As you make your plans for spring planting, don't overlook a very important element: the soil. The quality of your soil can determine whether your shrubs and trees will be healthy and robust or sickly and weak. In last week's column, I discussed the importance of knowing the characteristics of your planting site before you decide what to plant and where. If you missed that column you can find it archived at my web site. Go to www.landsteward.org and find the column titled "Planting trees this spring? These pre-plant tips will help!" under The Plant Man heading. This week, we'll concentrate on the soil! When was the last time you had your soil tested? Last year? A few years ago? Never? I have to say that it's a good idea to have your soil tested about every three years. You invest your time and money in the shrubs and trees you plant. It's certainly worth the $10.00 or so that it will cost to have your soil tested. Look in your telephone book for the number of your nearest Agricultural Extension Service. They'll tell you exactly what you'll need to provide to get an accurate soil analysis. I've found that the best way to provide a representative sample is to dig down to a depth of about six inches or so in about eight or ten different spots in the designated planting area.. Lift up a small amount of soil from each of the little excavations, then put it all in a grocery sack or something similar and mix it up pretty thoroughly. Get a clean jelly jar or a similar container and put about a cup or so of the mixed soil into it. That's probably all they'll need at the Extension Service. If you have a very large landscape in which you're planning to plant, you should consider providing additional samples from the different areas, particularly if you believe the soil type might vary from one place to another. Be sure to label the containers, so you know which sample came from where! It's also a good idea to buy your own soil test strips. They're simple to use and can give you a fairly accurate 'snapshot' of the state of your soil. I still have my soil tested by an Extension Service every three years or so, but I use my test strips quite frequently as a quick check-up. Exactly what is it that you're testing for? A soil test will provide information in three essential categories: pH levels. This refers to the level of acidity or alkalinity in your soil. Odd as it might seem at first, most of your plants probably prefer soil that's a little on the "acid" side of neutral. However, soil that has too high an acid (or alkaline) level will mean you have a poor potential for healthy growth. Phosphorus and potassium. These are essential for robust plants. But, for example, if your soil test determines that you already have optimum levels of phosphorus and potassium, you'd only be wasting your money if you applied additional amounts. You could also risk creating an environmental hazard by overdosing your soil with phosphorus and potassium if large amounts became runoff into streams and rivers. Fertilizer. The results of your soil test will show you what mixture of fertilizer (if any) that you need to use. Again, it can be expensive and possibly futile to add fertilizer without knowing which blend your soil needs! If the soil test indicates that you will need to adjust the pH, it's preferable to do so when the soil conditions are right. Ideally, you want the soil to be neither too wet or too dry. Here's an easy way to check: Simply grab a handful of soil and squeeze. If the soil remains in a compact ball when you open your hand, it's too wet. Powdery and dusty? It's too dry. Soil will absorb the additives most efficiently if your squeeze test comes up with a pleasant crumbly mix. There's a comprehensive guide to soil preparation available free of charge online from the Extension Service of Virginia State University. The web address is http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/envirohort/426-313/426-313.html and I have provided a direct link from my web site. Find this column under The Plant Man heading, then scroll down and simply click on the link. A little time and effort devoted to soil preparation will definitely pay off with strong, healthy plants! The Plant Man is here to help. Send you questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org and for resources and additional information, including archived Plant Man columns, visit www.landsteward.org where you can also subscribe to Steve's free e-mailed newsletter.
