dirt onto you hand. By what you say, your soil may have too much clay in it - it's sort of sticky, or just chock-o-block. In both cases, to lighten it up you can add simple sand (just make sure it is the construction type, that has not been taken from seaside, for this has salt in it - not good for plants). About 1 part of sand for 2 parts of earth. But that's just the beginning. Mix the sand well into the ground, about 20 cms. When the earth is loose, it also keeps more moisture in it. If you can, sieve it though a wire net, so you can get free of stones or big lumps.

In the meantime, choose a spot at the back of your garden, and make a compost heap: just throw about anything green or vegetable (potatoe, carrot and onion peals, vegetable leftovers, whatever may rot - even paper, so long as it has not gloss to it or paint) - you may also collect grass mowing into the pile. Keep it rather wet and turn once a week. This compost will pick-up temperature and then degrade eventually. Take the bottom part (that has become unidentifiable) and mix into the ground. You may also use horse or cow manure, but always let it rest (or decompose, which picks up temperature). Compost must be cold before adding to earth or will "cook" your seeds. You might want to find out what the acidity or alkalinity your soil is (just check with any lab or eaven a pharmacy for acidity sticks - they turn different color depending on which value it shows: 1 for acid; 14 for alkali; neutral is 7). This may determine that some plants will do great and others, well, better stick to the ones that work good with your kind of soil.
HTH

Answer 3

I dislike saying this but I have ben into gardening and potted plants many years and tried various ways of drying soil without any notable success.The best I could do was lay it out on a tarpaulin and stir with a garden rake when the top layer dried up but that is a long involved process.Soil that has ben heated in a oven looses a great deal of fertility too.

Answer 4

Well Hello Lucy! I live in Illinois, Coles County. If you did your little soil test too soon after the rains we had, of course it will clump up. I wait 2 or 3 days then go to the middle with spade. I dig out maybe 6 or 8 inches to see what it looks like underneath. Looks too damp, I wait a day. But then I have a tiller. Maybe there's a nice old Grumpy man in your neighborhood that would till up your space. Shouldn't cost more than a few dollars. If you have that good black Illinois dirt, everything but macaroni should grow:) Have fun!

Answer 5

By the looks of it, its kind of clay soil you got. The best remedy for that would be to add sand and garden soil to make the soil more porous and easier for the roots to grow. I usually try the 1part clay, 1 part loam and 1 part sand mixture. How you can do this is simple: Loosen the area you plan to plant. Measure the total soil you tilled, say if you were able to have 1 pail of clay soil, add 1 pail loam or garden soil, 1 pail river sand not the seashore sand. Then mix them well together. Yo can add slow release fertilizer to the mixture for great result. Drainage is important so make sure water will not stagnate because you got a clayey soil.

Answer 6

I would till in a lot of grass. ( you can usually get it from a local landscape maintenance company for free. I would also add some sand if your soil is too clumpy. Be sure to make sure that the grass was not recently sprayed for insects. They tend to do this early in the spring and not again until mid summer. Then This fall have a landscape maintenance company drop off a couple loads of leaves to till in. Hope this helps. Have a Great Day.

Answer 7

You need to add mulch, dry leaves, grass clippings to enrich your soil and keep it from clumping. Adding mulch will help your soil retain moisture.

Answer 8

THE LOCAL NURSERY WOULD WILLINGLY HELP YOU WITH YOUR QUESTION . HAPPY AND FULFILLING HOURS!